Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Okay, it's November. Pumpkin month. I'm so glad Martha decided to throw these sugary treats into her Thanksgiving issue because they were just the thing I needed to make for the school Election Day bake sale. And just as the name says, they really do taste like pumpkin muffins. You and your family will love them.

Funny thing, though. You know how a recipe usually makes less than it claims to? (Like a cookie recipe that claims to make 4 dozen and really makes 2.) Well this one claims to make 12 muffins. I doubled it so I could have some for the bake sale and some for our family, and I came out with 3 dozen. Go figure.

And while we are speaking of pumpkin, and you're in the mood for that spicy harvest flavor, here are some other great pumpkin recipes from the VGP archives:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Topping
Pumpkin Cornmeal Muffins
Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars with Browned Butter Frosting
Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts
Yeasted Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon-Pecan Swirl

Wow, looking back, there are some dang good recipes on here! If I do say so myself. Here's another:Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
Muffins:
10 T unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15 oz. can)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs

Sugar Coating:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups.

2. Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.

3. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with melted butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack. (Store in airtight container up to 1 day.) Makes somewhere between 12 and 18 muffins.

Recipe from Everyday Food, November 2010