These Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins are the perfect fall treat, with pumpkin spice and cinnamon sugar in a bite-sized, soft muffin that’s easy to make and hard to resist! Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy dessert, these poppable little muffins bring the best of fall straight to your table!
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My kids declared this the best pumpkin recipe I have made all fall. They love the fun bite-size twist on pumpkin donuts, with a soft, fluffy texture that feels more like a muffin but with the same sugary, spiced topping of a donut.
These mini muffins are packed with all things pumpkin and make the house smell amazing while they bake. The best part? You don’t even need a donut pan—just a mini muffin tin (or a regular muffin tin for larger muffins) and some basic pantry ingredients. They’re a delicious way to celebrate the fall season, and the cinnamon-sugar coating takes them over the top!
If easy donut recipes make your heart happy, you’ll love my Apple Cider Donuts, Carrot Cake Baked Donuts, Apple Fritter Donuts, and Homemade Glazed Donuts – they’re absolute must-tries!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Ready in just under 30 minutes, these mini pumpkin donut muffins are a great recipe for busy fall mornings or last-minute treats.
- Bursting with pumpkin spice and cinnamon sugar, these muffins capture the warm, cozy flavors of the season in every bite.
- The mini size makes them perfect for popping into your mouth, and they’re ideal for sharing (though you might want to keep them all for yourself!).
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-Purpose Flour – The base of your muffins, creating the perfect fluffy texture.
- Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness to the muffins and the cinnamon-sugar topping.
- Light Brown Sugar – Gives a rich, molasses-like flavor to the batter.
- Baking Powder – Helps the muffins rise and stay light and fluffy.
- Salt – Balances out the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – The star of the show, giving the muffins that classic fall spice mix.
- Eggs – Provide structure and moisture to the muffins.
- Pumpkin Puree – Adds moisture, color, and that delicious pumpkin flavor. Go the extra mile and whip up your own with my homemade pumpkin puree recipe!
- Salted Butter (melted) – Keeps the muffins tender and moist while adding richness.
- Ground Cinnamon – For the cinnamon-sugar coating that takes these muffins to the next level.
- Cooking Spray – Helps the muffins release easily from the tin.
How to Make Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins
- Prepare equipment. Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray your mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. This mixture will be the base for your muffin batter.
- Melt butter. Melt your salted butter in the microwave or on the stovetop, and set it aside to cool slightly.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin puree, and melted butter until smooth.
- Make batter. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined, but don’t overmix! The batter will be thick.
- Fill muffin tin. Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, fill each muffin cup about ¾ full with batter. The muffins will puff up nicely as they bake.
- Bake muffins. Bake for 10-12 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin—it should come out clean with just a few crumbs.
- Cinnamon-Sugar coating. Let the muffins cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. While still warm, toss them in a little additional melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! Use a regular muffin tin and bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F for another 12-15 minutes.
If the cinnamon-sugar mixture isn’t sticking, be sure to brush the muffins with melted butter before rolling them. The butter helps the coating hold on better!
Absolutely! These muffins can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container. Just give them a quick roll in the cinnamon-sugar before serving to freshen them up.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them (instructions below).
Yes! After baking and cooling, freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw them and reheat briefly before rolling in cinnamon-sugar again.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature eggs to help the batter mix smoothly and ensure an even bake.
- Don’t overmix the batter! Stirring too much can make the muffins dense.
- If you want extra fluffy muffins, let the batter rest for about 10 minutes before scooping it into the muffin tin.
- Roll the muffins in the cinnamon-sugar mixture while they’re still warm for the best coating.
What to Serve with Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins
A cozy cup or Hot Chocolate, a cold glass of Pumpkin Juice, or a hot mug of Slow Cooker Homemade Apple Cider brings out the flavors of fall and makes them ideal for a fall brunch.
They’re also a great addition to any holiday breakfast spread, alongside some Scrambled Macaroni & Eggs, Oven Baked Bacon, or a Fruit Salad for a more balanced meal.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can swap all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free option.
- No pumpkin pie spice? No problem! Mix your own with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves (see notes in the recipe card).
- If you only have unsalted butter, just add a pinch more salt to balance the flavors.
- Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices that can throw off the recipe.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Fall For
- Pumpkin Cornbread
- Pumpkin Butter
- Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (247g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup salted butter melted
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray two 24-count mini muffin tins with baking spray. (Makes about 48 mini muffins).
- Whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.
- Whisk eggs, pumpkin, and melted butter in another bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Scoop about 1 ½ Tablespoons of batter into each muffin cavity until they are about ¾ full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until done. You can test with a toothpick inserted into the center of some of the muffins. It should come out clean with just a few crumbs. Or bounce your finger on the top of a muffin. If it leaves an indentation, they need to bake another minute or two longer.
- Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Gently toss the muffins in the additional melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat before serving. I like to add the cinnamon-sugar mixture to a large bag, add the muffins, then seal and gently shake to evenly coat everything.
Notes
- These can also be made full-size by using a regular muffin pan and baking for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. Makes 12 regular size muffins. Fill all the way to the top. Bake 5 minutes at 425°F then decrease temp to 350°F and bake another 15-16 minutes.
- If the cinnamon sugar isn’t sticking, brush or dunk the mini muffins in melted butter or spray with a little cooking spray before rolling them.
- Pumpkin Spice Blend: If you don’t have this blend in your spice drawer, you can just use 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Store: Keep your mini muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Reheat: Microwave for 10 seconds to bring back their warm, fresh taste.
- Make Ahead: You can make the batter the night before, store it in the fridge, and bake fresh muffins in the morning.
So good! My hubby took them to an event and the host snagged anything that was left. 😁