Pumpkin Donut Muffins

Alright, I have made these little devils for a few years now and this year I have been asked for the recipe enough times for me to warrant a blog entry.  These plague our family every fall, several times.  When these come out of our kitchen October 1st, it truly feels like fall to us!

Even for those who don't enjoy desserts of the pumpkin variety, this is the dessert for you.  Not too pumpkin-y, we promise! Everyone I've ever made these for are BIG fans!

So, with my compliments and Martha's - Enjoy! 

Ingredients

• For The Batter

  • - 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
  • - 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
  • - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • - 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • - 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • - 1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)
  • - 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • - 2 large eggs

• For The Sugar Coating

  • - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • - 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • - 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. 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.
2. 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 butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack.