Everyone should have these little two-bite Sugared Lemon Mini Donut Muffins in their repertoire – they’re easy to make and perfect for almost any occasion: breakfast, lunch, or snack; pool party, birthday celebration, book club; school lunch box, picnic, or potluck. Packed with fresh lemony flavor, these sparkling gems are pretty to look at and delicious eat.
With no power tools necessary, the batter comes together easily in a medium bowl and gets spooned into greased miniature muffin cups. (You can line the cups with paper liners, if you prefer). They bake up in 12 minutes or so which is just enough time to conquer the minimal cleanup. I, for one, appreciate this efficiency – done and dusted with minimal effort yet maximum results for the win, or, as the kids say, “FTW!” When the muffins are cool, dip the tops in melted butter and sugar for the big finish.
As usual, I offer a few ways to personalize this recipe (see below for specifics). It’s part of the fun of our Baking Together group.
Poppy seeds are a traditional companion to lemon cakes and introducing a small amount is a fun way to add a touch of texture and visual accent to these muffins. Keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way so resist over-doing it.
Another fun switch-up is to swap out the butter-sugar topping for a lemony confectioners’ sugar frosting (frosting recipe with donut muffin recipe.) This takes them from “muffin” to “cupcake” in one simple step. If you’re feeling festive, add a few colored sprinkles to the tops before the frosting firms up.
These mini donut muffins easily transition from lemon-flavored to the classic cinnamon-sugar donut combination by eliminating the lemon zest and adding a touch of spice to the batter, and of course using cinnamon sugar for the topping. I’ve also included a vanilla chocolate chip variation that my gang loves.
Mini-muffin tins vary in cup size; be sure to read the notes below to make sure your mini-muffin tins will give you the best results.
Have fun and be sure to pass along your thoughts and variations in the comments section. We love Baking Together, and if you’re new to this column, check out our other 46 installments right here!
Kitchen Notes
Mini muffin tins
As with most baking equipment, mini-muffin tins vary slightly in size (meaning the dimensions and volume of the actual cups vary) depending on the brand. For this recipe, we want true mini-muffin tins: the cups should be about 1-inch deep with slightly slopping sides with the top measurement about 1 3/4 to 1 7/8 inches and the bottom of the cup about 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 inches across. This Cuisinart pan (also pictured below) is an example of one that is the right size. (Vineyarders, you can purchase this at Le Roux.) If you have mini muffin paper or foil liners, you can also check to see if they fit snugly (with no gaps) into your pan.
What you don’t want for this recipe is something like the Nordicware “petite” muffin pan; its cups are much wider (2.3 inches across) and shallower.
Mini muffin tins for home ovens come in trays of 12 or 24.
Make ahead
Sugared (or frosted) donuts are best when served the same day as they are baked, but leftovers, well-wrapped and kept at room temperature, are yummy for a several days. Muffins and cupcakes that have been topped or frosted freeze well for up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temperature before finishing with the butter-sugar topping or frosting.
Variations
Totally Sugar-Coated: Bake and cool the muffins. Double the amount of melted and granulated sugar for the topping. Dip and roll the entire muffin in the melted butter then in the sugar to coat completely. Repeat with remaining muffins.
Classic Cinnamon Sugar: Add a pinch of ground nutmeg to the dry ingredients. Omit the lemon zest and add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract along with the milk and egg. Dip the tops of the baked and cooled muffins in butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar. Or use the Totally Sugar-Coated variation.
Poppy Seed Variation: Add 1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds along with the other dry ingredients.
Vanilla Chocolate Chip Variation: Omit the lemon zest and add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract along with the egg and milk. Fold up to 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips into the batter. Serve as is or dip and coat the muffins with the butter and sugar.
