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These Applesauce Donut Muffins are packed with applesauce, bake up so tender, and coated in crispy cinnamon and sugar for the perfect Fall treat.
Baking up recipes using applesauce is a favorite Fall activity of mine and these applesauce donut muffins are a definite vibe.
It’s an Applesauce Donut Hole Sort of Situation!
Ever heard of donut muffins? They’re a treat we’ve been making for years now and now we’ve given them a little Fall-inspired makeover by using applesauce in the batter.
Part muffin, part donut hole, these are sure to be a hit with the family.
These applesauce donut muffins have that apple cider donut vibe that we all love with the crispy exterior that’s just absolutely loaded with cinnamon sugar. The crackly crust is really what takes these from muffin to donut!
Perfect for a fall treat! I serve these for breakfast with a pumpkin cream cold brew or for a fun afterschool snack!!
Our apple cider donut bread and pumpkin donut bread both took a little inspo from this recipe with that crackly sugar crust and I gotta tell you, it’s a favorite.
What are donut muffins?
These little mini muffins are prepared with applesauce and bake up light and fluffy!
Then they’re dipped in melted butter (for that freshly fried vibe) and rolled through cinnamon and sugar to make that delectable crunchy exterior you find on all the best donuts.
So, are these donuts or are they muffins? I think they’re a delightful mix of both.
♥ What We Love About This Recipe:
- Fall Flavor – We love the cinnamon sugar and apple flavors that are so perfect for the fall season! We roll these mini muffins in butter and then generously coat them in cinnamon sugar. They’re irresistable!
- Simple – These mini donut muffins are a lot easier to make than a regular full sized donut or muffin and you’re getting all the same flavors! These are great for a quick breakfast or a fall festive treat for the holidays.
Ingredient Notes:
Dry Ingredients – To prepare the applesauce donut muffin batter you’ll start with some flour, sugar, baking soda, softened butter, and ground cinnamon.
Wet Ingredients – You’ll also need an egg, some vanilla extract, and of course the applesauce. We’re using a cinnamon applesauce for extra cinnamon flavor! You can use any variety of applesauce you like.
Mini Muffin Tin!
We love whipping up bite-sized muffins and other desserts in this mini muffin tin! One tin holds 24 mini muffins.
How to Make Applesauce Donut Muffins:
Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar before adding the wet and dry ingredients.
Once the batter is smooth and creamy, use a cookie scoop to fill a mini muffin tin with batter.
Bake the muffins for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing the muffins from the tin.
Dunk each muffin first in melted butter (quickly, so it doesn’t soak up too much butter) and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.
My Favorite Cookie Scoop!
We use cookie scoops for everything from baking cookies to scooping meatballs to easily filling muffin tins.
Storage Instructions:
You can keep these applesauce donut muffins stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days. Store them with a paper towel lining the bottom and the top to help prevent them from getting soggy.
Recipe FAQs:
We’re using cinnamon applesauce to add a bit of flavor to the muffins, but beyond that the applesauce helps ensure your muffins will bake up moist.
We prefer to spritz the mini muffin tin with non-stick spray rather than use muffin liners for this recipe.
Yes, you could turn these into larger full sized donut muffins by using a regular muffin tin but you will need to adjust the bake time. They’ll take a little bit longer to cook through the larger muffins.
More Mini Muffin Recipes!
Applesauce Donut Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup cinnamon applesauce
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
To make the muffins:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
- Using an electric mixer in a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and applesauce until well combined.
- Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Fill the muffin wells 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing the muffins from the tin.
Topping:
- Melt the butter in the microwave in a small bowl.
- Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a second small bowl.
- Dunk each muffin quickly into the butter, just enough to coat the exterior without it having time to really soak in, and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.
Ellen says
These sound so good! I would love to get into photography at some point in the future (still a broke college student with no time or money though). With the 5 frames per second you said you could shoot 5 pictures in 5 seconds, but did you mean 5 pictures in 1 second? I don’t know much about cameras, so just seeing if you could clear that terminology up.
Karly says
@Ellen,
Good catch! Yes, I meant 5 frames in one second. I’ll go fix that now! 🙂
Clotilde/Craftybegonia says
They look delicious for family and company!
Karly says
@Clotilde/Craftybegonia,
Yes! They’d be great for guests! 🙂
Erin @ Simple, Sweet & Savory says
The camera’s a beaut! I’m jealous. I’m a Nikon girl too, but mine is a few years old. Love the pics and LOVE the muffins/donuts! I love pumpkin, but I’m ready to get my apple on!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I’m a Nikon girl too! Although it seems that most food bloggers seem to pair with Canon. I love the looks of this one, and think it’s SO COOL they reached out to you. Not surprised though!! Love these muffins too! Yum!
Marcie says
I’m a Nikon girl, too, and I love my d5100. ????. What a thrill for you to get to test drive that adorable camera! I’d give it the thumbs up, because your photos look so good, I want to reach in and grab a sugar coated muffin! And yes, I’ve overdone the pumpkin thing and am on a huge apple kick! Pinned.
Krystle(Baking Beauty) says
You are forgiven for skipping right to apples. These look finger licking good! Pinned!
heather @french press says
those muffins, and that camera – both gorgeous; it definitely does not suck to be you 🙂
nicole says
i have been debating back and forth with canon eos and this camera, but you’ve convinced me! Love to see a ‘about the camera with sample pix (like outside/nighttime)! 24 pixels is supremely amazing!!!
Karly says
@nicole,
Go to the store and play with them both. I’m telling you, some cameras just fit your hands better than others. 😉 But from a performance perspective, I definitely recommend this one if it feels right! 🙂
Mari says
Love the share and camera info saved both for future use. I’m an amature photographer and this camera def looks great.
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
I am a Canon girl but your Nikon review got me drooling! LOVE the info on display! I am a visual person too. And 24 megapixels!!! Eeek! I might have to look into this one!
The muffins – oh yum! I could eat a few (dozen) right now!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
Those guys look like little apple-y sugar-y drops of heaven!
Angelyn @ Everyday Desserts says
the photos & muffins look amazing! yum!
Karissa | Sweet as a Cookie says
The photos are beautiful. I need a whole batch of thee applesauce donut muffins right now. All you Nikon users make me want to make the switch.
Karen @ On the Banks of Salt Creek says
Mmmm. Applesauce donuts. We recently moved out to a country farm and the closest grocery store is Roth’s . Kinda spending but they have AWESOME applesauce donuts rolled in sugar! This recipe could solve the drive into town problem.
I have a Nikon D40 but really don’t know how to use it 🙁
Karly says
@Karen @ On the Banks of Salt Creek,
I started out with a d40! It’s a good little camera! I have some posts about shooting in manual here: http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/category/photography-tips-and-tricks/ I never did finish the series though. 🙁
nicole says
@Karly, Thanks for the reply- I have an older Fuji, but a friend’s Sony takes amazing pix, but then I saw pix taken with this Nikon and I was just BLOWN away by the detail, and the more I checked it was between it and the Canon for a camera that would last me another 10 years. Thanks for helping my christmas wish decision alonG!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
What a gorgeous camera (and muffin!!) I just upgraded last week to the D5300. Still trying to learn how to use it, LOL!!