Old Fashioned Donut Muffins

Despite being a southern food lover (raised and still living in what I’ll call “kind of” the South) I don’t fry much at home.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love fried food. But with a grocery budget to mind and youngins running through the kitchen, deep frying is usually saved for special treats. Days like snow days call for fried yeast donuts or maybe fried cake donuts. This only happens once or twice each year! Sometimes I’ll fry up some chicken or homemade honey buns.

But on an ordinary morning?

I want something warm and sweet without pulling out a pot of oil.

These old fashioned glazed donut muffins are my answer to that. They bake in a regular muffin tin and still give that soft, slightly dense crumb of a cake donut. And when you pour the glaze over the tops while they’re warm, it melts down just enough to give you that thin, crackly finish you expect from a donut shop.

No thermometer. No splattering oil. Just a bowl and a muffin pan.

Why These Don’t Just Taste Like Muffins

Now these ARE muffins, so they lend to that texture. But the taste itself is that of an old fashioned donut. One ingredient does that best.

There’s nutmeg in the batter. Not overpowering but enough to give that classic and simple old fashioned donut taste.

The texture matters too. They will be fluffy like a muffin, but to get a crispier almost fried like outside, put some extra butter in the tins when greasing and they will fry on the outside just a tad.

And then there’s the glaze.

The glaze adds that final touch of old fashioned donut. Added while they are warm (not hot from the oven or cooled completely) it soaks in just a bit and hardens into that classic icing.

I usually pour it on generously and let it drip down the sides. If I want a more even, thin coating like a dipped donut, I dip the tops straight into the bowl and lift them out slowly letting any excess drip before letting them set.

If your glaze seems too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Too thick? A splash more water (or you could use milk).

It should fall off the spoon in a ribbon, not run like water.

How These Work Around Here

Well, in our house everyone wakes up just plain starving. Tears, fits, mopiness. All until we get a bite to eat. Having something like muffins helps with something to eat right off the bat or as main breakfast. I like to have these waiting on the kids and later do a bigger protein heavy breakfast once we have a little time.

And these are great fall back muffins because they are pretty standard. There’s no seasonal ingredients or specialty items, just simple pantry items. I mean, how often do you use nutmeg? I always have it because I need it for holiday baking but it comes in giant jars and you only need a pinch at a time so I always have it sitting in the pantry.

They don’t taste like a holiday baked good though, the perfect year round muffin.

They’re best the day they’re made, but still very good one or two days after. Any longer and you’ll want to freeze. They freeze just fine. I usually freeze them unglazed and add fresh glaze after thawing.

Old Fashioned Donut Muffins Video(s)

Below is a playlist- on the right hand side, toggle between videos in the playlist to see all the times I’ve made them. And come join me at the farmhouse if you want!

Old Fashioned Donut Muffins Recipe

If you make them, I hope they feel like a small-town bakery without the hot oil and the mess.