Sugared Doughnut Puffs
Mini muffins that taste like doughnuts! Shake them in a bag of cinnamon sugar for a genuine doughnut shop finish.
Supplies
pastry brush, plastic wrap, mini-muffin pan (up to 20 cups), liquid measuring cup, bowls, measuring cups, measuring spoons, fork or small whisk, baking spatula, dinner knife, ordinary teaspoon, paper lunch bag or plastic bag
Ingredients
soft butter for muffin cups
½ cup (125 mL) milk
1 Tbsp (15 mL) white sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) quick-rise yeast
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour (spoon in, level)
⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) salt
1 Tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
1 egg
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) lemon extract, if you have it
1 Tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
2 Tbsp (30 mL) white sugar
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon, if you like
- Use a pastry brush or a scrunched-up piece of plastic wrap to generously butter 20 mini-muffin cups. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup, heat the milk in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute (or longer) until very warm but not hot (see “Yeast”). Sprinkle in the 1 Tbsp (15 mL) sugar and the yeast. Do not stir. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes for the yeast to turn foamy.
- In a large bowl, mix the 1 cup (250 mL) flour and salt. Set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter in the microwave on 50% power until melted (about 30 seconds). Set aside.
- Go back to the cup of foamy yeast. Use a fork or small whisk to beat in the egg. Next use a baking spatula to scrape the melted butter into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla and lemon extract, if using. Mix well with the fork or whisk.
- Using the baking spatula, scrape the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Stir into a stretchy dough batter. Scrape sticky ingredients off the spatula with a dinner knife so everything is well blended. When there is no dry flour left, cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
- After the dough batter has risen, sprinkle the 1 Tbsp (15 mL) flour onto it and stir it in until no more dry flour can be seen.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Use an ordinary teaspoon to scoop spoonfuls of dough batter about the size of walnuts, and push them off the spoon with your finger into the 20 mini-muffin cups. Fill each cup about two-thirds full.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 to 17 minutes, until lightly golden. Get help removing them from the oven.
- While the puffs are cooling, in a small microwave-safe bowl heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter in the microwave at 50% power until melted (about 30 seconds).
- With the puffs still in the pan, brush the tops with the melted butter. Take the puffs out of the pan.
- Put the 2 Tbsp (30 mL) sugar and the cinnamon, if using, in a paper lunch bag or plastic bag. Drop in ten puffs. Close the bag tightly at the top and shake to coat the puffs in cinnamon sugar. Remove from the bag and shake the other ten puffs. Eat while warm.
Makes about 20 Sugared Doughnut Puffs.