Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
Adapted from Everyday Food November 2010

My sister, Sue, says these muffins "taste like fall" and she's right. One bite through the crunchy cinnamon-sugar exterior into the light and fragrant nutmeg-and-allspice-infused pumpkin interior will send memories of falling leaves, crackling fires, and Thanksgiving feasts rushing back.  You might think, "All that imagery from a little ol' muffin?".  I say yes; never underestimate the power of taste - and smell - to conjure up fond recollections.  It's one reason why so many of us love food so much.

Batter:
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 ¼ cups pure pumpkin puree
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs

Sugar coating:
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups.

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.

With 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 of pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. 

Let muffins cool 10 minutes in a 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. (Store in an airtight container up to 1 day.)

* Muffins may be frozen up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven, then coat in butter and sugar.

Makes 12 muffins