Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

I have a bit of pumpkin left over to create into recipes, so I decided to try these Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins from Brown-Eyed Baker. They are moist and delicious. Best part is I found the recipe made 18 muffins for me rather than the 12 stated in the recipe ... that makes me feel slightly better about the amount of butter I'm eating when I'm trying to be somewhat healthy. These are worth repeating and would be a great work treat.

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
Muffins

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter 18 standard muffin cups. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and pumpkin; set aside.

Beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and then add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of the pumpkin mixture, beating until barely combined. Turn off the mixer, and fold the batter a few times with a rubber spatula to catch any pockets of flour that weren't incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffins cups (about a heaping 1/3 cup batter). Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

While the muffins are resting, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Working with one muffin at a time, remove the muffins from the pan, brush all over with the melted butter and then toss to coat in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Return to the wire rack, and let cool completely. Makes 18 muffins.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)