Pumpkin Spice Muffins (aka The Dirt Bomb – Pumpkin Spice Edition)

Pumpkin Spice Muffins (aka The Dirt Bomb – Pumpkin Spice Edition)

By Irvin Lin

These autumnal muffins are similar to cinnamon sugar donuts but don’t require a special donut baking tray. The addition of the pumpkin puree in the batter makes them soft and tender. Don’t be alarmed if they bake up and look a little dry and not very sweet. You’re rolling the final muffin in melted butter and pumpkin spice sugar. It’s more than enough sweetness. Make sure to let the muffins cool completely before rolling them in the butter and sugar. Otherwise the sugar will melt off and you’ll have a soggy mess of a muffin.

Ingredients
Muffin Batter
2 1/4 cup (315 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 cup (115 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup (100 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup whole milk

Coating
1/2 cup (115 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Spray a regular 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

2. Place the flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice in a medium bowl. Using a balloon whisk, stir the dry ingredients together vigorously until they are well-blended and uniform in color.

3. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the ingredients together on medium speed until they are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally while beating. Add the egg and beat to incorporate. Again scrape down the side of the bowl.

4. Stir together the pumpkin puree and milk in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Add half the dry ingredients to buttery sugar and beat to incorporate. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the pumpkin milk to the batter and beat to incorporate. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients, beating to incorporate.

5. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin cups. Bake in the oven 25 to 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove each muffin from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Melt the butter for the coating and pour into a wide bowl. Place the sugar, pumpkin spice and salt in a different wide bowl and stir with a fork until well-blended and uniform in color. Once all the muffins are cool, dip one muffin in the butter, making sure to coat the entire muffin. Then roll the muffin in the pumpkin spice sugar mix, again making sure it is completely coated all the way around. Place back on the cooling rack and repeat with the remaining muffins.

Makes 12 muffins.