DONUT MUFFINS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease 24 mini-muffin cups.
• 2. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup margarine, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, then mix in the baking powder and flour until just combined. Fill the prepared mini muffin cups about half full.
• 3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• 4. While muffins are baking, place 1/4 cup of melted margarine in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. Remove muffins from their cups, dip each muffin in the melted margarine, and roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Let cool and serve.
• My Note: I was curious about a couple of things about this recipe. First, why did I end up with 24, not 12, of these mini muffins as the recipe indicates? Could it be that I misprint? Mine is a standard, mini-muffin tin. Second, I really don't like nutmeg much. So WHY do I LOVE these muffins?! And why can't I stop popping them in my mouth? Don't kid yourself by thinking that because they're small you won't eat as much. You'll just eat more of them. And making them in the mini muffin tins was GENIUS, Dianne! That way you get more of that buttery, cinnamony sweetness in every bite! I did make a couple of modifications, but nothing that would significantly alter the recipe. I used butter instead of margarine and, because I have an entire quart of buttermilk to use, I subbed buttermilk for the milk. This worked beautifully, but please note that if you do that you MUST add 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and eliminate the baking powder to adjust the acidity and make them rise properly! Plus they're so darned pretty I could just eat them up! (And I already did, with five of them) Your recipe is a beauty, Dianne! ~A hopefully helpful update: because of my curiosity I did some shopping around to learn that the sizes of mini-muffin tins varies, sometimes significantly! This explains the variance in yield with this recipe, to anywhere from 12 to 24 of these little muffins. This recipe makes 24 mini muffins. You fill the muffins cups 1/2 full with batter, and they should rise to just above top of the muffin tin. You can certainly also make 12 larger mini muffins if you wish, but "officially" this recipe makes 24. I think 12 has worked for me because my muffin tin is on the bigger side. Sorry about the confusion!
• I dare you to eat just one -- With that in mind the only thing I would do differently next time is to double or triple the recipe because these don't last long. I sprayed a little Pam for baking in the bottom of my mini-muffin cups so they'd pop right out. I can't wait to make these with my niece as this is definitely a kid friendly recipe.
• I put in a little less than 1/2 tsp of nutmeg. I also coated mine in powdered sugar, vanilla glaze and a chocolate glaze. We all like the vanilla glaze best! Here is the recipe I used for my vanilla glaze 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 TBS milk 1 TBS butter, softened Put that into a bowl and mix together. I added more milk, but I didn't measure. I just got it to the consistancy I liked. Once I mixed it, I poured have of the glaze into another bowl and added 1 TBS cocoa powder and mixed. Then I dipped the muffins in the glazes and let dry. I double dipped them. Then on the vanilla glaze ones, I dipped some of the tops in the chocolate glaze. Also, glaze them once they have cooled. If you don't wait, they will fall apart.