Cinnamon Donut Puff for One (Easy Single-Serve Treat)

 

 

If you love the taste of a warm cinnamon cake donut, and muffins, but don't want to make a whole batch, this Cinnamon Donut Puff for One is the perfect little treat. Soft, tender and coated in a buttery cinnamon sugar topping, it delivers all of the nostalgic donut-shop flavors in a quick, single-serve bake that's ready in minutes.

This small-batch recipe is ideal for breakfast, teatime, or whenever you're creating something sweet without the fuss - simple ingredients, easy steps, and a delicious payoff every time. A cozy, comforting indulgence made just for you.

 

This is a muffin recipe that I have been baking and enjoying for a very long time. A breakfast treat with the texture and flavor of a cake donut.  I got the original recipe from a cookery book entitled The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham. When my children were growing up that, plus the supper book, and Fanny Farmer's Cookbook were my cookery bibles. 

I adore donut muffins, or breakfast puffs, French puffs . . .  there are many names used to describe the same thing. A muffin which tastes exactly like a cake style donut. What's not to love!

I do have a full sized recipe for them, but I just cannot manage to use a full dozen muffins these days, and I only have so much room in my freezer. This smaller size recipe makes just one muffin, perfectly sized for the singleton to enjoy.  No waste. No further temptation winking at you from the countertop. Just one beautifully flavored and textured single sized muffin to enjoy.

 These have a beautiful texture.  I love the flavour of the nutmeg in them. I suppose that is also what I love about cake doughnuts! I adore nutmeg! I have also added some vanilla.  Mostly because I am trying to use it up before I move, but also because I like vanilla and it goes really well with nutmeg.

If you are on your own, or if you are wanting to bake a single muffin for someone you love to enjoy, then you really can't go wrong with this recipe. It is perfection and lacks nothing from the original full sized recipe. The perfect weekend breakfast indulgence.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

🥮CINNAMON DONUT PUFF FOR ONE🥮

Simple baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing out of the ordinary required.

For the muffin:

• 6 TBS (53g) all-purpose plain flour
• 2 TBS (24g) granulated sugar
• scant half tsp (1/4 + 1/8 tsp) baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten (freeze the white for another purpose
• 2 1/2 TBS (about 40g) whole milk
• 1 TBS (15g) butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste (optional)

To finish:

• 1/2 TBS (7 g) butter, melted
• 1/2 TBS (6g) granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

🥮INGREDIENTS NOTES🥮

Egg Yolk

The yolk adds moisture, richness, and tenderness to the puff. It is essential for achieving that soft, buttery crumb. Using the whole egg would throw off the texture.

Milk

Milk helps to create a perfect batter and helps to contribute to the puff's tender texture. You can use non dairy milk in its place if you wish. I like to use whole milk.

Butter

Melted butter in the batter adds richness, while the extra added at the end helps the cinnamon sugar to cling beautifully. It's what gives the puff it's signature finish.

Flour

All-purpose flour provides the structure for the puff. Combined with baking powder it creates a lovely rise and a soft tender crumb.

Sugar

Sugar sweetens both the muffin batter and the cinnamon sugar topping.

Baking Powder & Salt

Baking powder ensures a good rise, while a pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.

Vanilla and Nutmeg

These add the traditional donut flavors that we all enjoy

Cinnamon

Used in the topping, cinnamon brings a cozy kiss of warmth.

🥮HOW TO MAKE A CINNAMON DONUT PUFF🥮

This goes together as any muffin would. Simple and easy to make.

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a deep 8-ounce ramekin very well. Set aside. Mix together the cinnamon and the sugar for the finish together. Set aside. (You could use a flatter, wider ramekin if you wish, so long as it holds the same amount. The batter should not exceed 2/3 of the ramekin. Bake times may change slightly if the baking dish is wider and flatter, so be aware.)
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. (I like to grate my nutmeg fresh. It has a better flavor.)
3. Whisk the egg yolk, milk, melted butter and vanilla paste together. Pour this over the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix together just to combine. (It's okay if there are a few lumps. Over mixing will toughen your muffin.)
4. Spoon into the prepared ramekin. Place onto a small baking tray and place into the oven. (The oven tray helps to prevent the ramekin from falling over in the oven.)
5. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Brush the melted butter generously over the top of the hot muffin. Sprinkle immediately with the cinnamon sugar to coat.
7. Serve warm.

🥮HINTS AND TIPS FOR MUFFIN SUCCESS🥮

Here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:

1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine. 

 2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.

 3. Add your flavors last.  While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.  

4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer. 

 5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups.  Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.

 6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top.  Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.  

7. Protect your baking pan.  If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling. 

8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan. 

9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic wrap  tightly,  and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen. 

 

🥮FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS🥮

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?

You could double it for sure, and bake either in two ramekins or in one 4 by 7 inch baking dish.

WHY CAN'T I USE THE WHOLE EGG?

Using the whole egg would mess with the integrity of the bake. You could beat the whole egg, weight it and use half of that measure, but it is easier to just use the yolk of a large egg and then freeze the white.

COULD I  JUST ROLL THE WHOLE MUFFIN IN THE CINNAMON SUGAR?

You could for sure.  Simply double everything, knock the muffin out of the dish, roll in the melted butter and then the cinnamon sugar.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE FULL BATCH RECIPE?

You can find the full batch recipe here.  It makes one dozen delicious muffins.

  

🥮A FEW OTHER SINGLE SIZED BAKES TO ENJOY🥮

Why shouldn't singletons not also get to enjoy delicious bakes. We are just as deserving of a treat now and then also. Here are a few other single sized bakes to enjoy!

DEEP DISH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE FOR ONE - The perfect indulgent small treat. Crisp at the edges. Gooey and warm in the center, and absolutely heavenly enjoyed warm from the ramekin. Made with a handful of simple ingredients and baked into one rich, decadent cookie that feels wonderfully comforting and a little bit dangerous.

MAPLE PECAN PIE FOR ONE (NO CRUST) - Rich and buttery, sweet and nutty, made just so one. You get all of the indulgence without the temptation of a full pie. With no crust to fuss over and using only everyday ingredients, this is quick, easy and wonderfully satisfying. It is the perfect personal pie for when you are craving something special.

 

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Yield: One Muffin

Author: Marie Rayner

Cinnamon Donut Puff for One

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A favorite muffin recipe downsized to make only one decent sized muffin that is perfect for the singleton to enjoy.

Ingredients

For the muffin:

• 6 TBS (53g) all-purpose plain flour
• 2 TBS (24g) granulated sugar
• scant half tsp (1/4 + 1/8 tsp) baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten (freeze the white for another purpose
• 2 1/2 TBS (about 40g) whole milk
• 1 TBS (15g) butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste (optional)

To finish:

• 1/2 TBS (7 g) butter, melted
• 1/2 TBS (6g) granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a deep 8-ounce ramekin very well. Set aside. Mix together the cinnamon and the sugar for the finish together. Set aside.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a small bowl
3. Whisk the egg yolk, milk, melted butter and vanilla paste together. Pour this over the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix together just to combine. It's okay if there are a few lumps.
4. Spoon into the prepared ramekin. Place onto a small baking tray and place into the oven.
5. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Brush the melted butter generously over the top of the hot muffin. Sprinkle immediately with the cinnamon sugar to coat.
7. Serve warm.

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