Buttermilk Orange Donut Muffins

I love this doughnut muffin recipe from King Arthur Flour because not only does it leave itself open to adaptation, but it pretty much encourages it. I used it as a jumping off point to make orange donut muffins and I have to say that when you factor everything into the delicious recipe equation, I love it at least as much as I love orange yeast rolls. You start with a recipe for a perfectly vanilla, slightly crumbly muffin that is reminiscent of cake donuts, and then you can add whatever suits your fancy.

How to Make Buttermilk Orange Donut Muffins

1. Line a muffin tin with liners. I usually get about 15 muffins.
2. Zest the orange and set aside. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and orange zest and beat until smooth. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour, mixing completely after each addition.
3. Scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins (I used a 1/4 cup cookie/ice cream scoop and it worked perfectly) and bake.
4. When the muffins are cool, melt a little butter in a small mixing bowl. Add the zest of another orange. Slowly whisk in some powdered sugar, beating thoroughly to eliminate any lumps. When you’ve added 1 cup of powdered sugar, it should look like moist frosting. Whisk in a few tablespoons of buttermilk until a smooth glaze consistency is reached.
5. Grab each cooled muffin by the bottom and dip it into the glaze. Allow the glaze to set up before serving (or don’t…we’re talking about glazed donut-like things here…it’s hard to go wrong). Makes 12-15 muffins.

You may also like:

Baking

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

61 Comments

Valentine’s Day

Berry-Glazed Baked Doughnuts

20 Comments

Pies, Pastries, & Tarts

Apple Fritters

39 Comments

Library

Beignets {Happy Mardi Gras!}

166 Comments

Buttermilk Orange Donut Muffins

5 from 13 votes

The classic flavors of an orange roll come together with the rich texture of a cake donut and the ease of a quick bread in these delightfully sweet muffins.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

ServingsServings15 muffins

Print Rate

Pinterest Facebook Email

Share

Equipment

• muffin tin
• electric mixer
• mixing bowl
• ¼ cup cookie scoop

Ingredients

Muffins

• ¼ cup butter softened
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs large
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange extract optional
• 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose white flour lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with the back of a knife
• 1 cup buttermilk

Glaze

• ¼ cup butter melted
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 cup powdered sugar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Muffins

• Preheat oven to 425℉. Line a muffin tin (recipe yields 15 standard-size muffins, so plan accordingly) with cupcake liners and set aside.
• Zest the orange and set aside.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and orange rind and beat until smooth.
• Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla (and orange extract, if using) and beat until smooth. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour, mixing completely after each addition.
• Scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins (I used a ¼ cup cookie/ice cream scoop and it worked perfectly).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top. Remove from oven and cool completely on cooling racks.

Glaze

• When the muffins are cool, melt ¼ cup butter in a small mixing bowl. Add the zest of another orange. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time, beating thoroughly to eliminate any lumps. When you've added 1 cup of powdered sugar, it should look like moist frosting. Whisk in a few tablespoons of buttermilk until a smooth glaze consistency is reached.
• Grab each cooled muffin by the bottom and dip it into the glaze. Allow the glaze to set up before serving.

Notes

• • Store cooled muffins in an airtight container and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.

• • Other flavors: lemon or cinnamon sugar would be delicious here!

• • If you need a gluten free version, King Arthur Flour says to simply substitute their gluten free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. 

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 252mg, Potassium: 39mg, Fiber: 0.001g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 247IU, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Course: Breakfast and Brunch, Quick Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buttermilk Orange Donut Muffins, Easter, muffin, orange, spring

Calories: 181kcal

Author: Kate Jones, adapted from King Arthur Flour

Cost: $5

Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!