Nutella Churro Donut Muffins
It's still Hanukah! Yay! More donuts! Nutella Churro Donut Muffins, specifically.
Disclaimer: these are not real donuts. They're mini muffins. Baked in a mini muffin tin. Then brushed with melted butter or oil. And coated in cinnamon and sugar. And filled with Nutella. I called them donuts because they resemble donut holes. Are are coated in oil just like a donut. And are rolled cinnamon-sugar, just like many donuts. And are filled with a filling, just like many donuts. Only they're baked.
If you're looking for some real, deep-fried donuts, I've got you covered. I posted soft and fluffy donuts with four glazes just last week. You're welcome.
So, now do you understand the title? Nutella, because the donuts are filled with Nutella. Or any other chocolate spread you have on hand. Churro, because just like churros, these are coated in cinnamon and sugar. Donut, because these look like donut holes and have so many donut characteristics. And muffins, because they're actually just muffins. Okay, not "just". SO MUCH BETTER. Because of the Nutella. And cinnamon and sugar. And mini part. But we already went through this.
These churro muffins look a lot more complicated to make than they actually are.
There's a few steps involved, but they're all really simple and quick. Promise.
You start with the simplest muffin/cupcake batter, which you portion into mini muffin tins and bake for 10 minutes. Then, you brush the muffins with melted butter or oil and roll them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat them. And then you pipe some Nutella into the side or bottom of each donut hole. And then you're done.
The muffin batter is so soft and fluffy. And not that sweet. I wouldn't eat these muffins plain. Just like real donuts, these muffins are not particularly sugary, because they rely on the filling and coating for their sweetness. When you add the Nutella and sugar coating, the muffins are just as sweet as you'll want them to be.
The cinnamon-sugar coating provides a crunchy exterior to the soft and fluffy muffins hidden inside. And then you hit the chocolate center. And it's pure bliss. One bite and you get crunchy, soft, fluffy, creamy, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate. All at once. It's too good.
Take a bowl, line it with a napkin or parchment paper, fill it with these Nutella churro donut muffins, place a milk jug beside it, and you have the ultimate party snack. Or dessert. Perfect for popping into your mouth as you pass by the table, excellent for eating while seated for dessert, superb for dreaming about weeks and months after.
You really can't go wrong. Unless you don't like cinnamon. Or muffins. Or Nutella. Which is all highly unlikely. So you really can't go wrong.
Ready for the most perfect bite you've had in a long time? Great, make these donut muffins.
nutella churro donut muffins
Adapted from Cafe Delites
Yield: 18-20 mini muffins
Donuts:
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Filling:
1/2 cup Nutella OR chocolate spread of choice
Coating:
3 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 20 mini muffins molds well.
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add in wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Fill molds 3/4 full with the batter and bake for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing muffins from molds.
Insert and long and narrow piping tip into a piping bag and fill with the Nutella. Pipe Nutella into the bottom or side of each muffin until it expands a bit.
Brush each donut with the melted butter or oil, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
On a completely unrelated note, truly heartbreaking:
photo from dump a day dot com
