Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins to Cure the Sniffles

I woke up this morning with a little sniffle.... you know, the kind induced by copious amounts of wine and super aggravating Santa Ana winds that keep you up all night the night before.

But with sniffles and all I have had an incredibly productive day. Seriously. 

Today's Accomplishments:
Finally fell asleep at 7:30am (my greatest accomplish of all, if I do say so)
Woke up SO bright eyed and bushy tailed at 9:30am.
Laid on the couch until noon with a mopey look on my face. 
Finalized my halloween costume...... well, THOUGHT about it, at least. 
Read 26 Thanksgiving Menus from Bon Appetite.... word. for. word. 
Finally decided to get my bum off the couch and bake.

(this is where things get good.....)

There is something about baking that really makes me feel better when I am sick. My cure for the common cold? Baking 6 dozen cookies and 2 pies. My cure for the sniffles and **mopes? Baking PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT MUFFINS. Yes, they are a real thing..... a really really yummy thing. 

** in case you are wondering, the "mopes" are also a real thing, usually caused by feeling sick but not sick enough to require constant care and cuddles..... so you mope. 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 sticks of butter, plus more for greasing the pan. 
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 12 muffin cups with butter and flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree.

In a large bowl (yes, you really use three different sized bowls) using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine.

Divide the batter into each of the 12 muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool. 

Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. 

Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture.

Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack and enjoy!

Disclaimer.... these may directly cause diabetes and/or heart failure... but it will all be worth it. To. Die. For.