If you've ever had a Mini Donut Muffin from Caribou Coffee, you know it's quite the treat! Since our local Caribou has discontinued them (insert crying emoji!), we decided to make them at home and they turned out delicious. I've partnered with Step2 to share our recipe and their adorable new Coffee House Kitchen & Cafe.
If you know me, you know it's no secret that I LOVE Caribou Coffee. It's my little mom-treat when I run errands with the kids. They love it too, because I usually get them each a mini donut muffin. Imagine our surprise at the drive-thru the other day when they said they're a discontinued item! Our daughter was honestly devastated. I promised to make her some mini donut muffins at home so the next day, that's what we did. With our new Coffee House Kitchen & Cafe from Step2, the kids had a blast serving up these little snacks!
This is such an adorable kitchen from Step2! Our kids love being little baristas and making up "white chocolate turtle mochas" because that's what they hear me order every time. This coffee house features an espresso maker with three different pods.
While the kids make coffee, the stovetop makes a boiling noise and also makes sounds if you fry something in the fry pan!
My husband always gets coolers so the kids make sure to ask "hot or cold?" when mixing up our drinks. I love that these Step2 coffee cups are so detailed! For cold drinks, they have white cups with snap-on lids that even feature a straw hole. For hot drinks the white cups are topped with brown sipping lids and a little green sleeve.
I love the huge variety of accessories that come with this kitchen set. Between the pastries, fruits, cups, and dishes, it's enough to keep the kids busy for hours!
The kids love playing drive-thru together! The Step2 Coffee House Kitchen & Cafe has an amazing electronic credit card machine. The buttons make noise and you can swipe the included credit card, too!
Since the kids were playing "Caribou" (I've got them trained!) I whipped up some mini donut muffins for them to serve up.
Mini Donut Muffin Recipe
If you haven't been lucky enough to try one of these, think of a tiny muffin that tastes like a delicious sugar donut. They only take about ten minutes to prepare and they cook for about fifteen. The only issue I have with them is that they're addicting and it's hard to just eat one!
You start by mixing the dry ingredients and setting them aside. Then you whisk together the butter and sugar, and slowly add the other ingredients in.
Your batter should be a smooth consistency when you add it to your muffin pan. This is the mini muffin pan I use and I love it. Just make sure to spray or grease the pan first! The recipe makes about 20 mini muffins.
After you've cooled the mini muffins, you dunk them fully in melted butter and then a cinnamon sugar mixture. After that, I promise they'll get gobbled up!
Copycat Caribou Coffee Mini Donut Muffins
Make delicious mini donut muffins similar to the ones sold at Caribou Coffee!
Ingredients
Mini Donut Muffins
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Grease or spray mini muffin tin.
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Whisk together flour and baking soda in medium bowl. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, mix together melted butter and sugar. Add nutmeg and vanilla, mixing well.
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Add milk and whisk. Then, add dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
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Fill muffin tin. Bake 15-17 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for two minutes and then transfer to wire rack.
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Melt butter in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.
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When muffins are cool, dunk each one into the melted butter and then roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture. Return to wire rack to cool.
This sweet girl clearly knows the way to my heart, offering me coffee and mini donut muffins! Or, she wants something 😉 Our kids are just having a blast with the Step2 Coffee House Kitchen & Cafe so far. See them playing with some of the features below!
BUY IT: The Step2 Coffee House Kitchen & Cafe is available exclusively at Target stores!
WIN IT: Step2 is generously offering one lucky reader their very own Coffee House Kitchen & Cafe! Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below.
Open to the US only, ages 18 and up. Ends 9/07/18 at 11:59 PM EST.
Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below. Good luck!
Janet W. says
These mini donut muffins look so delicious! This would be a special treat to make for my grandsons this weekend!
Nicole Griffin says
I enjoy making muffins to serve during breakfast or brunch, everyone enjoys them and they also go well with coffee. I like that muffins are fairly easy to make with the kids too.
Marcie M. says
They look so good! I wonder how many calories are in them 🙂 I could eat them all up!
Miranda says
Those mini muffin donuts look amazing! And what a fun coffee cafe! I love Step2 products! Been eyeing up their Up and Down Coaster for years. 🙂
Dana Murphy says
I have never had Caribou Coffee mini donuts, but I am for sure going to make these. And kuddos to Step2, they keep making these amazing products. My kids love everything we have from them and their imaginations run wild.
Nancy P. says
Those muffins look amazing! I just printed the recipe and can't wait to try it next week with my grandson. The Step 2 Coffee house kitchen & cafe set looks so fun, I would love to win this and watch how much fun my grandson would have with it! It would be perfect for him to explore and be creative with.
Susan Campbell says
That sounds so delish, I can't wait to try them!!! 🙂
Dana Rodriguez says
I love Step2 toys and this one is awesome! How fun! And the muffins sound delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Deborah D] says
My nieces and nephews would have fun playing with this kitchen.
Linda Manns Linneman says
These donuts sound so good with a hot cup of coffee. I can't wait to give these a try. I love this little kitchen for the kids. They just seem to get better and better all the time. Great learning toy for my grandchildren
Dandi D says
This recipe looks delicious and my daughter would love making them in her own kitchen!
Michelle says
I’ve never heard of mini doughnut muffins, will have to try them out. The little coffee shop is adorable my girls would love serving up coffees to us!
Diane Sallans says
I love that there are no eggs in this recipe! perfect to make in the big kitchen while the kids are in their new little kitchen
Leela says
The donuts look so easy and delicious.
jennifer babich says
I lpve that the recipe is fo ra mini treat. my Daughters will love to make these and put them in little bags for snack time
Amber deuel says
Sounds like me and the girls are going to have to make these, thanks for the recipe!!!!!
Payton Dockery says
I think the donuts are so cute to make along with the "coffee shop" playset! It makes it more real for the kids.
Marie says
My kids would love this recipe! Thanks!
D.B. says
Those donut muffins look delicious! This is such a cute playset. My grandchildren would have a fun time with this!
Dawn Russell says
Step2 and donuts. Doesn't get any better than that!
Tina says
these sound delicious. I might have to try them. I might try adding some cut up apples.
Lauryn R says
What a cute kitchen set, my kids would have so much fun pretending to cook and bake with this! This recipe sounds absolutely delicious too and perfect for the little ones to help with. Thank you so much for sharing!
JANIS OTTERSON says
WHAT FUN. LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT DAY. THANKS FOR SHARING ! WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THESE WITH MY GRAND KIDDOS.
Barbara says
The mini donuts sound good and fun to make with the grandkids. They would also get lots of playtime with the kitchen set.
Colin Matthews says
I didn't even know a "donut muffin" was a thing, but I definitely want to try it now. They look like donut holes but bigger and fluffier? Sign me up for that.