Butternut Breakfast Puffs

 

 Jon and I are addicted to doughnuts.  And not the cheap-easy-to-find kind.  We of course like the more expensive hand made ones that you find at farmstands or at Donut Dip.  These breakfast puffs are my attempt to recreate that taste at home, slightly healthier, and on a budget.

I had some frozen butternut squash from my parents' garden that needed to be used up, but no milk.  And I had a hungry husband looking anxiously into the kitchen.  I needed to come up with a treat using what I had! The result?

These puffs are BETTER than doughnuts.

(Adapted from Food52)

1/3 cup sea salted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cup a.p. flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup cooked, pureed winter squash -or- pumpkin

In a small pot, melt the butter over medium high heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until nutty and slightly browned.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

Cream sugar, egg, and squash.  Stir in room temperature brown butter.  Mix dry ingredients together, then add to wet until well combined.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, and add batter evenly (I like to use the last drips from the melted butter pot to grease pans).

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  

Now, for the amazing part, which I discovered by accident.

Brown another 1/2 cup of sea salted butter (I didn't meant to brown it this time...but WOW).

Mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Dip each puff into the butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar.

Best when warm, but don't eat them all at once...if anyone is looking.

Makes 12.