Dirt Bombs

I love a fresh doughnut bought warm from the bakery. Although I won’t say no to chocolate icing and sprinkles on a fried pastry, I love simple cake doughnuts too—especially lightly spiced ones covered in cinnamon sugar. However, my opinions change when I can’t make it to a bakery and have to make doughnuts at home. While I know it’s actually not that hard to whip up homemade doughnuts, sometimes I’m just not up for all that muss and fuss, you know? That’s why I love this recipe for dirt bombs. These yummy baked treats have the flavor of a cake doughnut but are prepared easily like muffins.

What are dirt bombs?

Dirt bombs are essentially spiced doughnuts baked in a muffin tin. After baking, they are dipped in melted butter and rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, giving them the rough texture from which they get their name. They’ve recently gone viral due to their appearance in the latest season of the television show The Summer I Turned Pretty, but East Coasters have long been familiar with these tasty baked goods. Their creation is credited to Bantam Bread Co. in Bantam, Connecticut.

Ingredients for Dirt Bombs

• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour provides structure to the muffins. Properly measure the flour to prevent dry and dense muffins.
• Baking powder: Baking powder is a leavener that helps the muffins rise as they bake.
• Kosher salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor of the dirt bombs. Our recipe calls for kosher salt, which has larger crystals than table salt. If you have only table salt on hand, decrease the amount to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Spices: Our dirt bombs are flavored with a combination of warm spices, including ground nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.
• Unsalted butter: This dirt bombs recipe uses two sticks of unsalted butter: One goes in the batter, and one is melted and used to dip the muffins in after baking. The butter used to make the batter should be at room temperature. If you forget to set your butter out beforehand, soften butter quickly by filling up a glass with hot water, dumping out the water and then putting the steamed glass over the butter stick until it softens.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar is used to sweeten the muffins.
• Egg: An egg helps bind the ingredients together and adds structure and richness to the muffins.
• Whole milk: Milk adds moisture to the muffins. If you don’t have whole milk on hand, you could use 1% or 2% milk instead.
• Topping: The essential ingredient for a dirt bomb is the cinnamon-sugar topping. After baking, each muffin is dipped in melted butter and then rolled in the spiced mixture. Our recipe calls for sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom. If you don’t have all these baking spices on hand, you can stick with the simple combination of cinnamon and sugar.

Directions

Step 1: Make the batter

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and ginger. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until combined.

On low speed, stir in the dry ingredients and milk in alternate batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overmix.

Step 2: Bake the muffins

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 3: Dip the muffins

Melt the remaining butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and ginger.

Dip each entire muffin in the melted butter, then roll it in the spiced sugar mixture. Serve immediately.

Dirt Bomb Variations

• Add fresh fruit: Add 1 cup finely diced peeled apples or blueberries for fresh fruit flavor in the dirt bombs. To prevent the fruit from sinking while baking, toss the fruit with a tablespoon of flour before stirring it into the batter.
• Top with a glaze: For added decadence, drizzle the dirt bombs with doughnut glaze.
• Try pumpkin spice dirt bombs: Once fall hits, a little bit of pumpkin spice makes everything nice in our book. For dirt bombs with an autumnal vibe, replace 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 cup canned pumpkin.
• Make banana bread dirt bombs: Although we love to make banana bread when our bananas are getting a little too ripe, why not make banana bread dirt bombs instead? Replace the 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 cup mashed banana.

How to Store Dirt Bombs

Leftover dirt bombs can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to two days.

How long do dirt bombs last?

Dirt bombs are best eaten either immediately after making them or within a day of baking them.

Can you freeze dirt bombs?

Yes, you can freeze dirt bombs. For the best flavor and texture, freeze the muffins before dipping them in butter and adding the cinnamon sugar. Wrap each muffin tightly in storage wrap, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then proceed with the recipe to dip and roll.

Can you make dirt bomb batter ahead of time?

You can make dirt bomb batter up to 24 hours in advance. After making the batter, cover and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake the muffins.

Dirt Bomb Tips

Can you make larger dirt bombs?

You can make larger dirt bombs using a six-cup muffin tin. Check the muffins for doneness with a toothpick after 30 minutes. You can also make smaller dirt bombs in a mini muffin tin; check those for doneness after 15 minutes.

What can you serve with dirt bombs?

Dirt bombs would be a tasty addition to any brunch recipe served alongside fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and mimosas. My favorite way to enjoy a dirt bomb is for a second breakfast (aka elevenses) with a giant cup of coffee. Or, make it part of an afternoon pick-me-up with a cold brew or latte.