1. 1. Prepare Your Muffin Pan: Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C). Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray or line with mini paper liners. This ensures your muffins won’t stick and will pop out easily.

2. 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps, especially in the brown sugar, for an even texture.

3. 3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg, apple cider, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.

4. 4. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are perfectly fine and will result in tender muffins. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.

5. 5. Fill Muffin Cups and Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The muffins should be lightly golden brown.

6. 6. Prepare the Donut Topping: While the muffins are baking, melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. In another small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

7. 7. Coat the Warm Muffins: Once the muffins are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool in the pan for just 2-3 minutes. While still warm, gently remove them from the pan. Dip each muffin first in the melted butter, ensuring it’s fully coated, then immediately roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated. Serve warm or at room temperature.