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    Home » Donuts

    Published on: October 17, 2021 by Janice Lawandi; Updated on: October 7, 2022 Leave a Comment

    Baked pumpkin donuts

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    A yellow plate of baked pumpkin donuts coated in cinnamon sugar.

    Learn how to make baked pumpkin donuts with this easy recipe. They are a fun fall treat that makes a great breakfast or snack! You will need a donut pan to make these pumpkin donuts since they are baked, not fried. You can coat them in cinnamon sugar or glaze them if you prefer.

    A yellow plate of baked pumpkin donuts coated in cinnamon sugar.
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    The beauty of baked pumpkin donuts is that you don't have to deep fry them, which can be a messy, though rewarding, endeavour. These easy donuts are made from a simple pumpkin cake batter, lightly spiced, then baked in donut pans.

    If you love to bake with pumpkin, order your copy of the e-book All About Pumpkin so you can showcase this star ingredient!

    Ingredients to make pumpkin donuts measured out and ready to be mixed.

    What you will need to make these

    These pumpkin donuts are cake donuts, so they are made from a batter, similar to pumpkin cakes or pumpkin muffins. Here's what you will need to make them:

    • all-purpose flour is needed to give structure to the batter so that the donuts bake nice and light
    • baking powder, not baking soda is used here because the batter is made with milk and doesn't have the acidity that baking soda may need to help the donuts rise up. Remember baking powder is a complete chemical leavener.
    • salt, specifically Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt is a fine salt that isn't too salty. The salt is needed to balance out the sugar and bring out the flavours in these donuts. If using table salt, add half the amount
    • pumpkin spice mix or a mixture of spices, store bought spice mix or a homemade blend will work here
    • pumpkin purée, either canned or homemade
    • sugar, either granulated sugar or brown sugar works in this recipe, but I like to use both since brown sugar will add a little flavour. The sugar is very important to achieve the right texture so don't cut back on it
    • eggs help emulsify the ingredients together but also help the donuts bake lighter
    • neutral tasting oil, like canola oil is used to create tender donuts that aren't so dry tasting. You will need extra to brush the pans with
    • milk is needed to smooth out the batter. Too much milk makes these donuts too wet and heavy. The percentage of milk fat isn't so important here
    Preparing a non-stick donut pan to bake donuts by brushing the cavities with canola oil to make sure the donuts don't stick.

    Special equipment

    To bake donuts, obviously you will need a donut pan (I have two Nordic Ware pans you can find on Amazon). If you don't have donut pans, don't worry: you could bake these in muffin pans to make pumpkin donut muffins!

    Filling donut pans can be tricky. I like to transfer the batter to a large piping bag without a piping tip. Cut the tip of the bag to create a large opening (about 1 centimetre or ¼–½ inch). This will make it easier to cleanly fill the donut pan without spilling too much.

    Piping pumpkin donut batter into a donut pan to make baked donuts.

    Pumpkin donuts in a donut pan before baking.Pumpkin donuts in a donut pan after baking.

    Coating baked donuts

    To finish baked donuts, you have several options:

    1. toss them in cinnamon sugar when they are still hot so that the sugar adheres to the donuts
    2. brush them with melted butter when they've cooled off then toss in cinnamon sugar to coat
    3. glaze them when they've cooled off with a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze.

    Personally, I like to let them cool and brush them with melted butter before coating in sugar. I find the melted butter gives these extra flavour.

    Brushing baked pumpkin donuts with melted butter and coating in cinnamon sugar before eating.

    Storage

    The trouble with baked donuts is that they are best eaten within a day or two, especially if you've coated them in sugar. The sugar is hygroscopic and will draw moisture, liquifying and creating a wet coating on the donuts that isn't very appealing.

    If you are a big fan of baking with pumpkin, check out my new e-book All About Pumpkin full of tips and tricks for getting the most out of fall's most beloved ingredient!

    For longer storage, I suggest only coating in sugar the donuts you plan to eat right away. Store the rest in an airtight container and coat them in sugar when you want to eat them.

    Still, just like pumpkin muffins, these are best eaten within a few days.

    A yellow plate of baked pumpkin donuts coated in cinnamon sugar.

    Substitutions

    If you don't want to use pumpkin purée, you can try mashed sweet potato instead (the same amount) to make sweet potato donuts!

    Feel free to play around with the spices in the donuts. For example, cardamom works will in them!

    Plates of baked pumpkin donuts coated in cinnamon sugar and served with coffee.

    📖 Recipe

    A yellow plate of baked pumpkin donuts coated in cinnamon sugar.

    Baked Pumpkin Donuts

    AuthorAuthor : Janice Lawandi
    Learn how to make baked pumpkin donuts with this easy recipe. They are a fun fall treat that makes a great breakfast or snack! You will need a donut pan to make these pumpkin donuts since they are baked, not fried. You can coat them in cinnamon sugar or glaze them if you prefer.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Total Time 32 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 15 donuts
    Calories 230 kcal

    Equipment

    • OXO balloon whisk
    • Piping bags
    • Donut pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
    • 5 mL baking powder
    • 5 mL ground cinnamon
    • 2.5 mL ground ginger
    • 1.25 mL ground nutmeg
    • 1.25 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
    • 0.625 mL ground allspice
    • 0.625 mL ground cloves
    • 2 large egg(s)
    • 240 grams pumpkin purée or strained homemade pumpkin purée
    • 100 grams granulated sugar
    • 100 grams light brown sugar
    • 78 mL canola oil or any neutral-tasting oil
    • 60 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
    • 58 grams unsalted butter melted
    • 100 grams cinnamon sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175 °C). Brush the cavities of two donut pans with canola oil (I used this one from Amazon). Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated and brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and milk.
    • Pour the wet. ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk or fold to combine. Don't over mix.
    • Fill a piping bag with the batter, and pipe it into each of the molds to fill it about half-way. to two-thirds full.
    • Bake the donuts until a cake tester inserted into one comes out clean (about 12–14 minutes).
    • Immediately invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Otherwise they may stick a little.
    • When donuts are warm, toss in cinnamon sugar OR if they've cooled off, then brush outside of donuts with melted sugar and toss in cinnamon sugar.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 46mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 2626IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg
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