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    Home » Recipes » American

    Baked Pumpkin Donuts

    Published: Sep 15, 2021 · Modified: Feb 14, 2025 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    three pumpkin donuts with drizzle and icing on a dark wood cutting board

    The fresh pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice used in these easy baked pumpkin donuts really shines through. They’re moist, cakey, and made without any deep-frying! Enjoy plain or drizzled with a glaze with your morning coffee or for a dessert!

    My Baked Apple Cider Donuts are a hit with my family, but they’re about to start sharing the limelight! Hmmm, maybe one kind for a quick and easy fall breakfast and the other for dessert?

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    three glazed and drizzles pumpkin donuts on a dark wood board

    Table of contents

    • Easy Baked Donuts
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredients/shopping list
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • Topping Variations
    • Tips & Ingredient Substitutions
    • FAQ’s
      • Other Pumpkin Recipes

    Easy Baked Donuts

    Baked donuts are becoming more and more popular as a healthier alternative to the classic fried donut. And why shouldn’t they be? A delicious baked treat that can be flexible with ingredients, loaded with all kinds of flavor variations, and is so easy to make!

    These homemade donuts are an easy way to get your pumpkin dessert cravings fulfilled without a ton of extra effort! As much as I love pumpkin pecan bars, pumpkin cheesecake trifle, or pumpkin pie smoothies, there’s something nice special about an easy donut recipe that results in the same pumpkin spice flavor. These moist cake donuts check all of the boxes and then some.

    They’re more cake-like and denser than your old-fashioned deep-fried donut, which is fine by me if I can bypass all of the extra grease! They’re still nice and fluffy, and have a beautiful balance of warming spices that remind you of the fall season and sweetness which remind you of, well, a donut! It’s perfect.

    pumpkin spiced donut with a bite taken out on a wood board

    Why this recipe works

    • It’s quick and easy and simple enough to make on a whim (when the pumpkin craving comes-a-calling!).
    • They’re so versatile and can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, snack, and dessert.
    • They’re always a hit at parties, especially when glazed for extra pizzazz.
    • Leftovers can be kept at room temperature for easy access and then transferred to the fridge or freezer for an extended period.
    • Similar to baked vanilla donuts and baked apple cider donuts. Two other recipes we love that are crave-able this time of year!
    several small white bowls with ingredients for pumpkin donuts - flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla, milk and spices

    Ingredients/shopping list

    • All-purpose flour – I like using all-purpose flour for my baked donuts because I know it will hold its structure while remaining and fluffy as a cake-like donut can be.
    • Sugar – Regular white granulated sugar adds a nice contrast to the otherwise spiced donut. We’re using pumpkin puree, which needs the added sugar for sweetness.
    • Pumpkin pie spice – A ready-made blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice. You can make your own if you don’t have the combination already made.
    • Baking powder – Helps to make the donuts rise.
    • Milk – Using whole milk as the liquid that combines everything adds moisture and richness to the consistency of the batter and texture once it’s baked.
    • Pumpkin puree – Canned pure pumpkin can be found at your local grocery store. Do not use the canned pumpkin pie filling. If there is no shortage, of course! Otherwise, make your own from baking a sugar pumpkin!
    • Egg – For binding the ingredients so the donut stays a donut!
    • Vanilla – A beautiful flavor that pairs so well with almost any ingredient we use for baking. In this recipe specifically, it works with the pumpkin spice, the pumpkin, the sugar, and the combination of it all!

    How to Make this Recipe

    This recipe will come together in 4 easy steps, all in one bowl and baked in under 20 minutes!

    Step 1: Combine flour and other dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

    flour mixture in a white bowl

    Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

    pumpkin mixture in a white bowl

    Step 3: Fill each prepared and greased donut hole about ½ full and bake in a preheated oven for 14-16 minutes. (using cooking spray is my favorite fro greasing)

    six pumpkin donuts baked in a donut pan

    Step 4: Test the donuts with a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, remove the donuts from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

    A Simple Vanilla Glaze

    In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of confectioners sugar 2 tablespoons of milk of choice and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Once donuts are cooled, either drizzle the glaze with a spoon, piping bag or dip the entire side of the donut in it.

    pumpkin donuts on a wire cooling rack

    Topping Variations

    1. Dip warm donuts in a cinnamon sugar mixture of ½ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
    2. Add a ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the glaze.
    3. Add a teaspoon of maple syrup to the glaze for a simple maple cinnamon glaze. Or use a combination of cinnamon and maple syrup for a cinnamon and maple combination.
    4. Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the powdered sugar mixture for a sweet chocolate glaze
    hand holding a vanilla drizzled pumpkin donut

    Tips & Ingredient Substitutions

    • Allow donuts to cool completely before adding any glaze. Otherwise, the glaze will thin out too much and absorb right into the donut.
    • Use whole wheat in place of all-purpose flour if desired.
    • To make these gluten-free, use one-to-one flour (like Bob’s Red Mill) if preferred.
    • Substitute regular milk with lower fat milk or any non-dairy milk like almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
    • Substitute brown sugar for the white sugar in the donut.
    • If you don’t have a blend of the ready-made pumpkin spice mixture, you can easily make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. All you need is cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and the option of allspice.
    • They’re best served at room temperature!

    FAQ’s

    How to Store?

    Donuts can be kept stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, in an airtight container for optimal freshness. Transfer them to the fridge for another couple of days if you still haven’t eaten them all. Also, what are you waiting for?!

    How to Reheat?

    These are best enjoyed at room temperature, so as long as they’re not frozen, you can enjoy them at any time. If you do need a quick warm-up, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds. Otherwise, dunk them in a hot cup of coffee and enjoy!

    Can I make these without a donut pan?

    You can! There are some ways around this. You can crumple up a small ball of tin foil, place it in the center of the muffin tin and pipe the batter around it. You can pipe the batter in a ring right on top of a silicone baking sheet. Or, you can use a mini muffin tray and bake them as you normally would and call them donut holes 😉

    Other Pumpkin Recipes

    Pumpkin Hummus

    Pumpkin French Toast

    Pumpkin Coffee Cake

    Pumpkin Granola

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!

    three vanilla glazed pumpkin donuts

    Baked Pumpkin Donuts

    The fresh pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice used in these easy baked pumpkin donuts really shines through. They're moist, cakey, and made without any deep-frying! Enjoy plain or drizzled with a glaze with your morning coffee or for a dessert!
    5 from 3 votes
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    Course: Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 donuts
    Calories: 126kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾ cup whole milk
    • ½ cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Grease the donut pans with nonstick cooking spray.
    • Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice to a large bowl and stir to combine.
    • Add the, milk, pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk until just barely combined (careful not to over mix).
    • Fill each donut hole about ½ full.
    • Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean.
    • After removing from the oven, transfer to a wire rack.

    Notes

    Serve warm or at room temperature.
    Store the donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
    Drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze of 1 cup of confectioners sugar 2 tablespoons of milk of choice and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and whisked until smooth.
    Dip warm donuts in a cinnamon sugar mixture of ½ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
    Substitute regular milk with lower fat milk or any non-dairy milk like almond milk, oat milk or soy milk.
    Substitute whole wheat in place of all purpose flour if desired.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1donut | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1636IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Confidential

      October 22, 2021 at 7:54 pm

      What temperature?

      Reply
    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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