Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts

🖋️ Written by Emma

Why Make This Recipe

These Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts are not only delicious but also simple to make. They offer a warm, comforting flavor that captures the essence of autumn. You can enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a sweet treat for dessert. Plus, baking instead of frying makes them a bit healthier, so you can indulge without the guilt!

How to Make Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set it aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and milk.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula until just combined.
4. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off. Pipe the batter into each donut cavity, dividing it evenly among the six donuts.
5. Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
6. Flip the pan upside down to release the donuts onto a cooling rack and let them cool for at least 10 more minutes.
7. For the cinnamon sugar coating, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Use a pastry brush to coat the cooled donuts with melted butter, or quickly dip each side of the donut in the butter if you don’t have a brush.
8. Combine the cinnamon sugar mixture in a bowl. Place each donut in the sugar mixture, flipping to coat both sides.

How to Serve Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Serve these delicious donuts warm or at room temperature. They are perfect on their own or paired with a cup of coffee or tea. You can also sprinkle some extra cinnamon sugar on top for a sweeter touch.

How to Store Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Store your baked pumpkin donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If you want to keep them fresh longer, you can freeze them. Just wrap each donut tightly and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They will last for about three months in the freezer.

Tips to Make Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts

• Make sure to measure your ingredients accurately for the best results.
• Don’t overmix the batter; mix just until combined for fluffy donuts.
• If you don’t have pumpkin puree, you can use mashed cooked sweet potatoes as a substitute.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of spices based on your taste preference.

Variation

You can add chocolate chips or nuts to the batter to create varied flavors. For a fun twist, try icing the donuts with a simple glaze or cream cheese frosting instead of cinnamon sugar.

FAQs

1. Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree?
Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin. Just make sure to cook and puree it until smooth before adding it to the batter.

2. Can I make these donuts gluten-free?
Absolutely! You can substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.

3. What can I do if I don’t have a donut pan?
If you don’t have a donut pan, you can use a muffin pan instead. Just fill the cavities about halfway and bake a few minutes longer until cooked through.

Emma

Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts

These Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts are fluffy, warmly spiced, and coated in cinnamon sugar — a lighter, baked alternative to traditional donuts that captures the essence of fall in every bite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 donuts

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Fall

Calories: 180

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
• 2 tbsp butter, melted (for coating)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for coating)

Equipment

• donut pan
• mixing bowls
• whisk
• spatula
• piping bag or ziplock
• cooling rack
• pastry brush (optional)

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Spray a donut pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, oil, and milk until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.
4. Transfer batter to a piping bag or ziplock bag with corner cut off. Pipe into donut pan cavities evenly.
5. Bake for 15–16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool an additional 10 minutes.
6. Melt butter in microwave. Brush cooled donuts with butter or dip them quickly in it.
7. In a bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon for coating. Dip each donut in the cinnamon sugar to coat both sides.

Notes

Want to change things up? Add chocolate chips or nuts to the batter. You can also glaze with maple icing or cream cheese frosting instead of cinnamon sugar for a dessert-style version. Great for cozy mornings or gifting during the holidays!