Description
These easy baked pumpkin donuts are soft, fluffy, and packed with cozy fall flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect for a quick autumn breakfast or brunch, they’re lighter than fried donuts and can be finished with cinnamon sugar or a maple glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (150g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (180g, canned or homemade)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (60g)
- 1/3 cup whole milk (80ml, or dairy-free alternative)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For Cinnamon Sugar Coating (Optional):
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (30g)
- For Maple Glaze (Optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (120g)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1–2 tablespoons whole milk (as needed for consistency)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 6-cavity donut pan generously with nonstick spray or butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix. Batter will be thick.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag, snip off a corner, and pipe into the donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until donuts spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. For mini donuts, start checking at 9 minutes.
- Let donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack.
- For Cinnamon Sugar Coating: While donuts are still warm, brush each with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar (mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon). Roll twice for even coverage.
- For Maple Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, 1–2 tablespoons milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Dip cooled donuts in glaze, let excess drip off, and set on a wire rack to set.
Notes
For gluten-free donuts, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and add an extra tablespoon of milk if needed. For dairy-free, use plant-based milk and butter alternatives. Don’t overmix the batter for the best texture. Donuts are best fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen (unglazed) for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 16
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: baked pumpkin donuts, pumpkin spice donuts, fall breakfast, easy pumpkin donuts, cinnamon sugar donuts, maple glaze, homemade donuts, autumn recipes, pumpkin recipes, brunch