Baked Pumpkin Donuts
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.
These soft and moist pumpkin donuts are made with canned pumpkin puree and covered in a spiced sugar coating for melt-in-your mouth texture in every bite.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE PUMPKIN DONUTS
Baked donuts made in the oven are one of my favorite snacks. They are simple to make, almost never require a mixer, and ready in a snap. Even in a donut shop, I always reach for the cake donuts. They typically have a hardier bite than yeasted, fried donuts, and their coatings add that little extra something to every bite.
These pumpkin cake donuts are modeled after my pumpkin cupcakes, with a soft interior and moist crumb, perfect for eating alongside your favorite pumpkin beverage. I took a few notes from my baked chai donuts for the melt-in-your mouth cinnamon sugar coating, and taste-testers all agreed: two pumpkin-spiced thumbs up all around.
Whether it’s pumpkin spice creamer in your coffee, a pumpkin cream cold foam, or pumpkin hot chocolate you’re pairing with these homemade pumpkin donuts, they are sure to be a new favorite in your house any time of year!
HOMEMADE PUMPKIN DONUTS INGREDIENTS
Simple ingredients only for this pumpkin donut recipe! You can even leave the coating off of the donuts if you want to simplify things even more.
For these donuts, you will need:
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• pumpkin pie spice
• cinnamon
• salt
• brown sugar
• vegetable oil
• egg
• pumpkin purée
• vanilla extract
• butter
• granulated sugar
HOW TO MAKE BAKED PUMPKIN DONUTS
The batter for these donuts is ready in under 10 minutes. Be sure your egg and pumpkin are both at room temperature for the best incorporation of the ingredients for a cohesive texture.
MAKE THE DONUTS
STEP #1
Start by whisking together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt, then set this mixture aside.
STEP #2
Next, whisk together the brown sugar and vegetable oil until smooth. Add the egg, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract and whisk again until everything is combined.
STEP #3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined.
STEP #4
Add the batter to the prepared donut pan, then bake.
COVER IN THE SPICED SUGAR COATING
STEP #5
In a small bowl (wide and shallow enough to dip your donuts into), combine the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon, then toss everything together until it is thoroughly mixed. Set this mixture aside.
STEP #6
Add the melted butter into another small bowl, then dip each donut in the butter, coating all surfaces, lift out, and allow excess to drip off.
STEP #7
Place buttered donut in the spiced sugar coating, flipping a couple times to coat all surfaces, then transfer to wire rack to cool until ready to serve.
HOW TO FILL A DONUT PAN
The easiest way to get the batter into the pan is to add the batter to a large zipped-top bag, snip off a corner, then pipe the batter into the donut pan. You want to fill each well only about halfway full. You can also use a spoon, but I find the fastest and neatest way is to use a piping bag.
HOW TO TELL WHEN BAKED DONUTS ARE DONE
While using a toothpick or cake tester is a solid way to know if your batter is done, I like to use the quick method of gently poking the outside of things like cupcakes and donuts, since they are such a quick bake. If the donut bounces back, it’s done. If your finger makes an indent, bake the the donuts for another minute and test again.
MAKE A SPICED GLAZE INSTEAD
While I love the spiced sugar coating, you have other options! I use a crackly vanilla glaze on my baked funfetti donuts, and if you added a little pumpkin pie spice and/or cinnamon to that coating, it would be a delightful addition to this baked pumpkin donut recipe.
CAN I MAKE THESE DONUTS GLUTEN FREE?
You can absolutely make this recipe gluten free! We tested these donuts with King Arthur Flour Measure For Measure Gluten Free Flour with excellent results.
Baked Pumpkin Donuts Recipe
Ingredients
DONUTS
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (56mL) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg room temperature1
- 1 cup pumpkin purée2 room temperature1
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
SPICED SUGAR COATING
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 and ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
- Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
DONUTS
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and vegetable oil until smooth. Add the egg, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract and whisk again until everything is combined.½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup (56mL) vegetable oil, 1 large egg, 1 cup pumpkin purée2, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined.
- Transfer batter to a large zip top bag, snip the corner off, and pipe batter evenly into donut wells, filling them ⅔ to ¾ full. You may also use a spoon.
- Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and the crumb bounces back when you gently poke your finger into the top of the donut. You can also use a toothpick or cake tester to test for no crumbs. Cool donuts on a wire rack until they are room temperature before dipping in coating.
SPICED SUGAR COATING
- In a small bowl (wide and shallow enough to dip your donuts into), combine the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Toss together until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 1 and ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Melt the butter in a small bowl (wide and shallow enough to dip your donuts into). Dip each donut in the butter, coating all surfaces, lift out, and allow excess to drip off.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- Place buttered donut in the spiced sugar coating, flipping a couple times to coat all surfaces. Transfer to wire rack to cool until ready to serve. Donuts are best enjoyed the day they are made, but will stay fresh covered tightly at room temperature up to 2 days. Donuts freeze well, up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave as needed.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: it is always a good rule of thumb to use room temperature eggs when using melted butter. To bring egg to room temperature quickly, place in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Pumpkin: I always measure pumpkin purée with a measuring cup as the moisture content can wildly change the weight measurements, depending on the brand.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Is there a gluten free version of your baked pumpkin donut recipe?
Hi, Sherine– yes, we tested these with King Arthur Flour Measure For Measure Gluten Free Flour with excellent results 🙂
Thanks for responding. I use King Authur gf measure for measure flour so I’m excited to try it.
Hi Sherine! I, too, am a GF baker, and the King Arthur flour substitution was the perfect way to make these donuts! They are absolutely incredible. Enjoy!!
The grams for flour is incorrect – 120 grams is 1/2 cup but you call for a cup of flour that would be 240 grams correct
Hi, Karen– 1 cup of flour is 120g.
These came out amazing!! So soft and moist with the perfect amount of sweetness!!
Thanks so much, Morgan!
GF lover of sweets over here to report on how this recipe turned out! Everyone rush to make these ASAP, whether you are GF or not! I used King Arthur’s 1:1 as a direct substitution for the flour this recipe calls for (120g) and these donuts have turned out perfectly both times I have made them! They are everything I’d hope for in a GF product but normally cannot find in a store. Even my gluten-full friends enjoyed these as much as I did!
Thank you so much, Laura! 🙂