These Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts are perfectly moist and full of Fall spices! This is an easy small batch recipe for 6 baked donuts with a Nutella glaze, maple cream cheese glaze, or classic cinnamon sugar topping option.
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Fall is here and I am excited for my first official pumpkin recipe of the season! What better way to welcome fall than with warm and moist donuts. And when I say moist, I mean it. For this recipe of pumpkin donuts, the extra pumpkin and milk help to keep these super moist.
Baking donuts rather than frying the also has it’s advantages.
- These baked donuts are a bit healthier. I’m not going to go overboard and say they are full-on ‘healthy’, but baking them in the oven rather than the fry oil will keep some calories and fat at bay.
- Baked donuts are easy to make. I love a good fried donut, however when you are whipping up a batch in your own kitchen, it can be a lot to take on with heating up a big pot of oil. Then what do you do with the oil?! Actually, you can re-use it once, but how often are you going to want to boil oil? For me, not that often!
Donut Topping Options And Flavors
There are many flavors that pair well with a pumpkin donut as a topping and glaze. Though my favorite are the ones below, but you can certainly get creative with what to top your donut with!
- Cinnamon and Sugar – The great thing about this topping is that you can flavor it to your liking – either more sugar or more spice. The key is the cinnamon sugar needs to go on while the donuts are still warm to help the sprinkle stick.
- Maple Cream Cheese Glaze – I made a similar glaze for my Maple Glazed Cinnamon Rolls. The tang in the cream cheese really elevates the flavor of this glaze and the maple syrup is a perfect flavor for fall.
- Nutella Glaze – Does this one really need explanation, because it is just that good! Chocolate plus the warmth of hazelnuts is just screaming to go top of a pumpkin treat!
What You Need To Make Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Salt
- Pumpkin Puree – Make sure it is canned pure pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has extra ingredients that we don’t need for the donuts.
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Milk – Any milk will work. I’ve even use dairy-free milk!
- Unsalted Butter
- Vanilla Extract
Baking Equipment
- Mixing Bowl – Dare I say this is a one-bowl recipe!? You can mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, or you can sift them over the top of the wet ingredients. Your choice!
- Donut Pan – This 6 well donut pan will work great!
Tips For Making Pumpkin Spice Donuts
- Use pure pumpkin puree – Not pumpkin pie filling. The filling has extra ingredients (sugar!) that we don’t need for this recipe.
- One bowl will work – I like to sift my dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. I set a fine mesh strainer over the bowl, add all of the dry ingredients to the strainer, then sift over the wet ingredients. One less bowl to clean up!
- Pumpkin pie spice makes it easy – You can make your own pumpkin pie spice, but why not just buy it already pre-made!
- Don’t overmix the batter – We don’t want the donuts to turn out dense and chewy. Mixing the batter too long may cause this to happen.
- Top with cinnamon sugar while still warm – If you are going to top the donuts with Cinnamon Sugar, you want to do this while the donuts are still warm. Transfer the warm donuts to a Ziploc bag with the cinnamon sugar and gently toss until they are coated.
- Get creative with your toppings – I have provided a few ideas on how to top these Pumpkin Spice Donuts, but you can try any topping or flavors you fancy!
Common Questions For Making Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Can this donut recipe be doubled?
I have not tested a larger batch, but I think doubling the recipe should work. Let me know if you try it!
What is the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
Pumpkin pie filling has extra ingredients added – like sugar and spices. We are adding our own sugar and spices to the recipe, so you want to make sure and get pure pumpkin puree.
Isn’t a baked donut just like a muffin or cake?
Technically, yes. The shape is really what differentiates a baked donut from a cake batter.
Aren’t donuts supposed to have yeast in them?
There are a variety of donut options. And yes, some donut varieties are yeast donuts. This recipe is a simple batter that is easily baked.
Can I use this recipe to make a fried donut?
No. A fried donut batter tends to be drier (more flour), which allows it to be cut into the donut shape, and not dissolve once it hits the heat of the hot oil.
What are some other topping and flavor options for the donuts?
You can try a simple chocolate glaze, powdered sugar, or a glaze made with powdered sugar and milk. Beyond that, the possibilities may just be endless!
What else can I make with the leftover pumpkin puree?
I have assembled all the pumpkin recipes on the blog into one place! Including Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, and a pretty Pumpkin Roll Cake.
More Fall Breakfast Recipe Ideas
- Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Syrup Glaze
- Apple Brown Sugar Hand Pies
- Caramel Apple Banana Bread
- Small Batch Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread
- Apple Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Yield: 6 Donuts
These Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts are perfectly moist and full of Fall spices! This is an easy small batch recipe for 6 baked donuts with a Nutella glaze, maple cream cheese glaze, or classic cinnamon sugar topping option.
Equipment
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/3 cup pure canned pumpkin
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1/4 cup milk (non-dairy or any milk fat will work)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nutella Glaze – Makes enough for 6 Donuts
- 3 tablespoons Nutella
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup (this makes the glaze shiny)
Maple Cream Cheese Glaze – Makes enough for 6 Donuts
- 1 ounce cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (sweeten to taste)
Cinnamon Sugar – Makes enough for 6 Donuts
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- OPTIONAL SPRINKLES – Cacao Nibs, Cocoa Rice Crispy Cereal
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray each donut well with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, egg, cooled melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Tip – Make it a one-bowl recipe by sifting the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. To do this – set a fine mesh strainer over the top of the wet ingredient bowl, add all of the dry ingredients to the strainer, and sift over the top of the wet ingredients.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix the batter.
- Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the donut wells, and smooth the batter with the back of the spoon. Tip – You can also transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe into the donut wells.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops of the donuts spring back when lightly poked with your finger. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Note – If you choose to use the cinnamon sugar topping, you want to top when the donuts are still warm so the sugar sticks to the donut. See below for cinnamon sugar topping.
Nutella Glaze
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the Nutella and cream. Heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until the mix is warm. Be careful not to boil over. Add the corn syrup to the warm glaze and stir until smooth. Set aside at room temperature to allow the glaze to cool and thicken. Once the donuts and glaze are cool, you can either dip the donut into the glaze or spread on with an offset spatula.
Maple Cream Cheese Glaze
- In a microwave-safe bowl add the cream cheese, cream, and maple syrup. Heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until the mix is warm. Do not boil over. Stir the mix until smooth and set aside at room temperature to allow the glaze to cool and thicken. Once the donuts and glaze are cool, you can either dip the donut into the glaze or spread on with an offset spatula.
Cinnamon Sugar
- Add the sugar and cinnamon to a Ziploc bag and shake to mix. Add one warm donut at a time to the baggy. Shake the baggy/mix to fully coat the donut. Set on a wire rack to continue to cool. Or enjoy warm!
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Notes
- Pumpkin – Depending on the brand, canned pumpkin can have different names, but is the same thing: Pumpkin Puree, Pure Pumpkin, 100% Pumpkin, Organic Pure Pumpkin. Just be sure it is not Pumpkin Pie Filling.