Name: Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 94g (¾ cup*) all-purpose flour; 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice; ½ tsp baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; 113g (1/2 cup) pumpkin puree; 66g (1/3 cup) soft brown sugar; 1 egg; 45g (3 Tablespoons) whole milk; 40g (3 Tablespoons) vegetable oil; ½ tsp vanilla extract or paste; 15g (1 Tablespoon) unsalted butter; 60g (1/4 cup) pure maple syrup; 90g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 1/2 teaspoons milk

Jump to Recipe

Moist and fluffy, these pumpkin spice donuts are the perfect treat for the fall season! And they are whipped up quickly!

These are cake donuts, full of spice and pumpkin flavor. They aren’t yeast-based or fried. Instead, these are made in a donut pan and baked in the oven. The donuts are super moist and tender, thanks to the pumpkin puree. They’re finished with a maple syrup glaze that goes well with the pumpkin spice flavor.

The maple glaze sets firm once it dries, so the donuts can easily be stacked or transported. They could also be dipped in cinnamon sugar if you prefer that over a glaze.

For more baking with fall flavors, check out these pumpkin recipes – soft pumpkin dinner rolls, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, or pumpkin pie with a graham cracker crust.

Equipment

You’ll need one or two full-size 6-cavity donut pans for the pumpkin donuts. You can use a metal or silicone donut pan. The pans give the homemade donuts their shape so the donut holes are already cut out.

This recipe makes around 8 donuts, so you can use two pans to bake them all at once or in batches. You can use a muffin pan if you have no donut pans. This will make around 8-10 small pumpkin muffins.

Ingredients

You’ll find the ingredient amounts for this pumpkin donut recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. But here is a rundown of what you will need with some extra information.

This easy recipe can be doubled if you want to make extra donuts.

All-purpose flour
Pumpkin puree – use homemade or canned, not pumpkin pie filling.
Soft brown sugar – This gives more flavor than white sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar goes well with the warming pumpkin spices.
Pumpkin pie spice – Use a ready-made mix or make a homemade pumpkin spice mix. It includes warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
A large egg – for structure
Vegetable oil – Oil helps keep the donuts extra moist.
Salt
Vanilla extract or paste
Baking powder
Baking soda
Whole milk

The maple icing

Butter – Salted or unsalted butter
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar
Ground cinnamon
Milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a donut pan and set it aside for now.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt until combined.

eggs, pumpkin puree and sugar in a silver bowl.

Add the pumpkin puree, oil, egg, vanilla, milk, and brown sugar in a large bowl and whisk it together until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Use a rubber spatula to fold them together until all are combined gently.

Scoop the batter into the pan with a small spoon or fill a piping bag with a large nozzle.

You can also use a ziplock bag with a corner cut off and pipe the batter into the cavities.

Fill the cavities about ¾ of the way.

Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown and the donut bounces back when lightly pressed.

Let the donuts cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.

If you are using the same pan for the next batch, wash off any remnants on the pan first, re-grease it and bake the remaining donut batter.

The glaze

While the warm donuts are cooling, make the glaze.

Combine the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter melt into the syrup, stirring occasionally. When the melted butter has combined with the syrup, let it simmer for around 30 seconds. Take it off the heat and add powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk. Stir until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl for easy dipping.

Dip the tops of the donuts into the icing, then let them drip and set on a wire rack.

If it becomes a too thick glaze, add a splash of milk or warm water to loosen it back up.

Storing

Store the pumpkin donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The baked donuts can be frozen, with or without the glaze for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.