• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Baker by Nature

A Baking Blog by Ashley Manila

  • About
  • Travel
  • Everyday Inspiration
  • Recipe Box
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email

September 1, 2015

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts (Includes vegan version)

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts are baked, not fried, and ready in less than 20 minutes! So easy and perfect for breakfast! Pumpkin pie puree and pumpkin spice give these baked donuts incredible pumpkin flavor!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Happy day, my friends! Today is all about pumpkin, sugar, and DONUTS!

Confession: I’ve been dreaming about these fluffy pumpkin cinnamon sugar donuts since JUNE. What can I say? My pumpkin loving heart knows no seasons.

Then again, I’m the girl who made blackened chicken ramen noodle soup in July… so maybe all of this is no surprise?

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

If you’re anything like me, you adore donuts in pretty much any form! That said, I am a baked donut enthusiast and choose to bust out my donut pan over boiling a pot of oil 99.9% of the time. I like my donuts fat and fluffy. S

ometimes baked donuts can be too cake-y and soft, but this version is fluffy yet firm. <— The best of both worlds, baby ♥♥♥

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

How to Make Pumpkin Donuts

So here’s the nitty gritty on what you’ll need to make these dreamy donuts a reality! For the dry ingredients you’ll need all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

For the wet ingredients you’ll need milk (or almond milk), pumpkin pie puree (yes, the one with the spices already added in), and melted butter (or liquified coconut oil). You’ll also need granulated sugar and ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar coating.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

I thought about adding a drizzle or glaze to these donuts, but after test-tasting batch after batch, I decided to allow the natural charm of these pumpkin donuts to shine on their own. Sometimes less is more, ya know?

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

A few years ago I tackled vegan baking and you guys seemed to really dig it. So today I’m offering you TWO recipes below. The first being a traditional baked pumpkin cinnamon sugar donut and the second being a VEGAN baked pumpkin cinnamon sugar donut. I  made both batches for a party last weekend, placed them on the same platter (don’t worry – no one at the party was vegan!) and guess what? None of my friends mentioned tasting a difference between the two. Both versions are sweet, fluffy, and suuuuper addicting!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

More Donut Recipes

  • Pumpkin Coffee Cake Donuts
  • Nutella Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts 
  • Brown Butter Apple Cider Donuts
  • Coffee Cake Donuts with Vanilla Glaze 
  • Brown Butter Cinnamon Sugar Donuts 

Perfect Donut Pan for Baked Donuts

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts are baked, not fried, and ready in less than 20 minutes! So easy and perfect for breakfast! Pumpkin pie puree and pumpkin spice give these baked donuts incredible pumpkin flavor!

P.S. If you’re just dipping your toes into the baked donut game and are shopping for a donut pan, here’s the one I have been using for the past 3 years. It’s considerably cheap, very sturdy, and well, I just love it!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

7 votes

Print

Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Prep 8 mins

Cook 12 mins

Inactive 5 mins

Total 25 mins

Author Ashley Manila

Yield 6 baked donuts

Moist and fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar donuts are baked, not fried, and ready in just 20 minutes!

Ingredients

Traditional version:

  • 1 cup + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice 
  • 1/4 cup *pumpkin pie puree
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup milk (I used whole, but any type will do)

For the Cinnamon sugar coating:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

Vegan version:

  • 1 cup + 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice 
  • 1/4 cup *pumpkin pie puree
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup almond milk

For the Cinnamon sugar coating:

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions

Traditional version:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
  2. Generously grease a doughnut pan; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, melted butter, and milk. Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture - don't over mix!
  4. Spoon mixture into prepared doughnut pan, and bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the doughnuts spring back when lightly pressed. Allow doughnuts to cool a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire wrack to cool for a few more minutes.
  5. In the meantime, melt the butter for the cinnamon sugar coating; set aside. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium-sized bowl; set aside.
  6. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip them in the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture; repeat until all donuts have been covered.
  7. These donuts are best eaten the day they are made.

Vegan version:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
  2. Generously grease a doughnut pan; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and almond milk.
  4. Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture - don't over mix!
  5. Spoon mixture into prepared doughnut pan, and bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the doughnuts spring back when lightly pressed. Allow doughnuts to cool a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire wrack to cool for a few more minutes.
  6. In the meantime, melt the coconut oil for the cinnamon sugar coating; set aside. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium-sized bowl; set aside.
  7. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip them in the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture; repeat until all donuts have been covered.
  8. These are best eaten the day they are made.

Notes

Pumpkin pie puree can be found in most stores. If you can only find pumpkin puree, be sure to add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves to the dry ingredients.

Courses Breakfast

Cuisine American

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 baked donut

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

98K Shares

Filed Under: Breakfast, Donuts, Pumpkin, Thanksgiving

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says

    September 1, 2015 at 5:32 pm

    I was just thinking to myself the other day – I really need to make use of my donut pan! These look like the perfect way to do just that AND welcome my favourite season!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      September 3, 2015 at 2:10 pm

      Bust that pan out, girl 😉 Fall is my favorite season, too!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        October 9, 2016 at 1:30 am

        No eggs?

        Reply
        • bakerbynature says

          October 9, 2016 at 9:24 pm

          Hi Laura! Yes, no eggs in this recipe.

          Reply
      • Casey Wright says

        September 26, 2020 at 6:42 am

        Nutrition information isn’t visible. I need protein,, carbs, fat, and fiber.

        Reply
  2. Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says

    September 2, 2015 at 1:26 am

    Yesssssssss

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      September 3, 2015 at 2:09 pm

      Thank you, girl! So ready for PUMPKIN season 🙂

      Reply
  3. Cyndi says

    September 27, 2015 at 12:44 pm

    Made them for grandkids this morning …. LOVED them!!!!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      September 27, 2015 at 3:26 pm

      Hi Cyndi! So happy to hear it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Cassie E. says

    October 7, 2015 at 6:32 pm

    Are these gluten free? Either recipe?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      October 8, 2015 at 12:11 am

      Hi Cassie. No, neither recipe is gluten free. However a gluten free 1 for 1 flour may work.

      Reply
  5. Lili says

    October 10, 2015 at 2:11 am

    Can this batter be put in muffin pans?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      October 11, 2015 at 3:15 pm

      Hi Lili. I’ve never tried, so I cannot say for sure. If you do try, be sure to increase the baking time, as muffins take around 20 minutes typically. Please let us know if you give it a try!

      Reply
  6. BakerOfDaMonth says

    October 20, 2015 at 9:16 am

    Concerning your donut pan. You say, “here’s the one I’ve been using for the past 3 years…”, but did not mention brand. Is it perhaps Wilton, or some other brand?
    Thanks for responding

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      October 20, 2015 at 11:53 am

      Hi. The photo link for the pan I use is right below that comment (Norpro brand). If you’re still not seeing the link, please let me know and I’ll send it to you.

      Reply
  7. Kelley says

    November 14, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    Any replacement if I don’t own a donut pan?
    It this dough bread-like enough to roll out and cut and hold it’s shape?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 16, 2015 at 5:33 pm

      Hi Kelley. This recipe requires a donut pan. The batter is too thin to hold shape.

      Reply
  8. Elana says

    December 12, 2015 at 12:04 am

    Best vegan donuts I’ve had and so easy to make. I used cake flour and sifted the dry ingredients but other than that I used the exact recipe and it was great. Thank you!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      December 14, 2015 at 8:24 am

      SO happy to hear it, Elana!

      Reply
  9. Juls says

    April 24, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    Can i use whole wheat flour instead ?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      April 24, 2016 at 9:51 pm

      Hi Juls. The texture will likely be more dense if you sub whole wheat flour.

      Reply
    • Amanda says

      July 12, 2016 at 10:29 pm

      I just used whole wheat flour, and they still were light and fluffy!

      Reply
  10. Jennifer Smith says

    July 15, 2016 at 1:55 am

    I hope you don’t mind, but I enjoyed your pumpkin recipe so much, that I put a link to it on my new blog. I can’t wait for Autumn 🙂 http://www.frolicinflorida.com

    Reply
  11. Wendy D says

    August 16, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    Amazing and super easy!

    Reply
  12. Julie Fleming says

    August 31, 2016 at 11:31 pm

    Can I make these in one of those baby cakes donut makers?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      September 1, 2016 at 12:01 pm

      Hi Julie. I’ve never used a baby cakes donut maker, so I’m not sure how that product would work with this recipe. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
      • Olive says

        November 30, 2016 at 1:36 am

        Can you use regular pumpkin in a can instead of pumpkin pie purée??

        Reply
  13. Kristen says

    September 4, 2016 at 3:48 pm

    Made these this morning. Super easy, and really tasty. Made a double batch, because why not? 🙂 Thanks the recipe!

    Reply
  14. ChristyK says

    September 7, 2016 at 4:22 pm

    OMG! I have made six of your donut recipes so far. All amazing but this one is hands down my favorite so far! Addictive. YUMMO!!!!!!

    Reply
  15. Diane says

    September 11, 2016 at 2:22 pm

    I was so excited to make these this morning, and am sorry to say I am equally as disappointed in the result. I’ve been a baker for many years, and in reviewing the recipe I was concerned that there wasn’t enough pumpkin in the recipe to provide the necessary flavor. They look beautiful out of the oven – plump and moist, but what I taste is sugar, then cinnamon, and a faint hint of pumpkin as an after taste. Definitely not what I was hoping for…

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      September 11, 2016 at 2:26 pm

      Hi Diane. I’m so sorry you were disappointed with the amount of pumpkin flavor in this recipe. Unfortunately pumpkin is tricky to bake with, and adding more than the called for amount in such a small scale recipe would lead to gummy donuts.

      Reply
  16. Cody says

    September 12, 2016 at 7:33 pm

    Just pulled these bad boys out of the oven and the tops are flat and lumpy instead of perfectly rounded. Any suggestions on how I can fix that with the next batch? Regardless, they smell and look delicious, so they’re gonna be devoured!

    Reply
    • Elena says

      September 24, 2016 at 9:46 pm

      Not enough flavor in the donut only in the cinnamon suger

      Reply
    • Mir says

      June 3, 2017 at 3:31 pm

      I I put the dough in a zip lock and squeezed it out to the pans.
      It made them perfect shapes.

      Reply
      • Linda says

        October 10, 2017 at 2:44 pm

        Made these this morning they turned out wonderful. Delicious. I will make them many more times. I only did the cinnamon and sugar on the top so I could taste that pumpkin and not just cinnamon and sugar. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
  17. Sheri says

    September 25, 2016 at 10:43 am

    I made this recipe yesterday. It was a nice easy project to do with my 5yr old. We didn’t have a cake pan so we used the baby cakes cake pop maker. It took a couple tries to get them cooked perfectly, the timer on the cooker wasn’t in sync with the recipe. It took about 5-6 minutes for perfection. I have been unable to buy store bought due to a dairy allergy so thank you far creating one, and for making them healthier by not frying.

    Reply
  18. Brianna says

    October 27, 2016 at 3:51 am

    These are Delicious! What is their shelf life and since they ate drizzled with butter should leftovers be refrigerated?

    Reply
  19. Nora says

    December 9, 2016 at 5:48 pm

    Hi, I was wondering if I used a 12 donut mini pan instead- would that change the baking time?

    Reply
  20. Jenn says

    December 10, 2016 at 2:45 am

    I don’t get this but these didn’t work for me at all. I read the recipe a million times but this wasn’t nearly enough liquid to make anything thinner than a cookie batter. I thinned it out with more of the non dairy milk and pumpkin and they came out like glue-y pucks. No fun.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      December 10, 2016 at 3:00 am

      Hi Jenn. I’m so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. The batter is very thick and should be spooned or piped into the donut molds. Adding more liquid will result in a rubbery outcome.

      Reply
  21. Jahmari Destina says

    December 13, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    I made these for breakfast this morning and after realizing that the only difference between the vegan and traditional version was the coconut oil, I decided to just use vegan butter (Earth Balance, to be exact). We really liked them since we still got the butter flavor of the traditional version!

    Reply
  22. Tara says

    January 20, 2017 at 2:20 pm

    Wow- just made the vegan version and they are delicious!! The only change I made was I used 1/4 cup sugar and 1 TB cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar topping. That was enough.
    I will definitely make these again- thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  23. Cindy Vanderzalm says

    June 28, 2017 at 5:12 am

    My husband and boys told me to tell you…THOSE ARE AMAZING!!!” Thank you for the great recipe. Will be making these again, and again, Next time, I might try a cream cheese glaze. Yummy!

    Reply
  24. Judithmartinez says

    August 19, 2017 at 2:23 am

    How can you store them?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      August 20, 2017 at 3:31 pm

      These donuts are best eaten the day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

      Reply
      • Janice says

        October 6, 2017 at 9:22 pm

        In the refrigerator or room temperature?

        Reply
  25. Susan says

    September 28, 2017 at 1:55 pm

    FYI – Your vegan version says to melt coconut oil, but then instructs them to be dipped in butter in step 16. Typo?

    Reply
  26. Nicole says

    December 8, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    These are the best donuts ever!! My husband and I have made over and over. Thank you the recipe!

    Reply
  27. Alicia Messenger says

    December 22, 2017 at 3:37 am

    I’m so excited to try these, and I really appreciate you including the vegan version. My 16 month old is allergic to eggs and has a dairy intolerance- bummer- but I miss donuts!! I seriously can’t wait. I don’t have a donut pan, but….. something better! My Pampered Chef mini fluted cake pans will be perfect for these! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Kathy says

    June 2, 2018 at 3:12 pm

    How do you substitute the coconut oil? I have an allergy.

    Reply
  29. Carmen Gesto says

    September 8, 2019 at 9:21 am

    Can i make those with fresh pumpkim and the spices you mention?

    Reply
  30. Emily says

    September 29, 2019 at 3:32 pm

    Made these yesterday – YUM! The pumpkin flavor is subtle, but I love cinnamon sugar, so that’s okay! Stored them in my cookie jar overnight, and they’re still moist and delicious today! My donut pan makes small donuts, and it made 10. Thanks for another great recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Jenell says

      October 30, 2019 at 1:41 pm

      Do these need to be stored in the fridge or room temperature? Marking them for my daughter’s class tomorrow morning and I’m not sure if they are going to be eaten right away.

      Reply
  31. Michele says

    October 4, 2019 at 4:18 pm

    Made these today and they are delicious. I used butternut squash instead of pumpkin. Made 2 batches. Both came out perfect!

    Reply
  32. Susan says

    October 7, 2019 at 3:26 pm

    Thank you so much for this recipe! I will make them this coming week. I have a question, have you made an apple cider donut? Can this recipe be amended to make them??

    Reply
  33. Nicole says

    October 23, 2019 at 12:15 am

    I’ve made this recipe for family and co-workers quite a few times and they always get rave reviews! I LOVE pumpkin flavor so always add more spices and judge by tasting the batter. Made them using a combo of vegan and non vegan ingredients and they always turn out perfect! Fluffy and delish, thanks for giving me a reason to keep using my donut pans!

    Reply
  34. Betty says

    August 30, 2020 at 7:17 pm

    I just made the vegan version and they are delicious, light & fluffy. Of course I had to eat one right away after I finished with the roll in the cinnamon sugar.Thank you for a great recipe!!

    Reply
  35. Margo says

    September 25, 2020 at 9:32 pm

    Do you have a calorie count for one donut?

    Reply
  36. Alli says

    November 6, 2020 at 12:44 am

    This original recipe is delicious and perfect. I had no trouble. These donuts are likely going to replace my 30 year favorite maple long Johns. Well done!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Meet Ashley

Hey! I’m Ashley, a creative spirit with a major sweet tooth. Most days you can find me in my happy place: the kitchen. If I’m not there, I’m probably snapping photos of food, planning a party… or dreaming about my next trip to Paris (AKA my favorite place in the entire world). I’m a story teller, recipe developer, and photographer who firmly believes that a homemade life is a happy life. Learn More.

Subscribe

Footer

Instagram

Instagram did not return a 200.

Copyright© 2021 · Baker by Nature | Privacy Policy