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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!
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?
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 ♥♥♥
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.
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?
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!
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
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
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:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Generously grease a doughnut pan; set aside.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- These donuts are best eaten the day they are made.
Vegan version:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Generously grease a doughnut pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and almond milk.
- Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture - don't over mix!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- These are best eaten the day they are made.
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
Can i use whole wheat flour instead ?
Hi Juls. The texture will likely be more dense if you sub whole wheat flour.
I just used whole wheat flour, and they still were light and fluffy!
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!
SO happy to hear it, Elana!
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?
Hi Kelley. This recipe requires a donut pan. The batter is too thin to hold shape.
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
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.
I followed the link, it’s a Wilton Pan. I have the same one. They work GREAT!
Can this batter be put in muffin pans?
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!
Yes I used a mini cupcake pan just spray it and they turned out great like little donut holes.
Are these gluten free? Either recipe?
Hi Cassie. No, neither recipe is gluten free. However a gluten free 1 for 1 flour may work.
Made them for grandkids this morning …. LOVED them!!!!
Hi Cyndi! So happy to hear it 🙂
Yesssssssss
Thank you, girl! So ready for PUMPKIN season 🙂
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!
Bust that pan out, girl 😉 Fall is my favorite season, too!
No eggs?
Hi Laura! Yes, no eggs in this recipe.
Nutrition information isn’t visible. I need protein,, carbs, fat, and fiber.
Have u ever heard of “Google?” It’s a phenomenal search engine where u can find any info u need. For your easily solvable dilemma, search “recipe nutrition calculator.” Just plug in the ingredients (no, I won’t do that for u too…) and voila, u have ur answer!
Natalie for the win!