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.
Jaida says
Super moist and easy to make!! They were a crowd favorite at our family get together.
Ashley Manila says
So happy these were a family fave!
Gina says
How did you combine the 2 recpies?
Nadine says
I have made both the vegan and the non-vegan version. Both recipes work well. I have also made with plain pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie purée. I much prefer using the canned plain pumpkin. The donuts are sweet enough without the added sugar in the pumpkin PIE purée and the plain pumpkin purée results in a stronger pumpkin flavor.
Ashley Manila says
I’m so happy you enjoyed both versions of this recipe! And thank you for your notes on your testings 🙂
Ellen says
I made these yesterday. I followed the recipe exactly except I used half & half instead of milk because it was all I had. I used a pastry bag to fill the donut pans. They came out perfect & my hubby ate 2 when they were ready & 2 more for breakfast this morning. I will make these again & again.
Ashley Manila says
Hi Ellen! Woohoo – so so happy these were a hit with you and your hubby. And thanks for letting us know your adaptions!
Gina says
Where I live, I have not been able to find a can labeled pumpkin puree. Could you please tell me if I should be using canned pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling. Those are the only 2 I have seen locally and I am really excited about wanting to make the donuts
Ashley Manila says
Canned pumpkin!
Tamara says
These were a hit. I purposely only baked 9 min -ish. SO delicious. I used pumpkin puree that was in my pantry, so added the additional spices as you noted. Couldn’t I have just doubled or tripled the pumpkin pie spice vs the individual spices? Also, for the cinnamon sugar/coconut oil after baking, I used melted butter. Is there a difference?
Ashley Manila says
You can definitely try that! I prefer making my own spice mixture as I enjoy the combination better, but for ease, pumpkin pie spice definitely does the job!
Marcie says
Can this batter be refrigerated the day before to make the next morning?
Ashley Manila says
I don’t recommend it. The active ingredients may deactivate and the batter will likely be too stiff to pipe.
Larice Murphy says
The pumpkin donuts that are offered by our store has a filling inside do you know where I can find the recipe for the filling?
Jen says
Hello! I love love all your recipes!
Can I make the dough the day before baking?
Rachel says
Is this for 3″ or 4″ donuts? My pans are for 3″ donuts so I’m wondering if the baking time would differ. I’m excited to try this recipe, it’s perfect for autumn in Western NY as the leaves change color
Kara says
I made this today for by littles and they loved it.
Thank you for yet another wonderful recipe!