Baked Pumpkin Donuts

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These baked pumpkin donuts are most & sweet with delicious fall spices. They are easy to make in 30 minutes, are baked and not fried and made with whole wheat flour.

6 baked pumpkin donuts, one on top of the others with a bite taken out of it

I love everything about October. The beauty brought about by the changing of the seasons, the delicious fall produce being harvested daily, and the eager anticipation for the holiday season.

And lets not forget pumpkin! Now is the time of the year that pumpkin reigns supreme. In soups, snacks, drinks, pies and of course…baked goods, like these baked pumpkin donuts.

This recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes! They are baked and not fried and made with whole wheat flour! Plus the cinnamon glaze makes them absolutely irresistible.

front view of 6 Baked Pumpkin Donuts on a cooling rack after being glazed

Pumpkin Donuts: Ingredients and Substitutions

As always, let’s chat about the ingredients used in this pumpkin donut recipe, as well as the possible substitutions.

overhead photo of the ingredients in this Baked Pumpkin Donuts recipe
  • All-purpose flour/whole wheat flour. a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour results in a lighter texture. Use your favorite flour (spelt, whole wheat pastry flour, buckwheat, white whole wheat, etc), but be aware that it will effect the texture of the final product.
  • Salted Butter. unsalted butter, coconut oil and ghee are good substitutes.
  • Whole Milk. 2%, half and half, heavy cream, etc. all work well in this recipe. I don’t recommend 1% or skim, as the higher the fat content, the richer the donuts will taste. You can also use a non-dairy milk to make this pumpkin donuts recipe dairy-free. I recommend full-fat coconut milk for the richest taste.
  • Brown Sugar. Coconut sugar can be used in place of brown sugar for a refined-sugar free variety. You can also use granulated sugar or dark brown sugar.
  • Powdered Sugar. For a refined sugar free version you can make your own powdered sugar. However the glaze will be darker in color
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store bought or make this homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe!
Front view of a Baked Pumpkin Donut with a bite taken out of it stacked on five other pumpkin donuts.

How to Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Let’s discuss how to make baked pumpkin donuts, and don’t forget to watch the video.

begin by combining the pumpkin puree and melted butter in a large bowl.

Then, add the egg, milk and vanilla an stir until smooth.

Next, add the brown sugar and stir until itโ€™s dissolved into the batter.

Then, add the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth and there are no lumps.

At this point, the batter is complete and it’s time to bake them in a donut pan.

How to Fill a Donut Pan

Fill a ziplock bag or piping bag with the pumpkin donuts batter. Then, use sharp scissors to cut off the tip of the bag.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts in a ziplock bag

Then, squeeze the batter into the wells of the greased donut pan. This is so much easier than trying to use a spatula or spoon to evenly spread the batter into the wells. The final product is so much prettier and the process is neater.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts batter being piped into the wells of a donut pan

Bake & Cool

Next bake the healthy pumpkin donuts until the tops spring back when touched and they are slightly browned around the edges.

Let the baked pumpkin donuts cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  This will ensure that they hold their shape when transferred. I recommend using a metal spoon to release the edges of the donuts from the pan before removing.

Then, transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze

Make the glaze while the donuts are cooling by whisking the ingredients together until smooth. Or, try using maple glaze for a richer fall flavor.

Glaze the Donuts

Either use a knife to spread the glaze over the top of each donut, or dip each donut in the glaze (preferred).

Let the glaze set. Once the donuts are glazed, they need to sit at room temperature until the glaze is hardened. To set faster, put the glazed pumpkin donuts in the refrigerator.

a baked pumpkin donut being dipped in glaze

Serve

Once the glaze is hardened, serve the baked pumpkin donuts chilled or at room temperature. Serve them with your favorite breakfast recipes, especially this pumpkin spice latte!

Store/Freeze

If you plan on eating them the day they are made, simply leave them out on the cooling rack or on a serving dish at room temperature.

To keep them fresher longer, store the pumpkin glazed donuts in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. I recommend putting them in a single layer in an airtight container. Stacking them can cause the glaze to crack!

overhead view of five Baked Pumpkin Donuts with one more on top of them.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts Recipe FAQs

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, you will need multiple donut pans to bake them but you can double this recipe easily.

Can I use a different glaze?

Of course, use your favorite glaze.

Front view of a Baked Pumpkin Donut with a bite taken out of it stacked on five other pumpkin donuts.

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Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Laura
These baked pumpkin donuts are most & sweet with delicious fall spices. They are easy to make in 30 minutes, are baked and not fried and made with whole wheat flour.
5 from 6 votes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Donuts
Calories 274.3
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Pumpkin Donuts

Cinnamon Glaze

Instructions 

Make the Pumpkin Donuts:

  • โ€จPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6-well standard donut pan, set aside.
  • Combine flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and melted butter until smooth.
  • Then, add the egg, milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
  • Add brown sugar and stir until itโ€™s completely combined and dissolved into the batter.
  • Add the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.
  • Transfer batter from the mixing bowl into a quart plastic bag or piping bag. If using a plastic bag, cut off one tip of the bag.
  • Pipe batter into the wells of the donut pan.
  • Use your finger to smooth out any air pockets.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and are slightly golden brown.
  • Let sit in the donut pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze

  • In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and cinnamon.
  • Add 2 Tablespoons milk and stir to combine.
  • The mixture should be firm but flowy (easily poured with a spoon but not liquidy).
  • If necessary, add more milk ยฝ tsp at a time (a little goes a long way).

Glaze the Donuts

  • Either spread the glaze on top of each donut with a spoon or knife, or gently dip the tops of each donuts in the glaze.
  • Let the glazed pumpkin donuts sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator until glaze is hardened, then serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions:ย 
  • All-purpose flour/whole wheat flour. a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour results in a lighter texture. Use your favorite flour (spelt, whole wheat pastry flour, buckwheat, white whole wheat, etc), but be aware that it will effect the texture of the final product.
  • Salted Butter. unsalted butter, coconut oil and ghee are good substitutes.
  • Whole Milk.ย 2%, half and half, heavy cream, etc. all work well in this recipe. I don’t recommend 1% or skim, as the higher the fat content, the richer the donuts will taste. You can also use a non-dairy milk to make this pumpkin donuts recipe dairy-free. I recommend full-fat coconut milk for the richest taste.
  • Brown Sugar.ย Coconut sugar can be used in place of brown sugar for a refined-sugar free variety. You can also use granulated sugar or dark brown sugar.
  • Powdered Sugar.ย For a refined sugar free version you can make your own powdered sugar. However the glazeย will be darker in color
Store
Store leftover donuts in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 274.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.2g | Protein: 4.2g | Fat: 5.2g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Cholesterol: 42.4mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 120.2mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 38.5g | Vitamin A: 1445IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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9 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Oh my gosh! These were SO GOOD! I made them for National Donut Day and even my brother, who is a very picky eater, came back for seconds! What a hit!

  2. 5 stars
    These were the best baked doughnuts I’ve ever had. I actually couldn’t get pumpkin yet, so I used sweet potato puree and couldn’t tell the difference. I recommend swapping out maple extract for vanilla in the doughnuts, then using it in the glaze. I cheated the milk in the glaze by 2 teaspoons and used the maple extract instead. I also stuck chopped hazelnuts to the glaze. Mind-blowing!

  3. 5 stars
    Oh Laura, my little boy just asked me to make him a donut! Thank you for sharing ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Cheers,
    Jessica

  4. Ok! I can NOT wait to hopefully make some pumpkin donuts soon!!! ๐Ÿ™‚ These are beautiful Laura. The smells of these in your house must have been wonderful.