My kids remembered “Fall Spirit Day” exactly five minutes before the bus arrived at 6 AM on a Tuesday, which sent me straight into emergency baking mode. I usually rely on the drive-thru for last-minute treats, but I had half a can of pumpkin puree staring at me from the back of the fridge. I skipped yeast, hot oil, and the grocery store, then mixed this batter in my pajamas.
These baked pumpkin donuts turned out soft, warmly spiced, and ready before the morning chaos ended. This pumpkin donut recipe gives you bakery-style flavor without making your kitchen smell like a state fair. Here is exactly how I do it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are ridiculously fast. This easy baked pumpkin donut recipe uses no hot oil, so you can finish the donuts in under 45 minutes without filling your kitchen with a state-fair smell.
- They travel well. The brown sugar icing sets firmly enough for stacking and transport.
- They need no mixer. Two bowls and a whisk handle the batter.
- They trick toddlers. The donuts look like bakery treats but taste like moist pumpkin muffins in a fun shape.
Tools You’ll Need
Nothing fancy, I promise.
- donut pan Unless you want to make muffins, which is fine, but then you cannot call them donuts.
- Large zip-top bag. A snipped corner creates an easy piping bag for clean portions.
- Cooling rack. A rack keeps the bottoms from becoming soggy while the icing sets.
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour – Spoon and level it so your donuts do not turn into heavy bricks.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder – Check the expiration date unless you want flat tires.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda – See above.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt – Do not skip this, it balances the sweetness perfectly.
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon – Because it is autumn, obviously.
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice – You can make homemade pumpkin pie spice if you are feeling ambitious, or just buy it.
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil – This is the secret to keeping them incredibly moist.
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar – Light or dark, whatever is in your pantry that has not turned into a rock.
- 2 large eggs – Room temperature if you remember, straight from the fridge if you are me.
- 1 cup pumpkin puree – Make sure it is pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, or things will get weirdly sweet.
- 1/3 cup milk – Literally any kind works here.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract – The good stuff if you have it.
For the Brown Sugar Icing
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar – Again, chip away at that block in your pantry.
- 1/4 cup milk – Whole milk works best here for a thicker glaze.
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter – Just a little bit goes a long way.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract – More vanilla, because why not.
- 1 and 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar – Sift it, or you will be whisking lumps until your arm falls off.
- pinch of salt – Trust me on this one, it cuts the intense sweetness.
How To Make Pumpkin Donuts
Turn on the oven and pretend you are running a rustic countryside bakery, even if you are still wearing sweatpants.
- Prep your pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease your donut pan aggressively with nonstick spray. If you skip the spray, you will be eating pumpkin crumbles instead of donuts.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Set it aside.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix the oil, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine the batters: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix gently. If you overmix this, your donuts will be tough, so just stir until the flour disappears and step away from the bowl.
- Pipe it out: Transfer the batter to a large zip-top bag, snip the corner, and pipe it into the donut pan, filling each halfway. If you overfill them, the holes will close up and you will just have round muffins.
- Bake them up: Bake for 10-11 minutes. Poke one gently – if it bounces back, they are done.
- Cool down: Let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack. Do not rush this or they might break in half.
- Make the icing: Combine the brown sugar, milk, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and powdered sugar. If you did not sift the sugar, prepare for an arm workout.
- Dip the donuts: Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the warm icing. If the icing gets too thick, just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.
- Let them set: Place dipped donuts on a cooling rack to drip. Let them sit for an hour to set, assuming you can wait that long.
♥ The Misfit Tips!
- Use the piping bag trick. Spooning the batter into the pan once created messy donuts with batter all over the center spikes.
- Let the icing set. Stacking the donuts too early can glue them together into one giant pumpkin loaf.
- Try the cinnamon sugar finish. You skip the brown sugar icing, brush warm donuts with melted butter, and roll them in cinnamon sugar for cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts from scratch.
- Avoid overfilling. Filling the cavities beyond halfway closes the holes and creates pumpkin buns.
Troubleshooting Guide
Something went sideways? Been there. Here is how to fix it.
- Problem: My donuts don’t have holes in the middle.
Why it happened: You got a little too enthusiastic and overfilled the donut pan.
Fix it: Call them “pumpkin buns” and move on. They still taste exactly the same, they just look slightly confused.
- Problem: The icing is way too thin and running everywhere.
Why it happened: You either did not let the brown sugar mixture simmer long enough, or you added too much milk.
Fix it: Whisk in a little more powdered sugar until it thickens up to a nice glaze consistency. It is completely fixable, I promise.
- Problem: The donuts are stuck in the pan.
Why it happened: You forgot to grease the pan, or you tried to pop them out while they were still piping hot.
Fix it: Let them cool for a few more minutes, then gently run a butter knife around the edges. If they break, congratulations, you now have a pumpkin donut recipe for a trifle.
Perfect Pairings
These go perfectly with a little bit of autumn laziness.
- Black coffee gives adults enough caffeine to handle the sugar rush.
- A cold glass of milk gives children an easy pairing.
- A lazy weekend morning gives these fall breakfast donuts the setting they deserve.
How to Store
❤
- Fridge: Store the donuts in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freezer: Freeze baked donuts for up to three months. You should freeze them without icing and make fresh icing after thawing.
- Reheat: Microwave a donut for about 10 seconds.
- Storage note: Nuts soften after a day if you use them as a topping.
Baked Pumpkin Donuts
These baked pumpkin donuts prove that you can create a soft, spiced fall breakfast without frying, yeast, or a complicated mixer. This easy baked pumpkin donut recipe uses oil, pumpkin puree, and warm spices for a tender crumb, while the brown sugar icing adds a bakery-style finish. Whether you serve them as fall breakfast donuts or make cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts from scratch, this pumpkin donut recipe earns a permanent place in the autumn baking rotation.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease donut pan(s) with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together gently just until combined and no flour pockets remain. Do not over-mix.
- Spoon the batter into the donut cavities or, for ease, I recommend transferring the batter into a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling each about halfway.
- Bake for 10–11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done.
- Cool donuts in the pan for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter. *For mini donuts, bake in a mini donut pan for 8–9 minutes. Cool donuts for at least 10 minutes before icing them.*
- Combine the brown sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and sifted confectioners’ sugar until smooth and combined. Taste, then add a pinch of salt if desired. I always add a tiny pinch. Let the icing cool for 5 minutes to slightly thicken.
- Dip the tops of the pumpkin donuts into the warm icing. If the icing is getting too thick as you’re dipping, whisk in a little more milk, or warm back up in the microwave or on the stove to thin it out.
- Place dipped donuts on a cooling rack placed on a baking sheet to allow excess icing to drip off. Top with chopped nuts or other toppings if desired. If applied lightly, the icing will eventually set (in about 1 hour) so you can stack or transport the donuts.
- Cover leftover donuts tightly and store at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.