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Laced with the sweet taste of pumpkin, seasoned with cozy fall spices, and coated in cinnamon-sugar, these one-bowl baked pumpkin donuts are the perfect autumn treat. Serve them with a mug of hot coffee, tea, or mulled cider on a chilly day.
Table of Contents
Love pumpkin recipes as much as we do? Try these pumpkin scones with maple glaze, this easy pumpkin bread, a basket of 2-ingredient pumpkin muffins, or a skillet of pumpkin cornbread, too!
Why You’ll Love these Pumpkin Doughnuts
Skip a trip to the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru, because this recipe makes it easy to stir together a batch of homemade pumpkin donuts whenever the craving strikes! Here’s why you’ll love them:
- One-Bowl: The batter comes together in a single bowl with just a whisk — no electric mixer or stand mixer required, no need to cream together the ingredients, no need to proof the yeast or wait for them to rise, and you’ll have fewer dishes to wash at the end. Minimal prep time for maximum reward!
- Rise High: These cake donuts have a light, fluffy texture, rise high, and are full of cozy fall flavor. Sink your teeth into every satisfying bite!
- Healthier: Since the donuts are baked instead of deep-fried in hot oil, they’re lower in fat and calories than a typical bakery donut, without sacrificing flavor or texture.
The Best Pan for Baked Donuts
In order to achieve that classic donut shape without rolling and cutting dough and without deep-frying, you’ll need two donut pans. You can find these easily online and in stores at a relatively low price. Grab a two-pack of Wilton Non-Stick 6-Cavity Donut Pans for a great price on Amazon, or try this Nordic Ware donut pan with handles from Walmart. I’ve used both, and they’re both great!
How to Bake Donuts without a Donut Pan
You can bake pumpkin donut muffins using a traditional 12-cup muffin tin. Just follow the recipe to prepare the batter, and divide it evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake the muffins in a 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes. While the muffins are still warm, dip the tops in melted butter and coat in cinnamon-sugar.
If you prefer baked pumpkin donut holes, use a mini muffin pan and bake them in a 350°F oven for a total of 14-16 minutes. While the mini muffins are still warm, dip them or brush them with melted butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite pumpkin spice donuts. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: just enough for sweetness. I love the moisture and flavor that you get from a little bit of brown sugar. That said, it’s fine to sub with extra granulated sugar instead.
- Vegetable oil: for moisture; you can substitute with canola oil or even melted butter.
- Eggs: give the donuts structure.
- Canned pumpkin puree: just the unsweetened 100% pumpkin — not a pumpkin pie filling mix.
- Vanilla extract: for more flavor.
- Baking soda and baking powder: the leavening agents that help these donuts rise high!
- Salt: balances the sweetness and adds flavor to the donuts.
- All-purpose flour: for even healthier donuts, swap out half of the all-purpose flour for 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice: all of the classic warm spices that you love in autumn baking. If it’s easier, substitute with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- Melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon: for coating the outside of the donuts.
Is pumpkin puree the same as canned pumpkin?
Yes! Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing. These terms are often used interchangeably in recipes. You can use 15 ounces (or about 1 ½ cups) of fresh pumpkin puree if you prefer that instead of the canned product. Just make sure that you don’t pick up a can of “pumpkin pie filling” or “pumpkin pie mix,” which includes sugar and spices that you don’t find in pure pumpkin puree.
How to Make Pumpkin Donuts
This recipe is adapted from my easy pumpkin muffins, and requires just one bowl and a handful of basic kitchen staples. The detailed directions are included in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Whisk together the batter.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into greased donut pans.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes.
- Brush the warm donuts with melted butter, and then coat in cinnamon sugar.
Serving Suggestions
These donuts are such versatile treats! Offer them for a quick grab-and-go breakfast on busy mornings; pile some in a basket as a part of a special brunch buffet; set out a few with a mug of hot coffee or tea for an afternoon snack; serve them to friends at a fall football tailgate; or even add them to your bread basket as a side dish with dinner.
You can never go wrong with a warm donut alongside a mug of coffee, a cup of tea, a glass of cold milk, or a simmering pan of mulled cider. You might also like to round out the meal with an egg casserole like this maple sausage and apple breakfast bake, with candied bacon, or with fresh fruit like baked apple slices or fresh sliced apples served with a cream cheese apple dip.
Preparation and Storage Tips
Homemade donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Pumpkin Donuts Recipe Variations
- If you don’t have a donut pan, you can make “donut muffins” in a traditional 12-cup muffin tin. Just follow the recipe to prepare the batter, and divide it evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake the muffins in a 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes. While the muffins are still warm, dip the tops in melted butter and coat in cinnamon-sugar.
- Replace half of the all-purpose flour with 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
- Instead of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, substitute with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- For a larger batch of baked donuts, double all of the ingredients. Similarly, you can cut all of the ingredients in half to prepare just 6 donuts.
- Instead of the cinnamon sugar topping, dip the donuts in a maple glaze, or coat with powdered sugar.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Donut Recipe
- Make sure that you use a can of 100% pure pumpkin puree, which is different from canned pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix. The pure pumpkin puree is unsweetened and doesn’t include any spices or other seasonings.
- Use either canola oil or vegetable oil. You want a neutral oil that will not flavor the donuts, so don’t use olive oil. Feel free to substitute with melted unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Sift the flour to avoid any big clumps in your batter.
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter. You want it to come together so that everything is combined, but then stop stirring! Mixing too much will result in dry, dense donuts.
- Spooning the batter into the donut cavities can be tricky, so I always transfer the batter to a large Ziploc bag or piping bag, snip off a corner of the bag, and pipe the batter into the pan.
- When the donuts are done the edges will be lightly golden brown and the donuts will spring back when you gently press on the tops. Don’t cook them for too long, or they can dry out.
- You probably will not use all of the melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture. As a result, the nutrition information for the amount used on each donut will vary, and is hard to calculate. Nutrition facts provided are estimated for the plain baked donuts without any coating.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
Pumpkin Muffins
30 minutes mins
Easy One-Bowl Pumpkin Bread
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
38 minutes mins
One-Bowl Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE PUMPKIN DONUTS
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
FOR THE TOPPING
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans.
BAKE THE DONUTS
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and eggs. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract; whisk to combine. Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder, and salt over top. Whisk until well blended. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice; be careful not to over-mix.
- Spoon the batter into the lightly greased doughnut pans, filling the wells to about ¼ inch shy of the rim. It helps to put the batter in a large zip-top bag, cut a corner off the bottom of the bag, and pipe the batter into each donut cavity.
- Bake the doughnuts for 11 to 14 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and wait a few minutes before turning them out of the pans onto a wire rack.
- Allow the donuts to cool for about 5-10 minutes before coating in cinnamon-sugar.
COAT IN CINNAMON-SUGAR
- When the donuts are cool enough to handle (but still warm), prepare the topping.
- Place the melted butter in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.
- Working with one donut at a time, brush liberally all over with melted butter, and dip them in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
- The donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Make sure that you use a can of 100% pure pumpkin puree, which is different from canned pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix. The pure pumpkin puree is unsweetened and doesn’t include any spices or other seasonings.
- Use either canola oil or vegetable oil. You want a neutral oil that will not flavor the donuts, so don’t use olive oil. Feel free to substitute with melted unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Sift the flour to avoid any big clumps in your batter.
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter. You want it to come together so that everything is combined, but then stop stirring! Mixing too much will result in dry, dense donuts.
- Spooning the batter into the donut cavities can be tricky, so I always transfer the batter to a large Ziploc bag or piping bag, snip off a corner of the bag, and pipe the batter into the pan.
- When the donuts are done the edges will be lightly golden brown and the donuts will spring back when you gently press on the tops. Don’t cook them for too long, or they can dry out.
- You probably will not use all of the melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture. As a result, the nutrition information for the amount used on each donut will vary, and is hard to calculate. Nutrition facts provided are estimated for the plain baked donuts without any coating.
On a nice fall day I decided to make your one bowl pumpkin donuts. Oh my goodness – they are amazing. I had to make some plain and some with the sugar coating. They are the most moist donuts- they resemble a muffin but better. Totally amazing. Easy recipe and I will add this to my favorite recipes book. First time I made donuts and so easy. Thank You!
Yay! That’s wonderful, Diane. I’m so glad that you enjoyed them!