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These Baked Donuts Pumpkin Spice have a tender, pumpkin-rich center and a buttery cinnamon-sugar coating. Pumpkin pie spice brings warm fall flavor, while brown sugar helps keep the cake-style crumb moist. Instead of frying yeast dough, this easy pumpkin donut recipe uses a simple batter and a donut pan—no mixer or rising time needed. Pipe the batter into the pan, bake until set, then brush the cooled donuts with melted butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar. The recipe makes eight large donuts, so it’s a lovely choice for weekend breakfast, fall brunch, or an afternoon treat with coffee or cider.
What Makes These Pumpkin Spice Donuts Special
These are cake donuts, so they’re soft and satisfying rather than airy like yeast-raised donuts. Pumpkin puree adds moisture and flavor, and the combination of olive oil and butter helps keep the crumb tender. The cinnamon-sugar coating gives each donut a sweet, warmly spiced finish.
There’s no need to stand over a pot of hot oil. The batter comes together in one bowl, and a piping bag or resealable plastic bag makes it simple to fill the pan neatly. With just eight large donuts per batch, this is a manageable recipe for a relaxed morning of fall baking.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour: Measure by spooning flour into the measuring cup and leveling the top. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and make the donuts dense.
- Pumpkin puree: Use plain, unsweetened pumpkin puree—not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Pumpkin pie spice: A ready-made blend gives the donuts their familiar fall flavor.
- Baking powder and salt: Baking powder helps the donuts rise; salt balances the sweetness.
- Olive oil and butter: The oil helps keep the crumb moist, while melted butter adds richness. A mild olive oil is a good choice if you don’t want its flavor to stand out.
- Eggs, vanilla, and sugar: Room-temperature eggs blend easily into the wet ingredients. Brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper sweetness, balanced by granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon-sugar coating: Granulated sugar and cinnamon create the classic finish. Melted butter helps it cling to the donuts.
How to Make Baked Donuts Pumpkin Spice
- Prepare the pan. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large donut pan, including the center posts, so the baked donuts release easily.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, olive oil, melted butter, vanilla, room-temperature eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Let the melted butter cool slightly before adding it.
- Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt just until combined. Stop once no dry flour is visible; overmixing can make the donuts tough.
- Fill the pan. Transfer the thick batter to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe the batter evenly into the donut wells. Avoid overfilling, which can cover the center hole as the donuts rise.
- Bake and cool. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Cool the donuts in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack. Let them cool completely before adding the coating.
- Coat the donuts. Stir the cinnamon and granulated sugar together in a shallow bowl. Brush each cooled donut with melted butter, covering the outside and center, then dip it in the cinnamon sugar.
Tips for Soft, Flavorful Donuts
- Use plain pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices, which can change the flavor and sweetness of the batter.
- Don’t overmix. Stir just until the flour disappears. A few small lumps are fine.
- Pipe for even donuts. A piping bag makes it easier to divide the batter evenly and keep it inside the donut wells. If you don’t have one, a resealable plastic bag works well.
- Check your pan size. This recipe is written for eight large donuts. If your pan has smaller wells, you may need to bake in batches and check for doneness earlier.
- Wait to coat. Warm donuts can melt the butter and make the cinnamon-sugar coating damp or patchy. Cool them completely first.
Variations and Serving Ideas
For a different finish, drizzle cooled donuts with maple glaze instead of using cinnamon sugar. You can also leave off the coating and serve them plain, or dust them lightly with powdered sugar.
Looking for another seasonal bake? Try these Easy Pumpkin Donuts or these Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Pumpkin Donuts.
Serve the donuts with coffee, chai, or hot apple cider for a cozy fall breakfast or snack. Fresh fruit or plain yogurt makes a nice accompaniment for brunch, too.
How to Store and Freeze Pumpkin Donuts
These homemade pumpkin donuts are especially good the day they’re made. Let them cool completely before storing so trapped steam doesn’t make the coating sticky. For leftovers, refrigerate the donuts within two hours and enjoy them within three to four days, following the USDA’s guidance for cooling and storing leftovers. The cinnamon-sugar coating may soften in the refrigerator.
To freeze, freeze the cooled donuts without the butter and cinnamon-sugar coating. Arrange them in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. For best quality, use within about two months. Thaw, warm briefly if you like, then brush with melted butter and coat just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these pumpkin donuts without a donut pan?
A donut pan gives the batter its ring shape. If you don’t have one, you can bake the batter in a muffin or mini-muffin pan, but the result will be more like pumpkin muffins or donut holes. Check smaller portions early, since they’ll bake faster than large donuts.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
No. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, while this recipe relies on plain pumpkin puree. Using pie filling can make the donuts too sweet and change the spice balance.
Why did my baked pumpkin donuts turn out dense?
Too much flour or overmixing can make cake donuts heavy. Spoon and level the flour, and stir the batter only until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Also check that your baking powder is fresh.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
It’s best to bake the batter soon after mixing. For a head start, measure the dry ingredients in advance and keep them separate from the wet ingredients. Combine them just before baking so the baking powder can help the donuts rise in the oven.
Baked Donuts Pumpkin Spice with Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Soft baked pumpkin donuts rolled in a buttery cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes plus cooling
- Yield: 8 large donuts
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the donuts:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a large donut pan.
2. Whisk pumpkin, olive oil, 1/4 cup melted butter, vanilla, eggs, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth.
3. Stir in flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt just until combined.
4. Pipe batter into 8 large donut wells.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
6. Mix 3/4 cup sugar with cinnamon. Brush cooled donuts with remaining melted butter and coat in cinnamon sugar.
Notes
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Cool donuts completely before coating.
For make-ahead storage, freeze uncoated donuts and add the cinnamon-sugar coating after thawing.