Soft, pillowy baked pumpkin donuts rolled in melted butter and warm cinnamon-sugar are a cozy fall favorite. This recipe yields about 15 donuts and is perfect for crisp mornings or autumn gatherings.
These baked pumpkin spice donuts are a seasonal twist on classic cinnamon-sugar doughnuts. They bake up light and airy and are flavored with warming spices that capture the essence of fall.
Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or serve at a brunch, Halloween party, or any autumn get-together—the soft texture and cinnamon-sugar coating make them an instant crowd-pleaser.
More delicious baked doughnuts:
- Easy Apple Cider Donuts
- Baked Maple Doughnuts
- Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Author: Laura Kasavan
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 15 doughnuts
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These baked pumpkin donuts are soft and tender, coated in melted butter and cinnamon-sugar for a simple, irresistible finish. They’re best the first day but keep well at room temperature or can be frozen for longer storage.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 cups cake flour (see note below)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Topping
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a standard doughnut pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold until just combined; do not overmix.
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (or use a zip-top bag with a corner snipped) and pipe the batter into each doughnut cup until about 3/4 full.
- Bake 8 to 9 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove the pan and turn the doughnuts out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Allow the pan to cool and re-spray between batches as needed.
- For the topping: set a wire rack over waxed paper. Melt the 4 Tbsp butter in a microwave-safe bowl. In a shallow dish, mix the sugar and 3/4 tsp cinnamon. Dip the top of each cooled doughnut lightly in melted butter, then dunk into the cinnamon-sugar to coat. If desired, dip again for extra coating.
- Doughnuts are best the first day. Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container, or wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
To make your own cake flour: place 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into an empty 1-cup measure, then fill the rest with all-purpose flour until you reach 1 cup. Sift the mixture several times to distribute the cornstarch evenly. This gives a lighter texture similar to store-bought cake flour.