These Baked Pumpkin Donuts are filled with lots of warm spices and pumpkin flavor, then topped with a delicious maple cinnamon glaze that will make you wish it was always pumpkin season!
If you love to start your day off with some pumpkin love, also try these Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips, Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Scones, or Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
Oh, these donuts. If you lack self control, please don’t make these. Because you will end up like me – eating way too many because you just can’t stay away!
The perfect fall treat, these Baked Pumpkin Donuts are perfect for breakfast or for a snack. Topped with the most delicious maple cinnamon glaze, it’s no surprise just how fast they disappear!
Ingredients
- Flour: You’ll use all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: You need a mix of both baking powder and baking soda to give these donuts their texture and rise.
- Salt: Always to balance the flavors.
- Spices: I use a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. You could always sub in 2 1/4 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice if that’s easier for you.
- Pumpkin: You can use store bought or homemade pumpkin puree. If using homemade, make sure you drain it first.
- Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar, and make sure it is packed as you are measuring.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter, but if all you have is salted, it should be just fine. It’s not a large amount of butter.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, and even better if they are at room temperature.
- Milk: You only need a couple of tablespoons of milk that will loosen the batter.
- Vanilla Extract: Real vanilla extract is best, but vanilla paste would certainly be delicious.
- Powdered Sugar: This is for the glaze. No need to sift it, but I would run a whisk through it a few times.
- Maple Extract: A little bit of maple extract goes a long way, but it gives the glaze a delicious flavor!
- Cinnamon: You’ll want a bit more cinnamon for the glaze. The maple and cinnamon combination really is magical!
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Start by whisking together your dry ingredients in one bowl.
In another bowl, beat the pumpkin, brown sugar, and butter together, then add the eggs followed by the milk and the vanilla.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The batter is fairly thick.
To make this easy to put in your donut pan, transfer the batter to a large ziplock bag.
Cut the corner off of the bag and pipe the batter into the donut cavities. Bake until cooked through, then let the donuts cool.
Once cool, dip the donuts into a glaze that you make from the powdered sugar, milk, maple extract, and cinnamon.
Tools You’ll Need
I try to keep things pretty accessible, without lots of fancy kitchen equipment, but I think a donut pan is a fun tool that is pretty inexpensive. It’s easiest if you have 2, but you can totally make these if you only have one pan – you’ll just have to bake half of the batter and then wait for the first batch to be done before baking the second batch.
Tips and Tricks
- Like many baked goods, try not to overmix the batter so that you will have light donuts.
- I will admit that I’ve never made these when they’ve lasted long enough to have to be stored, but they should be good stored for up to 3 or 4 days. The glaze will start to get gooey, but they should still taste great.
- If you want to freeze the donuts, do it without the glaze, then add the glaze when you are ready to serve them.
More Pumpkin Treats
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Pumpkin Roll
Pumpkin Tiramisu
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Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1 cup pumpkin puree store bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple-Cinnamon Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a donut pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, and ginger. Set aside.
- In another bowl, cream together the pumpkin, brown sugar, and butter. Add in the eggs and mix well, then mix in the milk and the vanilla.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Place the batter in a large ziplock bag. Cut off the corner and pipe the batter into the donut pan.*
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the donuts comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, the turn the pan over to remove the donuts and allow them to cool on a wire rack until completely cooled.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, maple extract, and cinnamon. You want it to thin enough so that you can dip the donuts, so if needed, add a little bit more milk.
- When the donuts are cool, dip them in the glaze. Return to the wire rack to allow the glaze to set.
marie says
You will never guess. I went to Kroger marketplace today just getting groceries and I always browse the home goods area that they have because they almost always have markdowns or clearance on something. Well, they had wilton donut pans marked down from 9.99 to 3.49. I wasn’t even thinking they would have it. I was going to go to either Target or Walmart afterwards. I was doing a happy dance. Just like I will be this weekend when I make these doughnuts I’m sure. Thanks for the recipe.
Deborah says
@marie, how exciting!! I hope you love the donuts – they are one of my most popular!
Stacy says
I tried these today with my sweet new donut pans! I was short a little less than a 1/4 cup of flour but proceeded anyway. They came out great! I also used added 1/2 tbs. pumpkin pie spice instead of ginger and clove. Probably needed about 12 minutes to cook til dough sprung back to the touch (but Im sure all ovens are different, just watch it from 10 minutes on) and then I let it rest for a couple minutes after in pan before removing. I glazed them while still a tad warm, not completely cool. It made the glaze stick and spread more evenly. Also. For the glaze, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar was a bit much, too thick, so I had to add more milk. I didn’t have maple extract so I used vanilla extract and some maple syrup. Was a bit sweet but the hubby loved it! Thanks for the recipe! Hubby wants to try a chocolate ganache glaze next time 🙂 Oh, and I ended up with enough batter for 15 donuts. Filled pans to about 3/4 full using a pastry bag. I will definitely be making these again, especially with the holidays coming up!
Sarah says
I subbed in squash and these are amazing!
Deborah says
@Sarah, so glad you liked them – and that the substitution worked!
Cheryl Anne says
I made your Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts (gluten-free) this morning and they were awesome!
Donika@momwhats4dinner says
These look great! I am trying them out right now:)
Sugar Craving Baker says
I made these over the weekend and they were great
Sara says
Just made these and they were a bit too dry for my liking. I think the problem may have been that I had to use 1/2 c. of Strong White Bread Flour (I’m in England)? Or it could be that it would be better to use vegetable oil for a more moist cake versus the butter. I did try another recipe with the oil and this was the case.
Deborah says
@Sara, I’m sorry they were dry for you! I have found that with baked donuts, they can go from perfect to overbaked in no time at all. I do bet they would be great with oil, though. I’m going to have to try that next time!
Emily @ ReMarkable Home says
These look so yummy. I have never made baked donuts before. Is the texture more like muffin texture or is it dense like a cake donut? Thanks!
Deborah says
@Emily @ ReMarkable Home, it’s kind of a mix of the two. It’s basically a muffin in a donut pan, and maybe it’s just in my head, but I think the texture is a little bit different than a muffin. I know I’m not helping much!!
Vicki says
Wow, these look absolutely delicious! I want to bring these to a party this weekend, how far in advance can you bake these? I can’t wait to try them!!!
Maureen says
I made these yesterday, but I noticed the “2 tbsp. milk” was part of the ingredient list for the donut batter, but not included in the directions. I made one batch without milk in the batter, then one batch with it. Seems like milk should be added….the batter was easier to pipe, and the donuts were a little fluffier. I thought they tasted even better today (after sitting overnight). This is a fun fall treat….perfect with some apple cider! Thanks.
Deborah says
@Maureen, thanks – I didn’t realize the milk was left out of the recipe! I fixed it – and I’m so glad you caught it and that they worked out for you!!
Jamie says
I am not suck of pumpkin yet this fall so I might have to try these out! They look absolutely amazing!!
Cassie says
I made these today, Deborah, and they were a HUGE hit! I only have a six-doughnut doughnut pan, so I used my mini-muffin pan to make the rest of the batter into doughnut holes. I didn’t have maple extract, so I used maple syrup in the glaze. The glaze is AMAZING. They were SO GOOD — and really, really addictive. Thanks so much for a perfect baked pumpkin doughnut recipe!
Jenn@eatcakefordinner says
Oh – this is one pumpkin recipe that I must try ASAP. Just wondering how thick the batter is? Since I don’t have a donut pan, do you think I could pipe the batter in a donut shape onto a sheet pan? I know it wouldn’t end up as pretty, but I think it could work if the batter was thick enough?
grace says
that glaze would compliment a batch of cinnamon rolls quite nicely, i do believe. perfect fall treat, deborah!
avril says
Yum! The glaze on these donuts looks AMAZING! Yup, I will so be making these donuts….thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Curt says
That cinnamon Maple glaze looks so nice and sweet!