Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar
A baked pumpkin donut is a soft, cake-style donut made in a donut pan instead of hot oil. This batter uses pumpkin puree, brown sugar and warm spices, bakes in 10 to 12 minutes at 375°F, and gets a butter brush and a roll in cinnamon sugar while warm. The recipe makes 12 donuts at about 200 calories each.
Quick answer
Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour with baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Whisk 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, both sugars, 1/3 cup milk, 1/4 cup melted butter and 1 egg, then fold the two together. Pipe into a greased donut pan and bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. With one 6-cavity pan, bake in two batches. Brush with butter and roll in cinnamon sugar while warm. Total time about 50 minutes.
Baked Pumpkin Donuts
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Baked Pumpkin Donut Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder (optional)
Cinnamon sugar coating
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 6-cavity donut pan (or two pans) well, including the center posts.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a bowl.
- In a second bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg and vanilla bean powder (if using) until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir just until no flour shows. A few small lumps are fine.
- Spoon the batter into a zip-top bag, snip a corner and pipe it into the cavities until each is about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed lightly. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Wipe and re-grease the pan and bake the second batch.
- Mix the 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl. While each baked pumpkin donut is still warm, brush it with the 3 tbsp melted butter and roll it in the cinnamon sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Per donut (1 of 12) (estimated)
- Calories: 200
- Total fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 18 g
- Protein: 3 g
Estimated from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values for flour, canned pumpkin (FDC 168450), brown and white sugar, whole milk, unsalted butter, egg and spices. It counts all of the brushing butter and about half of the cinnamon sugar coating (roughly what sticks); the optional vanilla bean powder is not included.
Why Baked Pumpkin Donuts Stay Soft
Pumpkin puree is mostly water, and brown sugar holds on to moisture, so a baked pumpkin donut stays tender even though it never touches oil. Baking powder and baking soda give a quick lift in the hot oven; the soda also reacts with the slightly acidic pumpkin and brown sugar, which helps the donuts brown.
The butter brush is what makes them taste close to a fried cake donut. Warm donuts soak up a thin layer of butter, and the cinnamon sugar sticks to it evenly. Wait until they are cold and the sugar falls off.
Baked Pumpkin Donut Timing at a Glance
| Step | Time | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Mix and pipe the batter | 15 min | Smooth batter, pans three-quarters full |
| Bake batch 1 | 10–12 min at 375°F | Tops spring back when pressed |
| Cool in pan | 5 min | Donuts release easily |
| Bake batch 2 | 10–12 min | Same cue |
| Brush and coat | About 6 min | Warm, not hot |
Tips for the Best Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Pipe, don’t spoon. A piping bag (or zip-top bag) fills the ring evenly so the hole stays open.
- Fill only three-quarters full. Overfilled cavities bake over the post and lose the hole.
- Use plain pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling has sugar and spices already added.
- Don’t overmix. Stir until the flour disappears; extra mixing makes the donuts tough and dense.
- No donut pan? Bake the batter in a greased mini muffin pan for 9 to 11 minutes, or in a regular muffin pan for 15 to 18 minutes.
Glaze Instead of Cinnamon Sugar
For a maple-style glaze, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tbsp milk and 1/4 tsp cinnamon, then dip the tops of the cooled donuts. For a simple spice glaze, add a pinch of nutmeg instead of the cinnamon. A glaze needs fully cooled donuts, the opposite of the cinnamon sugar coating, so let them sit about 20 minutes first.
Common Baked Pumpkin Donut Mistakes
- Dense, tough donuts: the batter was overmixed or the flour was packed into the cup. Spoon flour into the cup and level it.
- Donuts stuck in the pan: the pan needed more grease, especially on the center post, or they were turned out too hot.
- Pale, damp bottoms: the oven was not fully heated. Give it the full preheat.
- Patchy coating: the donuts cooled before coating, or the butter brush was skipped.
How to Store Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Coated donuts are best the day they are made. Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; the sugar coating softens over time. To freeze, cool the donuts uncoated, freeze them in a bag for up to 2 months, then thaw, warm for a few minutes in a 300°F oven and brush and coat them fresh.
Serve them with a mug of frozen hot chocolate or next to a slice of gluten free pumpkin loaf for a fall breakfast table.
Baked Pumpkin Donut FAQ
Can I make baked pumpkin donuts without a donut pan?
Yes. Bake the batter in a greased muffin pan for 15 to 18 minutes and coat the tops in butter and cinnamon sugar.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree?
It’s not a good swap. Pie filling already has sugar and spice, so the donuts turn out too sweet and heavy.
How many calories are in a baked pumpkin donut?
About 200 calories per donut with the butter and cinnamon sugar coating, based on USDA FoodData Central values.
Can I make the batter ahead?
Bake soon after mixing. The baking powder and soda start working as soon as the wet and dry ingredients meet, so batter that sits for hours bakes flatter.
Can I taste the batter?
No. The FDA advises against eating raw batter because raw flour and raw eggs can carry harmful bacteria. Bake it first.
Sources
Featured photo: Unsplash
