If you love the cozy, warmly spiced flavors of fall, then you are absolutely going to adore this Pumpkin Doughnuts Recipe. These cake-style doughnuts are tender, moist, and bursting with autumnal spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, perfectly balanced by the natural sweetness of pumpkin puree. With a delightful cinnamon sugar coating, they’re a comforting treat that feels like a warm hug in every bite. Whether you’re making them for a weekend brunch, a holiday gathering, or just because, these pumpkin doughnuts bring the best of the season straight to your kitchen.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients for this Pumpkin Doughnuts Recipe are refreshingly simple, yet each one plays an important role in creating the perfect texture, flavor, and color that define these doughnuts. From the fragrant spices to the rich pumpkin puree, every component adds something special.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and the perfect soft crumb when measured carefully.
- Baking powder: Gives the doughnuts a light, airy rise without heaviness.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon: The star spice that brings warm, comforting notes to the doughnuts.
- Ground nutmeg: Adds a subtle depth and a hint of earthiness.
- Ground ginger: Offers a gentle spicy kick for complexity.
- Ground cloves: A little goes a long way to deepen the spice profile.
- Light-brown sugar: Imparts moisture and caramel undertones for rich sweetness.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and a touch of crispness in the cinnamon coating.
- Canola oil: Keeps the doughnuts tender and moist without overpowering flavors.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and help create that soft, cakey texture.
- Canned pumpkin puree: The star ingredient providing natural moisture, color, and unmistakable pumpkin flavor.
- Vanilla paste: Adds a lovely aromatic richness that enhances the overall taste.
How to Make Pumpkin Doughnuts Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients and Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to get it nice and hot. Then gather your ingredients, whisking together the dry spices and flour mixture first to ensure an even distribution of flavors. This careful prep sets you up for success and makes the process smooth and enjoyable.
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients
Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves together in a bowl until everything is evenly mixed. Making a well in the center of your dry mix lets you add the wet ingredients more easily in the next step.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together your light-brown sugar, granulated sugar, canola oil, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla paste until fully blended. This rich, velvety mix will form the flavorful base of your doughnuts, packed with moisture and seasoning.
Step 4: Bring It All Together
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a silicone spatula. Stir just until the flour disappears—lumps are okay here! Overmixing can make your doughnuts tough, so keep it light to maintain maximum tenderness.
Step 5: Prepare Your Doughnut Pans and Fill
Lightly spray your doughnut pans to prevent sticking. Spoon or pipe the batter into each of the 18 wells, filling them about three-quarters full. Accurate filling ensures even baking and the perfect doughnut shape every time.
Step 6: Bake to Perfection
Bake your doughnuts in the preheated oven for 13 to 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. As they bake, the warm spices and pumpkin scent will fill your kitchen, a wonderful sign that they’re almost ready!
Step 7: Coat with Cinnamon Sugar
While the doughnuts cool slightly, whisk together granulated sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Drop a warm doughnut into the sugar mixture, cover it, and shake gently to coat thoroughly. If the sugar isn’t sticking well, a quick spritz of cooking spray on the doughnut before coating helps the sugar cling beautifully.
Step 8: Cool and Store
Place your coated pumpkin doughnuts on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container to maintain freshness. This finishing step ensures you enjoy these treats at their best!
How to Serve Pumpkin Doughnuts Recipe
Garnishes
Elevate your pumpkin doughnuts by adding a light drizzle of maple glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar. Chopped toasted pecans or a sprinkle of finely chopped crystallized ginger can add a delightful texture and extra flavor that pairs beautifully with the spices.
Side Dishes
Serve your pumpkin doughnuts alongside a creamy hot latte, spiced chai tea, or even a glass of cold milk for a perfectly balanced autumn snack. Fresh fruit like sliced apples or pears also makes a refreshing companion, adding a natural sweetness and crunch.
Creative Ways to Present
For a festive touch, arrange the doughnuts on a rustic wooden board with mini pumpkins, cinnamon sticks, and autumn leaves. You can also create a DIY doughnut bar where guests can add their own toppings, like whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, or crushed candy canes for a seasonal twist.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
You can keep your pumpkin doughnuts fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They usually stay tender and flavorful for up to two days, making it easy to enjoy them slowly without losing any magic.
Freezing
To enjoy these treats later, freeze your doughnuts by wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They freeze beautifully for up to two months and thaw quickly whenever you need a sweet pick-me-up.
Reheating
Reheat frozen or stored doughnuts in the microwave for about 15 seconds or pop them in a warm oven for a few minutes. This brings back their soft texture and revives their fragrant spices, making them taste as delightful as on day one.
FAQs
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree?
Yes, you can! Just make sure to cook and puree fresh pumpkin first to achieve the right consistency and moisture content that canned pumpkin provides.
Are these doughnuts fried or baked?
This Pumpkin Doughnuts Recipe is fully baked, making it a lighter and less messy option than traditional fried doughnuts, but still with all the flavor and moist texture you love.
Can I substitute the oil with butter?
For best results, stick to oil because it keeps the doughnuts moist and tender. Butter tends to make the batter heavier, but you can experiment if you prefer a richer flavor.
How do I know when the doughnuts are done baking?
Insert a toothpick into the center of a doughnut; if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, they’re perfectly baked and ready to come out of the oven.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
You can try replacing the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend, but the texture might vary slightly. Make sure the blend includes xanthan gum for the best structure.
Final Thoughts
This Pumpkin Doughnuts Recipe is a little slice of autumn heaven that everyone should experience at least once. The aromatic spices, the tender crumb, and the sweet cinnamon sugar coating make these doughnuts an irresistible treat that’s perfect any time of day. I can’t wait for you to try making them yourself and share that cozy, delicious pumpkin magic with your family and friends.
PrintPumpkin Doughnuts Recipe
These Pumpkin Doughnuts are a delightful fall treat, perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Lightly sweetened with brown and granulated sugar, and moist from canned pumpkin puree, they bake up soft and tender. Finished with a cinnamon sugar coating, these doughnuts are easy to make in the oven using donut pans and are perfect for breakfast or a cozy snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 18 doughnuts
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups (235g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light-brown sugar (broken up with fingertips)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (340g) canned pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Topping
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to bake the doughnuts.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Make a well in the center of this mixture and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, canola oil, eggs, canned pumpkin puree, and vanilla paste until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
- Incorporate dry into wet: Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Using a silicone spatula, fold and mix until fully combined with no visible streaks of flour. The batter may be slightly lumpy, which is normal.
- Prepare donut pans: Spray the donut pans (18 wells total from three 6-well pans) with non-stick spray. Spoon or pipe the batter into each well, filling approximately 3/4 full (about a scant 1/4 cup each).
- Bake the doughnuts: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 13 to 16 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Remove from oven and let the doughnuts cool slightly in the pan.
- Make cinnamon sugar coating: While the doughnuts cool, whisk together 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a container. Add one slightly warm doughnut to the container, cover, and shake to coat it evenly with the cinnamon sugar. If the sugar doesn’t stick well, lightly spray the doughnut with non-stick cooking spray before coating.
- Cool and store: Place the coated doughnuts on a wire rack to cool completely. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Notes
- If you don’t have vanilla paste, vanilla extract can be substituted.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the doughnuts tender.
- The cinnamon sugar topping adheres better when the doughnuts are slightly warm.
- Use a silicone spatula to gently fold ingredients without deflating the batter.
- These doughnuts can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- Reheat doughnuts briefly in the microwave or oven before serving for a freshly baked taste.
