There's nothing quite like the smell of baked pumpkin donuts wafting through your kitchen on a crisp fall morning! I discovered this recipe last October when Emily begged me to make something "pumpkin-y" for her school's harvest festival.
Honestly? I was skeptical about baked donuts at first. Could they really compete with the fried ones from our local bakery? But after one bite of these soft, spiced beauties, I was completely sold. Plus, no messy oil or scary deep frying required (which is perfect for someone like me who's slightly terrified of hot oil splashing everywhere).
These easy pumpkin donuts come together in just 19 minutes from start to finish. They're tender, perfectly spiced, and get rolled in the most amazing cinnamon sugar coating while they're still warm.
Emily actually said they taste "better than the fancy donut shop" – and trust me, that's high praise from a twelve-year-old with strong dessert opinions! Speaking of fall treats, if you're looking for more pumpkin goodness, you'll want to try my maple glazed pumpkin donuts too.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love These Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts Ingredients
- How to Make Perfect Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Storage and Reheating Your Pumpkin Donuts
- Creative Ways to Enjoy Your Homemade Pumpkin Donuts
- Frequently Asked Questions About Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Recipes You May Like
- Conclusion
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Why You Will Love These Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Ready in under 30 minutes – No waiting around for hours when you're craving something sweet
- No frying required – Just pop them in the oven and you're done (way less intimidating than dealing with hot oil)
- Perfectly spiced – The combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves creates that classic fall flavor
- Soft and fluffy texture – These turn out incredibly tender, not dense or heavy like some baked donuts
- Kid-approved – Emily's friends always ask if I'll make these for sleepovers
- Great for meal prep – They keep well for days, so you can make a batch on Sunday and enjoy them all week
Baked Pumpkin Donuts Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (or allspice)
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (one 15 oz can)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted unsalted butter
The key to perfect pumpkin donut recipe success is using quality pumpkin puree. I always grab the Libby's brand because it's consistently smooth and has that rich pumpkin flavor we're after.
How to Make Perfect Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Getting Started
Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease your donut pans with nonstick spray. Don't skip this step – nothing's worse than beautiful donuts that stick to the pan! I learned this lesson the hard way during my first attempt at homemade pumpkin donuts.
Mixing the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all those gorgeous spices. The smell at this stage is already incredible – it's like fall decided to move into your kitchen!
Combining Wet Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and melted butter together until the butter is completely absorbed. This takes about a minute of vigorous whisking.
Add your room temperature eggs and whisk until everything looks smooth and combined. Then stir in that beautiful pumpkin puree. The mixture should look rich and orange at this point.
Bringing It All Together
Pour the wet ingredients into your bowl of dry ingredients. Here's where I have to remind myself every single time – mix just until no flour pockets remain, but don't overdo it! Overmixing leads to tough donuts, and nobody wants that.
Filling and Baking
Spoon or pipe the batter into your prepared donut pans. I usually use a large spoon and fill each cavity about ¾ full.
Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes. You'll know they're done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
The Magic Coating
While your baked pumpkin donuts are cooling slightly, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
Here's the secret to getting that coating to stick perfectly – brush each donut with melted butter while they're still a little warm, then roll them generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture. The warmth helps the coating adhere beautifully.
Storage and Reheating Your Pumpkin Donuts
These easy pumpkin donuts stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I usually store mine in a large glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to one month. Just wrap each donut individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer-safe container.
If you want to refresh day-old donuts, pop them in a 300°F oven for about 3-4 minutes. They'll taste almost as good as fresh!
Creative Ways to Enjoy Your Homemade Pumpkin Donuts
Glaze Options: Try drizzling these with a simple powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese frosting instead of the cinnamon sugar coating. Both are absolutely divine!
Spice Variations: You can substitute 2 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices if that's what you have on hand. I've done this plenty of times when I'm feeling lazy about measuring multiple spices.
Add-Ins: Sometimes I fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips or chopped toasted pecans for extra texture and flavor. Emily particularly loves the chocolate chip version!
Size Options: This recipe also works beautifully for mini donuts – just reduce the baking time to 8-10 minutes. Perfect for parties or when you want portion control (though let's be honest, you'll probably eat three mini ones instead of one regular).
If you're looking for more bite-sized pumpkin treats, definitely check out my cinnamon sugar pumpkin donut holes recipe too!
Frequently Asked Questions About Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Yes! Baked donuts are made in the oven at 350°F for 12-14 minutes using donut pans, creating a healthier alternative to fried donuts with less oil and mess.
Bake donuts at 350°F for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs attached.
Absolutely! Baked donuts are soft, fluffy, and delicious while being lighter than fried versions. They're perfect for enjoying homemade donuts without deep frying.
Raw centers usually mean underbaking or oven temperature issues. Ensure your oven is preheated to 350°F and bake for the full 12-14 minutes, testing doneness with a toothpick.
Recipes You May Like
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars – These creamy, spiced bars are the perfect follow-up to donuts when you want another pumpkin dessert
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies – When you want something sweet but different from pumpkin flavors
- Mini Blueberry Muffins – Another baked breakfast treat that's just as easy as these donuts
Conclusion
These baked pumpkin donuts have become one of my go-to recipes for fall baking. They're quick enough for a weekday morning treat but special enough for weekend family breakfasts. The combination of warm spices and that irresistible cinnamon sugar coating makes them absolutely perfect for the season.
I love that I can whip up a batch in less than 20 minutes whenever we're having guests or Emily's friends come over. There's something so satisfying about pulling a pan of golden, fragrant donuts out of the oven – it makes the whole house smell incredible!
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think! Save it to Pinterest so you can find it easily when pumpkin season rolls around again.
Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a donut tin (cavities with 3 ¾-inch diameter) with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, granulated sugar and melted butter together until butter is absorbed. Add eggs and vigorously whisk until combined. Stir in pumpkin puree.
- Pour wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients and mix until no flour pockets remain (avoid over-mixing). Spoon or pipe batter into prepared donut tin.
- Bake at 350° F for 12 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs. Let the donuts cool in the pan for a couple minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- For the topping, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. While the donuts are still a little warm, lightly brush them with melted butter, then generously coat the donuts in cinnamon sugar.
