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Attention all pumpkin lovers! Fall is in the air, and that means one thing – it’s time for pumpkin donuts! You won’t find a better-tasting donut this fall.

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These delicious baked pumpkin donuts are the perfect way to celebrate. They’re made with real pumpkin puree, Autumn Maple Beer and topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture that will make your taste buds sing.

Baked pumpkin donut

Since it contains a delicious pumpkin flavor, this recipe is often associated with the months of September, October, and November.

Because we’re about to enter pumpkin season, this is the perfect treat to indulge in on a crisp fall morning. These fun treats are set to become your go-to fall snack! 

What Is A Donut?

A donut, or doughnut, is a type of deep-fried pastry that is sweet. There are various versions of doughnuts that are popular around the world, with numerous names.

Donuts are often sprinkled with sugar or other flavorful toppings and can be frosted or glazed if desired. 

Some individuals also consume what are known as donut holes, which are pieces that fulfill the missing chunks of pastry in classical donuts. 

Pumpkin spice donuts

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Autumn Maple Beer – The donut’s dough consists of Autumn maple beer, giving the treat a flavor of alcoholic warmth and subtle sourness.  
  • Kosher Salt – Kosher salt is a healthy choice that has a low sodium content that helps prevent high blood pressure and heart complications.
  • Cinnamon Sugar Mixture – The glaze of cinnamon sugar to coat your donuts gives them the sickly and delightful final touch that will compliment your sweet tooth.  

What Do Pumpkin Donuts Taste Like?

Baked pumpkin donuts have a strong flavor combination of pumpkin, maple, cinnamon, and nutmeg, making them very sweet with a delicate taste that will remind you of your favorite donut.

Are Baked Pumpkin Donuts Healthy?

Baked pumpkin donuts contain pumpkin has some health benefits that we should be aware of.

Baked pumpkin donuts can improve your immunity, as pumpkin contains a large amount of beta carotene, a core part of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps your body fight against various infections. It can also strengthen your intestinal lining.  

Given the antioxidants found in pumpkin, it is also known for benefitting skin health. Beta carotene, specifically, can protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. 

The nutrients found in pumpkin also help increase heart health, such as potassium which decreases blood pressure levels.

Last but not least, pumpkin can help improve your metabolic health, helping the management of blood sugar and the distribution of fat in your body. 

Despite all the health benefits, ingredients such as powdered sugar in the recipe mean that baked pumpkin donuts aren’t entirely risk-free and should be eaten moderately. Doing this will help decrease the chances of diabetes and higher blood pressure.

Baked pumpkin donut

Is A Baked Donut Recipe Healthier Than A Recipe For Fried Donuts?

Yes, is certainly is. Fried glazed donuts typically have 269 calories, while baked donuts will have much less. Baking your donuts means that you aren’t left dealing with extra fat from the oil while frying. 

Is a Donut a Pastry?

Yes, a donut, or doughnut, is a fried pastry. It is typically shaped like a ring and has a hole in the center.

Donuts are often coated with icing, sprinkles, or chocolate. They can be filled with jelly, cream, or custard. Donuts are a popular breakfast food and snack. They are usually served with coffee or milk.

The donut is one of the most well-known pastries, especially in regions such as North America.

Today, it is undergoing a revival as the baking aisle of more and more specialized donut shops begins to offer new recipes and combinations of flavors.  

Are Donuts Baked or Fried?

Donuts are usually deep-fried but they can be baked.

Deep-fried donuts have a crunchier or crisper texture as opposed to other styles of cake doughnuts. They also typically have cracks or pores on their surface.

After being fried, they can be served as donuts in the glaze, sprinkled with sugar, or served as they are.

Homemade pumpkin donuts

Baked donuts tend to be denser and not as sweet as their fried counterparts, but they can be just as delicious.

Ultimately, the choice between baked and fried donuts comes down to personal preference.

Baked Pumpkin Donut Ingredients

  • Unsalted Butter – Melted butter is the foundation of the brown butter required for the donut’s dough and cinnamon sugar coating. 
  • Whole Milk – Containing several beneficial nutrients such as calcium and vitamins, whole milk will help accentuate your donuts’ healthy components. 
  • Autumn Maple Beer – This beverage is what gives your donuts a warm aftertaste that encapsulates the essence of fall. 
  • Instant Dry Yeast – Including this in your mixture will ensure that it dissolves much faster. 
  • Granulated Sugar – This is your sweet addition to the donut batter and cinnamon sugar coating. 
  • Light Brown Sugar – In replacement of white sugar, brown sugar helps keep your donuts both tasty and healthy by containing fewer calories. 
  • Kosher Salt – Combining this with all other ingredients will turn your donuts into a healthy meal option that helps prevent health issues such as high blood pressure. 
  • Pure Vanilla Extract – This is what gives your donuts a lusciously sweet taste, balancing the taste of all other flavorings. 
  • Ground Cinnamon – Cinnamon will add the sweet and woody flavor necessary to enhance the donuts’ flavor of autumn.  
  • Ground Nutmeg – Including nutmeg in your donut mixture helps relieve pain, soothe indigestion, strengthen cognitive function, detoxify your body, and boost your skin health, all in one. 
  • Eggs – These are your source of protein in the already-rich cake batter that will produce your pumpkin donuts. 
  • Canned Pumpkin Purée – This is what gives the unmissable flavor of pumpkin, highlighting the intense aroma of your cake-like baked pumpkin donuts. 
  • Bread Flour – Adding bread flour to your dough will make it more elastic and light, inviting a chewy and airy texture when your donuts are baked.
  • Pastry Flour – This contains lower protein content, and its finer texture will give your baked donuts a softer, finer crumb.
Pumpkin donut ingredients 1

Tools Needed To Prepare Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Nutmeg

If you don’t have nutmeg in your kitchen, you can use ginger instead. Ginger contains some antioxidants that help with stress relief and reduce heart problems. 

Vanilla extract 

If you’re not too keen on the taste of vanilla, you can use almond extract. Almond extract is rich in vitamins and proteins and helps act as a healthy supplement for your hair and skin. 

Eggs 

If you prefer not to use eggs, you can exchange these for buttermilk. Drinking buttermilk can help lower blood cholesterol levels and promote cardiovascular health.

Watkins Pure Almond Extract, 2 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
  • Pure Extract is perfect for baking, flavoring drinks and more!
  • Made from natural oils—100% Pure
  • No Artificial Colors or Flavors
Judee’s Buttermilk Powder – 11.25 oz – Delicious and 100% Gluten-Free – Great for Homemade Pancakes, Fried Chicken, and Cornbread – Baking and Cooking Mix
  • Buttermilk Powder for Baking – Whether you’re creating homemade treats for special occasions or pancakes in the morning for breakfast, Judee’s Buttermilk Powder Mix is here to provide you with the baking essentials you need in your kitchen
  • The Perfect Baking Powder – The dry butter milk powder adds a tangy flavor to bread, biscuits and gravy, creamy soups, ranch dressing, and custard; perfect for crafting delicious side dishes for family dinners, holidays, picnics, and more
  • Goodness in Every Bite – Our powdered mixes are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility to ensure you are getting the best ingredients that taste delicious; contains no GMO or preservatives

How to Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts (Step-by-Step)

Ingredients

For The Donuts

For The Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Instructions

For The Donuts

STEP 1: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk and Autumn Maple beer, whisking together completely.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 1

STEP 2: Microwave in 10-second increments until the mixture reaches 105ºF.

STEP 3: Once the mixture is 105ºF, transfer it into a bowl. Add a sachet of yeast. Stir gently to combine, and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

STEP 4: Next, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, egg yolks, and pumpkin puree.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 4

STEP 5: Mix with dough whisk to ensure the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 5

STEP 6: Add the bread flour and pastry flour, and mix until the dough is soft and sticky.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 6

STEP 7: Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl with tall sides, and cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to sit on the counter for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 7

STEP 8: You can also refrigerate the dough overnight at this stage if you are not making the donuts immediately.

When you’re ready to make them, take the bowl out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 8

STEP 9: Once the dough has doubled, scrape it out of the bowl and onto a well-floured surface. Make sure you also flour your hands, as this dough is very sticky!

STEP 10: Knead the dough for about 1 minute to punch it down, adding a little more flour if it becomes too sticky to work with.

STEP 11: Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

STEP 12: Roll the dough to approximately 1/2” thick using a floured rolling pin.

STEP 13: Using a floured 3” cutter, cut out doughnut rounds from the dough, and transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2” between each donut.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 13

STEP 14: Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting donuts until all the dough has been used.

STEP 15: Using a floured small cutter, anywhere from 1/2”-1” in diameter, punch out the center of each doughnut and transfer the small doughnut holes to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

STEP 16: Once all of the donuts are cut out, cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and allow them to rise in a warm spot for about an hour.

You can let them rise for up to 90 minutes, but don’t let them go longer, or they will over-proof and not bake properly.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 16
How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 16B

STEP 17: Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

STEP 18: In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the donut topping, and set aside.

How to make pumpkin donut holes - Step 18

STEP 19: Bake the 3″ round donuts for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown, and bake the doughnut holes for 10 minutes until golden.

For The Brown Butter

STEP 1: Place butter in a small saucepan over high heat, and allow it to melt. Swirl the pan occasionally, and the butter will begin to pop and hiss as it bubbles up and the milk solids cook.

STEP 2: As soon as the milk solids have turned brown and the butter smells nutty, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

Assembling The Donuts

STEP 1: Remove the donuts from the oven.

STEP 2: One at a time, dip each doughnut into the cooled melted brown butter, ensuring both sides are coated. Transfer to the cinnamon sugar, and make sure all sides are coated well.

STEP 3: Repeat with remaining donuts and doughnut holes.

STEP 4: Serve immediately with a chilled glass of Autumn Maple beer!

STEP 5: These donuts are best just baked and served warm, but they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Easy baked pumpkin donuts

What To Serve With Pumpkin Donuts

If you’re looking for a lighter side dish to balance out the sugar of your donuts, you can pair them with a fruit salad with a combination of your favorite fruits that are in season, mixed with honey, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.

If serving these donuts to a child, a spread like peanut butter, jam, or even Nutella might be a hit.

Other pairing options include:

Boozy Elderflower Liqueur, fresh orange juice and ice cream! These boozy rhubarb elderflower ice cream floats are simple and wonderfully satisfying on a hot summer's day.
Looking for a cheaper, easier alternative to the Starbucks Caramel Brûlée Latte? This recipe is just what you need! Made with just a few simple ingredients, it tastes exactly like the real thing but costs a fraction of the price. So next time you're craving a sweet and indulgent coffee drink, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

These baked pumpkin donuts are just so good! You’d be pleasantly surprised if you think it’s impossible not to imagine other creative spins this pasty.

If you share a love for donuts and have a soft spot for cookies, you’d love these donut cookies. They’re cookies with a fun twist, designed to resemble your favorite circular treat.

Tips About Making Baked Pumpkin Donuts

  • Refrigerate donuts if not making them immediately – After whisking your dry ingredients and wet ingredients into a flour mixture, you can store the donut batter in the fridge overnight in a bowl for the next day if you don’t plan on cooking it straight away. This helps keep the dough fresh. 
  • Flour your hands – After your dough has doubled in size and before dipping them in melted butter, make sure you’ve floured your hands, as the dough can be very sticky at this stage.  
  • Serve immediately – The entire batch of donuts is best-served piping hot and fresh out of the oven, with a recommended chilled glass of Autumn maple beer or cup of coffee to go with it.  

How To Store Donuts

Once cooked, you can refrigerate your donuts or leave them at room temperature for up to two days if they don’t contain a creme filling.

Keep the donuts away from direct sunlight that could cause them to dry or become moldy.

Cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts

How Long Can Donuts Sit Out?

Plain, powdered, glazed, and topped donuts can stay fresh for up to two days on the counter if they are well-wrapped. 

How Long Are Donuts Good For In The Fridge?

Some donuts, like creme-filled donuts, require refrigeration, which can last up to a week in the fridge.

FAQ About Donuts

Does Krispy Kreme have pumpkin donuts?

Yes, there are four different seasonal donuts at Krispy Kreme, including the cheesecake-filled doughnut, original glazed pumpkin spice donut and pumpkin spice cake donut. 

Is pumpkin spice back at Dunkin Donuts?

Yes, the Fall Bakery Line-Up is filled with pumpkin deliciousness, including Dunkin’s glazed Pumpkin cake donut, Pumpkin MUNCHKINS® Donut Hole Treats, and Pumpkin Muffin, topped with a sweet streusel and white icing.

When does pumpkin spice come out at Dunkin Donuts?

Pumpkin spice flavor products, which form a part of Dunkin Donuts’ fall range, is available from August 17 to September 13.

Does Dunkin Donuts have pumpkin donuts?

Yes, the pumpkin donut is a part of Dunkin Donuts’ Fall Bakery Line-Up which is released during fall every year. 

Baked pumpkin donut

Baked Pumpkin Donut

Yield: 8 donuts
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Attention all pumpkin lovers! Fall is in the air, and that means one thing – it’s time for pumpkin donuts! You won’t find a better-tasting donut than this baked pumpkin donut this fall.

Ingredients

For The Donuts

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Autumn Maple Beer
  • 1 envelope instant dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/4 cups pastry flour

For The Cinnamon Sugar Topping

  • 1/2 cup brown butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

For The Donuts

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk and Autumn Maple beer, whisking together completely.
  2. Microwave in 10-second increments until the mixture reaches 105ºF.
  3. Once the mixture is 105ºF, transfer it into a bowl. Add a sachet of yeast. Stir gently to combine, and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
  4. Next, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, egg yolks, and pumpkin puree.
  5. Mix with dough whisk to ensure the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  6. Add the bread flour and pastry flour, and mix until the dough is soft and sticky.
  7. Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl with tall sides, and cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to sit on the counter for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
  8. You can also refrigerate the dough overnight at this stage if you are not making the donuts immediately. When you’re ready to make them, just take the bowl out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes.
  9. Once the dough has doubled, scrape it out of the bowl and onto a well-floured surface. Make sure you also flour your hands, as this dough is very sticky!
  10. Knead the dough for about 1 minute to punch it down, adding a little more flour if it becomes too sticky to work with.
  11. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  12. Roll the dough to approximately 1/2” thick using a floured rolling pin.
  13. Using a floured 3” cutter, cut out doughnut rounds from the dough, and transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2” between each donut.
  14. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting donuts until all the dough has been used.
  15. Using a floured small cutter, anywhere from 1/2”-1” in diameter, punch out the center of each doughnut and transfer the small doughnut holes to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  16. Once all of the donuts are cut out, cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour. You can let them rise for up to 90 minutes, but don’t let them go longer or they will over-proof and not bake properly.
  17. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  18. In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the donut topping, and set aside.
  19. Bake the 3” round doughnuts for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown, and bake the doughnut holes for 10 minutes until golden.


For The Brown Butter

  1. Place butter in a small saucepan over high heat, and allow it to melt. Swirl the pan occasionally, and the butter will begin to popping and hissing as it bubbles up and the milk solids cook.
  2. As soon as the milk solids have turned brown and the butter smells nutty, remove it from the heat and allow to cool.


Assembling The Donuts

  1. Remove the doughnuts from the oven.
  2. One at a time, dip each doughnut into the cooled melted brown butter, ensuring both sides are coated. Transfer to the cinnamon sugar, and make sure all sides are coated well.
  3. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes.
  4. Serve immediately with a chilled glass of Autumn Maple beer!
  5. These donuts are best just baked and served warm, but they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Notes

  • Refrigerate donuts if not making them immediately – After whisking your dry ingredients and wet ingredients into a flour mixture, you can store the donut batter in the fridge overnight in a bowl for the next day if you don’t plan on cooking it straight away. This helps keep the dough fresh. 
  • Flour your hands – After your dough has doubled in size and before dipping them in melted butter, make sure you’ve floured your hands, as the dough can be very sticky at this stage.  
  • Serve immediately – The entire batch of donuts is best-served piping hot and fresh out of the oven, with a recommended chilled glass of Autumn maple beer or cup of coffee to go with it.  
  • This recipe was originally published on 09/2011 by Jaclyn. Notes and photos were updated on 10/2022.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 516Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 341mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 2gSugar: 44gProtein: 7g

* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.

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Conclusion

Please refer to the Fusioo instructions for additional questions to answer if you have not attained the word count for this article.

This baked pumpkin donut recipe is an ideal treat this fall. Although the baking time for this recipe is on the higher end, the result makes the time worth it.

These homemade donuts can be eaten as a breakfast snack, as a snack at preschool for your kids, or as a fun fall brunch treat, and you can pair it with a fruit salad, peanut butter and jam, or quinoa salad.

Pumpkin donuts healthy

The taste of autumn maple beer mixed with pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg will provide a flavorful combination that you’ll savor long after eating it.

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