Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe tastes like a cozy October morning with coffee, warm spices, and a soft cake-style donut that feels like a hug. This recipe works well for busy home bakers who want a fall treat in about 30 minutes from start to finish. I tested these on my neighbors, and they now “check in” every weekend like I run a secret donut shop.

Why You Should Try This Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

These pumpkin spice baked donuts give you all the flavor of a bakery donut without a pot of hot oil on the stove. The texture lands between a muffin and a cake donut, with a tender crumb and a crisp sugar coating.

Baking instead of frying keeps the recipe simple and weeknight friendly. You mix, pipe, bake, dip in cinnamon sugar, and enjoy while they still feel warm and soft.

“Soft, pumpkin-y, perfectly spiced, and gone in minutes at our brunch table ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

You can mix everything in two bowls, and most ingredients probably sit in your pantry right now. I list a few brand notes and easy swaps so you can use what you already have.

Dry ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (210 g) all purpose flour
  • Use a standard unbleached flour like King Arthur or Gold Medal.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • You can swap the spices for 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice if you keep that on hand.

Wet ingredients

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • Libby’s gives consistent texture, but any 100% pumpkin works.
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or light olive oil)
  • You can use melted coconut oil; cool it slightly so it does not scramble the eggs.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup whole milk or 2% milk
  • Use unsweetened almond milk or oat milk for a dairy light version.

Cinnamon sugar coating

You can choose a classic cinnamon sugar finish or a simple glaze. I vote cinnamon sugar for that bakery donut feel.

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • Add a pinch of nutmeg if you like stronger spice.

Optional vanilla glaze

If you prefer glazed pumpkin spice baked donuts, use this instead of the cinnamon sugar.

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2–3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Tiny pinch of salt

Equipment

• 2 standard nonstick donut pans (6 wells each)
  • If you own only 1 pan, you can bake in batches.
• 2 medium mixing bowls
• Whisk and rubber spatula
• Piping bag or large zip-top bag (for easy filling)
• Cooling rack
• Small bowls for the coating or glaze

Tips & Tricks

• Grease the donut pans lightly with baking spray or a thin coat of oil so the donuts slide out cleanly.
• Use room temperature eggs and milk so the batter mixes smoothly and bakes evenly.
• Stir the batter gently and stop when no dry streaks of flour remain; overmixing makes the donuts tough.
• Fill each donut well about 2/3 to 3/4 full so they rise nicely without spilling over.
• Use a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped to pipe the batter neatly into the donut rings.
• Taste your cinnamon sugar and adjust the spice to your liking before you coat all the donuts.
• Coat or glaze the donuts while they still feel slightly warm so the topping sticks well.
• Bake one test donut if you feel unsure about timing; adjust a minute up or down based on that result.
• Let the donuts cool at least 5 minutes in the pan so they set and hold their shape when you remove them.
• Keep an eye on color; pull them when the tops spring back lightly and look golden, not dark brown.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

Mix the dry ingredients

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the center position.
2. Grease your donut pans lightly and set them aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until the mixture looks uniform.
4. Set the dry mixture aside while you mix the wet ingredients.

Mix the wet ingredients

1. In a second medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree until it looks smooth and creamy.
2. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar, then whisk until the mixture looks thick and slightly lighter in color.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
4. Whisk in the oil, vanilla, and milk until the mixture looks smooth and glossy.

Combine wet and dry

1. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
2. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together with gentle strokes.
3. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so no pockets of flour hide.
4. Stop mixing as soon as the batter looks combined and smooth; a few tiny lumps from the pumpkin work fine.

Fill the donut pans

1. Spoon the batter into a piping bag or a large zip-top bag and push it toward one corner.
2. Snip off a small corner of the bag.
3. Pipe the batter into each donut well, going around the ring and filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
4. Tap the pans gently on the counter to pop any large air bubbles and level the batter.

Bake the donuts

1. Place the pans in the preheated oven.
2. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the donuts look puffed and a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
3. Touch the top of a donut lightly; it should spring back when it finishes baking.
4. Remove the pans from the oven and set them on a cooling rack.

Cool and remove from pans

1. Let the donuts cool in the pans for about 5 minutes so they firm up.
2. Run a small offset spatula or butter knife around the edges if any spots stick.
3. Lift the donuts out gently and place them on the cooling rack.
4. Keep them slightly warm if you plan to coat them in cinnamon sugar.

Coat with cinnamon sugar

1. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
2. In another small bowl, place the melted butter.
3. Working with one donut at a time, brush or dip the donut lightly in melted butter.
4. Toss or roll the donut in the cinnamon sugar until it looks evenly coated, then return it to the rack.

Or glaze the donuts

1. In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth.
2. Add the remaining milk a few drops at a time until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency.
3. Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze, then lift and let the excess drip off.
4. Place the glazed donuts on the rack and let the glaze set for about 10 to 15 minutes.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

These pumpkin spice baked donuts pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee, chai, or a simple mug of black tea. Kids usually love them with cold milk or a warm mug of hot chocolate. You can serve them on a brunch board with fresh fruit, yogurt, and scrambled eggs for a balanced spread. They also work as a sweet afternoon snack with a cozy blanket and your favorite show.

Storage Options

• Store leftover donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days; line the container with a paper towel to catch extra moisture.
• Keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days if your kitchen runs warm, and let them come to room temperature before serving.
• Freeze unglazed or uncoated donuts on a baking sheet until firm, then move them to a freezer bag and keep them for up to 2 months.
• Reheat donuts in a 300°F oven or toaster oven for 5 to 7 minutes until warm, then add fresh cinnamon sugar or glaze right before serving.