Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe tastes like a cozy October morning in donut form, with warm spices, real pumpkin, and a soft, cakey crumb. It works perfectly for busy home bakers who want a fall bakery treat in about 35 minutes, start to finish. I tested this recipe so many times that my neighbors now judge the seasons by when I start handing them pumpkin donuts.

Why You Should Try This Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

These pumpkin spice baked donuts pack big flavor with very little effort. You mix the batter in one bowl, pipe it into a donut pan, and enjoy fresh donuts before your coffee gets cold.

Baking instead of frying keeps things lighter and much less messy. You skip hot oil, splatter, and lingering fryer smell, yet still get a tender, cake-style donut with a buttery cinnamon sugar coating.

“These Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts taste like a coffee shop treat, but you pull them from your own oven in under 30 minutes ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

Dry ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
  • Use a standard unbleached flour like King Arthur or Gold Medal.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • You can swap a store-bought pumpkin pie spice blend for all the individual spices. Use 2 ½ to 3 teaspoons total.

Wet ingredients

• ¾ cup (180 g) canned pumpkin puree
  • Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Libby’s gives consistent texture.
• ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil
  • Canola, vegetable, or light olive oil all work.
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • Use oat milk or 2% milk if needed.
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar coating

• 4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Small pinch of salt

Equipment

• 2 nonstick donut pans (standard size, 6 cavities each)
  • If you only own one pan, bake in batches.
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl
• Whisk and rubber spatula
• Piping bag or large zip-top bag (for easy filling)
• Cooling rack
• Pastry brush or small bowl for dipping donuts in butter

Tips & Tricks

• Grease the donut pans lightly with baking spray or a thin film of oil so the donuts release cleanly.
• Do not overmix the batter; whisk just until the flour disappears to keep the crumb soft and tender.
• Fill each donut cavity about ¾ full so the donuts rise nicely without spilling over the center.
• Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off to pipe the batter neatly into the pans.
• Let the donuts cool just a few minutes before coating; slightly warm donuts grab the cinnamon sugar best.
• Stir the cinnamon sugar between batches so the spices stay evenly mixed.
• Taste your pumpkin puree; if it tastes dull, add an extra pinch of salt and cinnamon to the batter.
• If you want extra pumpkin spice flavor, add ½ teaspoon more cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
• Bake one test donut if you feel unsure about timing, then adjust by 1 to 2 minutes for the rest.
• Store leftover cinnamon sugar in a jar and use it on toast, oatmeal, or the next batch of donuts.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to a medium bowl. Whisk until the spices blend evenly into the flour. Set the bowl aside near your mixing station.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks smooth and glossy. Add eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk again until everything combines and no streaks of egg or oil remain.

Step 3: Combine wet and dry

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Whisk gently until the batter looks smooth and no dry flour shows, then switch to a spatula and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Stop mixing as soon as the batter looks uniform and thick.

Step 4: Fill the donut pans

Lightly grease your donut pans. Spoon the batter into a piping bag or zip-top bag, snip a medium opening, and pipe the batter into each donut cavity about ¾ full. Tap the pans on the counter a couple of times to pop any air bubbles and level the batter.

Step 5: Bake the donuts

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) while you mix the batter so it reaches full temperature. Place the pans on the center rack and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the donuts spring back lightly when you touch them and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven heats unevenly.

Step 6: Cool briefly

Set the pans on a cooling rack and let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a small offset spatula or butter knife around the edges if any spots stick. Lift the donuts out and place them on the rack to cool just until warm to the touch.

Step 7: Make the cinnamon sugar coating

While the donuts cool, melt the butter in a small bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, and a tiny pinch of salt until the mixture looks uniform. Keep both bowls near your cooling rack so you can work quickly.

Step 8: Coat the donuts

Take one warm donut and either brush it with melted butter or dip it quickly in the butter on both sides. Roll the donut in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated. Repeat with the remaining donuts, then enjoy while still slightly warm.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

Serve these pumpkin spice baked donuts with hot coffee, chai, or a big mug of cocoa for peak cozy vibes. Kids love them with cold milk or warm apple cider. Add a bowl of Greek yogurt and some fresh fruit on the side if you want a more balanced breakfast plate. For a brunch spread, pair them with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and a simple fruit salad so the donuts shine as the sweet centerpiece.

Storage Options

• Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days if your kitchen runs warm, and let them come to room temperature before serving.
• Freeze uncoated donuts on a baking sheet, then move them to a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months.
• Reheat donuts in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, then brush with melted butter and coat in fresh cinnamon sugar.