Pumpkin Donuts

These Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze are ideal for portion control, are low calorie, and have less fat than fried donuts. They are baked, quick and easy to prepare, and quite yummy, making the perfect Autumn coffee time treat.

Fall is here... yay!

How about celebrating it with these mini-baked donuts and a cup of coffee?

They are indulgent without being loaded with calories. Happy? Me too!

Pumpkin Donut Recipe

The recipe for these baked pumpkin donuts has been adapted from my apple cider baked donuts.

It is dairy-free and can be easily adapted to be gluten-free as well!  

You can say these pumpkin donuts are guilt-free and healthy-ish because they are small and baked, have much fewer calories, and have less fat than standard-size fried donuts.

You can have them at home, or take them to school or work.

Happy Autumn!

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make our pumpkin donuts, you will need these simple ingredients:

For the Baked Pumpkin Donuts:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour, If you prefer, you can use 1 cup of all-purpose flour in this recipe and skip the oat flour. But to give a touch of health to this recipe, we prefer to use either ¾ cup all-purpose flour and ¼ cup of oat flour, or ⅔ cup all-purpose flour and ⅓ cup whole wheat flour, making it wholesome).
• ¼ cup oat flour (to make oat flour, grind well old-fashioned oats in a food processor or blender until getting a fine flour texture)
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree (it is the same as a mashed pumpkin. There are no spices or sugar added).

For the Maple Glaze:

• 1¼ cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup (or Karo dark corn syrup)
• ½ tablespoon water
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

How to make pumpkin donuts

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease the donut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (the flours, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Set aside. SEE PIC. 1
3. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (egg, brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin). SEE PIC. 2
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined, forming a thick donut batter. SEE PIC. 3
5. Transfer it to a large pipping bag and pipe into the greased donut pan, filling about halfway full. SEE PIC. 4
6. Bake for about 6-7 minutes or until the donuts spring back when touched, or when a toothpick inserted in a donut comes out clean or without any crumbs.  SEE PIC. 5
7. Transfer the cake donuts to a wire rack and let them cool down.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the maple glaze: Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. SEE PIC. 6 & 7 Place the rack of donuts over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, dip the top of the pumpkin donuts into the maple glaze, turning to coat well. SEE PIC. 8 Let baked donuts rest on the rack until the glaze sets completely.

Baking Tips

• When measuring your flour, don't simply scoop it out of the container with a measuring cup. Make sure to level it off with the back of a knife.
• Use pumpkin puree in these donuts and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree neither contains sugar nor spices. Pumpkin is listed as the only ingredient on the label.
• To fill the donut pan with the batter, use a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner cut off. 
• To make oat flour, grind well old-fashioned oats in a food processor or blender until getting a fine flour texture.
• If you would like to make pumpkin puree from scratch, check out how to peel a pumpkin easily for making the puree.

FAQ's

Can I make this donut recipe without a donut pan?

If you don't have a donut pan, you can make these pumpkin donuts in a mini muffin tin. Use tinfoil to form center holes, simulating a donut pan. They may not look as uniformed, but it'll work!

How do you know baked donuts are done?

There are 2 ways to find it out:

• By inserting a toothpick into the donut. If it comes out clean or without any crumbs, the baked donuts are done.
• By lightly poking the top of the donuts with your finger. If the donut springs back, they're done. But If your finger leaves an indentation, they need to bake a little longer.

How many calories are in baked pumpkin donuts?

These mini-baked donuts have about 180 calories per donut and contain less fat than fried donuts. If you make them standard-size, they will contain the double calories.

Are these pumpkin donuts dairy-free?

Yes! There is no dairy in the recipe!

Can I make these pumpkin donuts gluten-free?

Yes! Replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour and add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum. 

How long do pumpkin spice donuts last?

Homemade donuts are best when eaten fresh (or on the day they are baked). However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

Can I freeze them?

Yes, but without the maple glaze! Once the donuts cool, place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.

Thaw them in the fridge before bringing them to room temperature and covering their top with the maple glaze. 

Other Pumpkin Treats

• Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Better than Starbucks')
• Pumpkin Pie Spice Pull Apart Bread with Pecans
• Flourless Pumpkin Coconut Muffins
• Easy Pumpkin Pie Flan Recipe
• Starbucks Pumpkin Scone

PIN & ENJOY!