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Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts are amazing!
Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts are going to be your new favorite thing – I promise!
If you follow my socials [the links are up there in the header – I love meeting new friends!] you have seen a few photos of pumpkins lately. They did pretty well in the garden this year, and then we bought a marked down truck-load for the chickens this winter. So, I have all the pumpkins I could ever hope for. That means figuring out how to use some of them for us!
And, I love Pumpkin Doughnuts, but they are on the fattening side if you fry them in oil the conventional way. Why not BAKE pumpkin doughnuts? Baked doughnuts are actually easier, because you don’t have to fool with the pot of hot oil.
I can tell you from all-too-many mishaps that getting spattered with hot oil is very painful. It could ruin your doughnut enjoyment, and who needs that? I can’t say I would entirely give up the idea of a fried doughnut, but these are so tasty, you won’t really miss the extra calories.
Pureed Pumpkin, not pie filling
You can buy pumpkin puree in the store again, after a few years of puzzling scarcity. Or, if you have lots of fresh pumpkins like I do, you can make your own puree. I have a post detailing exactly what you need to do. If you’ve never cooked a fresh pumpkin before, you may be surprized how easy it is.
That post is here: How to Cook a Fresh Pumpkin. Just be sure to pay attention to the draining part – especially important in baked goods like these Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts. I’ll link a couple other favorite recipes at the bottom of the post, because this recipe only uses 1 cup.
You need doughnut pans
Regular doughnuts are either cut out of dough, or formed with a gadget that forms the batter into a circle just before it hits the oil. This recipe is different though, and I’ve linked some doughnut pans in the recipe below. These could also be baked as mini muffins – see the recipe for a sugary coating that is superb.
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts w/ Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
The Doughnuts
- 1 cup pumpkin puree [not pumpkin pie filling]
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted [can sub in melted butter]
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
The Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 1 & 1/2 cups 10X confectionary sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 - 4 teaspoons heavy cream or half & half
Instructions
Make the Doughnuts
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Generously butter doughnut pans - the recipe makes about 18 large or 36 mini doughnuts, but they can be baked in batches.
- Place the pumpkin puree and light brown sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer [or in a regular mixing bowl if using a hand mixer or whisking by hand] and beat until completely incorporated.
- Beat in the eggs, and then the buttermilk.
- With the mixer running, stream in the melted coconut oil and mix until incorporated.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- Beat the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth. It will be a loose batter.
- Place a gallon ziplock bag in a large narrow container, like a large washed out yogurt container, draping the edges over the sides to hold the bag open. Or, use a piping bag, like the one suggested in the equipment list.
- Scrape all of the batter into the ziplock bag, and zip it closed, gently squeezing to remove the air as you zip it up.
- Cut off the tip of one of the bottom corners of the bag, and slowly pipe the batter into the prepared pans. Just squeeze very gently, and go slowly around each opening in the pan, so that the center doesn't fill in. Don't quite reach the top of the openings with batter.
- Bake for about 12 [for the minis] to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Tip the baked doughnuts out onto a cooling rack [butter the pans again if you need to bake more batches, and repeat the piping procedure until all of the batter is used up] until completely cooled.
Make the Glaze
- Beat the cream cheese until very smooth, then beat in the salt, 10X sugar and vanilla extract, until totally combined and smooth.
- Gradually beat the cream in, one teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is creamy and a spreadable consistency.
- Once the doughnuts are completely cooled, gently spoon over the tops, letting the glaze run down the sides unevenly. A small spoon works best, with only a small amount of glaze at a time. Wait about 10 minutes, until the glaze has settled before sprinkling with decorations if desired.
- It is best to glaze the doughnuts a short while before serving - this glaze doesn't harden very readily.
Alternate topping for doughnuts or muffins
- Mix together 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg. Melt a stick of butter and place in a small bowl. As you remove each doughnut or mini muffin, dip the top in the butter and then in the sugar mixture. Let cook for a couple minutes and dip the tops again. Or, you can even dunk the doughnut into a bag of 10x powdered sugar and shake to coat.
Perfect for any fall party you may be enjoying this year and quite a lot better for you than the ones at the corner shop! They’re great with plain frosting.
Or maybe with Birthday cake sprinkles! See the recipe card for sugared toppings.
I promised some other pumpkin recipes, so here they are: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bundt Cake ~ Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies Both are absolutely amazing!
Happy Fall!
Anadama Cinnamon Rolls
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Best Ever Oatmeal Cookies
Upside Down Grapefruit Cake
Skillet Pumpkin Fudge Brownies
Peanut Butter and Jelly Kisses
Jalapeno Bacon Cornbread
Peach Cobbler
Winter Squash Sandwich Bread
Apple Crisp Bars
Hi Donalyn!
WOW! When I saw those Pumpkin Doughnuts in my side bar I just knew I had to drop on by for a bite!!! Delicious I’m sure and a bit healthier too since they’re baked!
Thanks so much for sharing…Great Give-away too!!!
Thanks Louise – hope you entered!
How exciting, what a fabulous giveaway Donalyn! OK, my family’s Halloween tradition, well, my mom used to make popcorn balls, and I’m embarrassed to say that in all the years of raising my girls, I never made them. Maybe that should change this year 🙂
i used to make popcorn balls for school stuff for the girls, but it’s been years – maybe I need to make some too!
Thanks for sharing! These doughnuts look really yummy!
As far as my family’s Halloween tradition, we don’t bake/cook much for Halloween but every year we definitely take the time out to search for and carve a pumpkin. That really gets us into the Halloween spirit =)
Hi Hina – thanks for entering! We eat our pumpkins around here 🙂
What a wonderful idea to prepare baked doughnuts instead of friend ones, so much healthier and lighter.
The giveaway looks amazing!
Thanks Daniela & thanks for entering!
Not only do I want to eat every single one of these, but I also want to stare at them because they’re so pretty!
Thanks Pamela – hope you get a chance to make them 🙂
Hi I would like to bake those tonight! But I have a question: “3. Beat in the eggs and butter, and then the buttermilk.” But I can’t find butter in the ingredietns list… sorry if I skipped that, but I’ve read it several times and still can’t find it…
It is buttermilk marina – if you don’t have any, you can mix a teaspoon of vinegar into a half cup of milk and let it sit a few minutes.
I am a doughnut junkie. Actually, I am a fried treat junkie to be honest. So I figure that these baked delights are the perfect thing for me. I always fret over the calories and just the hassle of deep frying, so when a recipe like this one comes along, I figure i am home free. And I have never tried pumpkin doughnuts. They sound wonderful. Thanks!
Thanks Adri – I hope you gt the chance to make them!
We love to scare people at our front door.
Haha Annie – glad I don’t live near you!
We don’t do much to celebrate Halloween, but we love pumpkin desserts around here.
Same here Kathy – can’t get enough pumpkin!
no special Halloween traditions were followed while growing up.
Thanks for stopping by Jacquie!
I love the baked donuts (I also loved deep fried version too)! It’s much healthier laternative that I feel like I can eat two… 🙂 I’ve never tried with pumpkin flavor yet. It sounds easy with pumpkin puree! It’s a good giveaway! Good luck everyone! I have one so I’ll leave more chances to others. 🙂
Thanks Nami – hope you give these a try 🙂
I have doughnut pans that I don’t use nearly often enough. so, I love seeing recipes for baked doughnuts! These sound perfect for fall.
I just bought mine recently Lisa, so I’m looking for more recipes too!
They look so pretty with that beautiful glaze!
Thanks Angie – that glaze really puts them over the top!
I think I entered. I don’t know I was too distracted by the donuts. GREG
LOL – thanks, Greg!
Delicious, moreish doughnuts made better with that pumpkin hue & flavour. Love the cream cheese frosting and there’s always more room in my life for sprinkles!
Sprinkles definitely make life more fun 😉
I have not tried baked donuts before!
They are so tasty EW!
I have never seen pumpkin doughnuts, but the fact they are baked is even more surprising! Excellent idea and so much fat reduced.
Thanks Sissi!
These pumpkin doughnuts look perfect for the festive season coming up 😀
Love me my Halloween treats!
I’ll start with your doughnuts I think! 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks CCU – that is a very good start!
These pumpkin doughnuts look absolutely fantastic! I would love one this Sunday morning!
Great choice Jocelyn!
I adore everything pumpkin (well, except maybe for the pumpkin and egg casserole I saw on Pinterest), but pumpkin doughnuts?! With a sweet glaze on top?! Ooooo, yes please!
I agree Becca – on both counts!
My family loves Halloween, especially baking and decorating. But most of all scaring everyone in the neighborhood!
Look incredible, know what I am making!
Thanks Michelle – hope you enjoy them!
These look delicious plus they are just in time for Halloween. They look like they could be called ‘Ghost-faced pumpkin donuts.’
Great recipe! I really need to get a doughnut pan…and a KitchenAid mixer…Lol! My family loves to make spooky food for Halloween! And we love to carve pumpkins and roast the seeds! Thank you for this generous Giveaway!
I love baking doughnuts especially for a brunch over the weekend. This looks incredible with that glaze 😀
We don’t actually have any traditions, but I do buy a few extra peanut butter cups every year.
No kids in our household and we are in the country so very few trick or treaters!
Donalyn this is an amazing recipe for fall I must try and baked too…yummy. And what a treat to enter for this great appliance. Happy Fall to you!
Love pumpkin anything! Sure would love a Kitchen Aid Mixer!
Doughnuts look so yummy! I will have to check out doughnut pans.
We have no children in our household and we love to welcome Trick or Treaters! Usually the Saturday before Halloween we have an Adult Halloween party, which is always a blast.
I love taking my grandkids trick or treating.
Our favorite Halloween tradition is taking my son to his grandmother’s neighborhood for trick or treating, then sorting his candy together afterwards (and stealing a few pieces while we walk the neighborhood with him)!
pumpkin…does it get any better?
Ours is carving pumpkins,decorating and making the treat bags for the trick or treaters
Well,first of all I love your pumpkin doughnut recipe,
it certainly could be a tradition.But for right now,is pumpkin
pies that I make,and getting together with neigbors and handing out
candy.
I’ve been dreaming of a kitchen aid for forever! These would be the first thing I’d make!
Hi, I have the same question as Marina posted (which you answered but likely misunderstood):
step 3 in directions is:
3. Beat in the eggs and butter, and then the buttermilk.
However, butter is not in the list of ingredients.
So, does the recipe call for butter and, if so, how much? and if not, you’ll want to revise step #3. Thanks!
Fixed – thanks for the heads-up!
Our Halloween favorite here in upstate NY is donuts and apple cider. We also made an apple cider pie each year for a daughter who’s birthday is on Halloween and doesn’t like cake!
I have been lusting after a Kitchen Aid mixer and I’m determined to own one.
I always a big pot of chile for Halloween. Sometimes with homemade fries for anyone wanting chile cheese fries.
We love to place screeching toys in unexpected places to scare each other, the only place off limits is near the stove, for safety issues.
We trunk and treet at the local volunteer fire department
We do not really have any Halloween traditons. We attend a Fall Festival in the middle of October and then just enjoy the fall foliage and the last bit of warm weather.