These pumpkin donuts are baked, not fried, and come together quickly for a comforting fall treat. Lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and finished in a cinnamon-sugar coating, these Pumpkin Cake Donuts are sure to become a seasonal favorite.
Pumpkin Cake Donuts showcase the best flavors of autumn. If you enjoy these, try Moist Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins for more pumpkin goodness.
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The Best Pumpkin Dessert Recipe
Baked donuts are much simpler to make than fried ones and still deliver great flavor and texture. Using a standard donut pan makes the process fast and consistent. These pumpkin cake donuts are subtly pumpkin-forward and gently spiced—perfect alongside a warm drink on a crisp morning.
The spice blend here is intentionally mild: cinnamon and nutmeg. If you prefer a bolder pumpkin-spice profile, add small amounts of ground ginger, cloves, or a premixed pumpkin pie spice, taking care not to overpower the pumpkin flavor.
How to Make These Donuts
Read through the recipe before you start and make sure ingredients are at the recommended temperatures. The method is straightforward: combine dry ingredients, cream butter and sugar, add eggs and pumpkin, then alternate in the buttermilk and flour mixture. Transfer batter to a piping bag or large zip-top bag, pipe into donut pans, and bake. After cooling slightly, dip each donut in melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar.
A few technique notes: cake flour creates a lighter crumb, but you can substitute all-purpose flour using the standard cornstarch trick (replace 2 tablespoons of each cup of all-purpose flour with cornstarch and sift). Use a light hand with spices—they are concentrated and a little goes a long way.
Tips for Making Pumpkin Cake Donuts
- Use a good-quality donut pan—two pans are handy if you make donuts often. They are inexpensive and help the donuts bake evenly.
- Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices that will change the texture and flavor.
- To fill the donut cavities, use a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Fill each well about two-thirds full to avoid losing the center hole as the donuts rise.
- If a donut bakes without a perfect hole, you can gently remove the center with a small cutter or wait until cooled and cut out the middle with a sharp knife.
FAQs
Can I make gluten-free pumpkin donuts using this recipe?
Yes. Replace the all-purpose and cake flour with a cup-for-cup or measure-for-measure gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Baking time may increase slightly; check for doneness and bake until a toothpick or gentle touch shows the donuts are set.
Can I make baked pumpkin donut holes using this recipe?
Yes—use a mini muffin tin sprayed with nonstick spray and fill each well about two-thirds full. Bake for 7–8 minutes and test for doneness: the donut hole should spring back when pressed gently.
Can I bake these in muffin tins instead of a donut pan?
Absolutely. Use a standard muffin tin, spray wells with nonstick spray, and bake for about 18–20 minutes. Once cooled enough to handle, dunk the tops in melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar for the same flavor finish.
Looking for more donut ideas? Try baked apple cider donuts, blueberry cake donuts, brioche donuts with vanilla cream, or classic glazed donuts for variety.
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For recommended baking tools used in this recipe, see the Baking Resources page.
Pumpkin Cake Donuts
Baked, not fried, these donuts are quick to make and perfect for fall. Subtly spiced and coated in cinnamon sugar, they make a cozy morning treat.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake Donuts
- 1 cup cake flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray donut pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the whole eggs and the extra egg yolk and mix until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, stir in the pumpkin purée until evenly incorporated and the batter is a pale orange. Scrape the bowl.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions, mixing on low and stopping to scrape between additions. Do not overmix.
- Fill a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with batter and pipe into each donut well until about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 14–16 minutes, until the donuts spring back when touched lightly. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
- Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a wide shallow bowl. Melt the butter in a separate bowl.
- Dip each donut top and bottom briefly in the melted butter, then toss in the cinnamon sugar, shaking off excess. Place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and serve warm.
Notes
Donuts are best served warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave at 50% power for 30–60 seconds before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 300 kcal per serving.
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