Make these Baked Pumpkin Donuts for a weekend breakfast treat or a fun dessert. Enjoy them plain or with simple glaze. Ready in 20 minutes!
*Originally published 9/2010. Updated 9/2025*
Hi friends!
I originally shared this recipe for baked pumpkin donuts way back in 2010 and they’re still a household favorite. I just made my first Fall batch this week!
Why You’ll Love These Baked Pumpkin Donuts
I love these donuts because they are quick, easy and they allow me to use my mini donut pan, which is totally adorable.
They have a great flavor and texture but don’t require any frying – just one bowl and an oven!
If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes, try:
- Easy Pumpkin Bread
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Yogurt Bars
- Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars with Quinoa
Healthy Pumpkin Donuts
While I would still consider these more of a treat than a snack, they are certainly healthier than most store-bought donut options.
How Do I Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts Healthier?
To make them even healthier you could play around with the ingredients – try reducing the sugar to 1/3 cup, using white whole wheat flour, or skipping the glaze.
You could also experiment with swapping the brown sugar for coconut sugar, replacing milk with almond milk, etc.
Can I Freeze Baked Pumpkin Donuts?
Yes! To freeze these donuts, bake and cool completely. Then freeze in a freezer-safe bag until ready to eat. Do not glaze before freezing. Glad is best added just before serving as they don’t store well once they’re glazed.
How Do You Reheat Baked Pumpkin Donuts?
It’s easy to reheat these donuts! Just pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to warm them up and they’ll taste like they’re fresh out of the oven!
Common Mistakes When Making Pumpkin Donuts
A few common mistakes to avoid:
- Over-mixing: Mixing too much will result in dense, not fluffy, donuts. When you add the dry ingredients, use a whisk and mix until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as the flour blends into the batter.
- Over-baking: Don’t bake the donuts too long. Mini donuts typically only require 6-8 minutes. Check them with a toothpick starting on the low end of the time range and take them out as soon as it comes out clean when inserted.
- Glazing too soon: If you want the glaze to stay on the top of the donuts, let them cool completely before glazing. If the donuts are still warm, the glaze will be absorbed into the donuts.
Pumpkin Donut Glaze Options
I use the most basic glaze option for these donuts because it’s the easiest – just mix powdered sugar with a tiny bit of milk until the glaze reaches your desired consistency and then either drizzle on top or dip the tops of the donuts. If you want a little more flavor, try adding some cinnamon to the glaze mixture.
If you’re looking for other glaze options, you could try:
- Maple Glaze for Donuts
- Easy Cream Cheese Glaze
- Cinnamon and Sugar coating – dip the top of each donut in melted butter and then dip in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, or place the donuts in a ziploc bag with cinnamon and sugar while still warm and toss to coat
When To Serve Baked Pumpkin Donuts
While these donuts can definitely be enjoyed all year long, Fall is one of the best times to enjoy them. You could add them to a snack tray with some of these 10+ Easy Halloween Snacks.
They’d also be a great treat for tailgating at your next football game! Or try serving them at Thanksgiving brunch along with my Overnight French Toast Bake or a Breakfast Enchilada Casserole.
Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts Tips
Can I make gluten-free baked pumpkin donuts?
To make these gluten-free, simply swap the wheat flour for an all-purpose gluten-free baking mix. I like King Arthur Measure for Measure.
How To Make Pumpkin Donuts without A Donut Pan
If you don’t have a donut pan, you can make these as mini muffins! Or bake in mini loaf pans and cut into slices.
Are baked pumpkin donuts healthier than fried donuts?
Yes, baking the donuts is a healthier alternative. While frying gives the doughnuts a unique flavor, it can be intimidating and messy to make at home. Baking allows for a hands-off approach and still yields a donut that tastes great!
How Do I Make Vegan Pumpkin Donuts?
To make these donuts vegan, you could try replacing the melted butter with oil, using flax eggs and replacing the milk with almond or soy milk. Keep in mind that alterations to the original recipe may change the texture.
Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Ready to give them a try? Here’s the recipe:
Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Print Recipe
Make these Pumpkin Mini Donuts for a weekend breakfast treat or a fun dessert Enjoy them plain or with an easy cinnamon glaze.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 18 -24 small donuts
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp melted butter
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.75 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- Optional glaze – 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1 Tbsp milk + cinnamon if desired
Instructions
- Combine the melted butter, pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir until well combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and stir with a whisk until just mixed. Do not over-mix.
- Spoon mixture into ziploc bag, cut off the corner and pipe into greased mini donut pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the exterior springs back when touched**
Notes
**Baking time will vary depending on the size of your donuts. For full-sized donuts, cook time may be longer. Mine are medium-sized and I got about 18 donuts from this recipe. If you have a true mini donut pan, you may get more like 2.5 dozen donuts.
For the glaze, mix 1/2 c powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional) in a small bowl. You may need additional milk or powdered sugar to get your desired consistency. Let donuts cool, then drizzle glaze over donuts or dip tops in just prior to serving.
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Baked Pumpkin Donuts FAQs
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree in donuts?
I wouldn’t recommend it. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices and may make the donuts overly sweet.
What glaze goes best with baked pumpkin donuts?
This will depend on your personal preference! I like a simple powdered sugar glaze but a maple glaze or cinnamon cream cheese glaze would also pair well!
Can I make gluten-free baked pumpkin donuts?
Yes! These donuts are super easy to make gluten-free by swapping the flour with an all-purpose gluten-free baking mix.
How long do baked pumpkin donuts last?
You can store these donuts at room temperature in a sealed container for 2-3 days unglazed. Or freeze any extras and pull them out as needed.
What flour works best for pumpkin donuts? Can I make baked pumpkin donuts with whole wheat flour.
I use white whole wheat flour when making these donuts but all purpose wheat flour or a gluten-free baking mix also work great! I wouldn’t recommend regular whole wheat flour as i’ve found it makes baked goods very dense.
What spices are best in pumpkin donuts?
I typically use just cinnamon but you could add any of your favorite Fall spices like ginger, nutmeg, allspice or even pumpkin pie spice.
How do I make pumpkin spice donuts extra moist?
You could try replacing the butter with oil or replacing the milk with sour cream to add extra moisture!
Can I bake pumpkin donuts in an air fryer?
Yes! Most recipes for air fryer donuts will cook at about 350 degrees F. You can look specifically for a recipe with thicker dough that you can need and form into donut shapes, or you can drop the batter with a cookie scoop onto parchment paper on the bottom of the air fryer and they will turn out more like donut holes!
If you’re looking to specifically use your air fryer, here’s a recipe for Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes!
What’s the best topping for baked pumpkin donuts?
I think a simple glaze is best. You can jazz it up by adding sprinkles or change things up and toss in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar instead!
Can I double this recipe to make even more donuts for a crowd?
Yes! This recipe can easily be doubled.
I definitely wouldn’t skip the glaze! It’s the best part!
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
