Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe tastes like a cozy October morning in donut form, with warm spices, tender crumb, and a sweet cinnamon glaze. It works well for busy home bakers who want a fall bakery treat in about 30 minutes from start to finish. I tested this on a random Tuesday in my pajamas, so you can absolutely pull it off on a regular weekday too.

Why Choose This Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

This baked donut recipe gives you all the flavor of a classic pumpkin spice donut without deep frying or a giant mess. The batter comes together in one bowl, uses pantry staples, and bakes in under 12 minutes.

You get soft, cake-style donuts with real pumpkin, cozy spices, and a light glaze that sets just enough to bite cleanly. Kids love them, adults inhale them, and your kitchen smells like a coffee shop in fall.

“These Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts taste like a fancy bakery treat, but I whipped them up before my coffee finished brewing. ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

Dry ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups 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 nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • You can swap a store-bought pumpkin pie spice blend: use 3 teaspoons total and skip the individual spices.

Wet ingredients

• ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
  • Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Libby’s works great.
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or light olive oil)
• ⅓ cup milk (dairy or unsweetened oat/almond milk)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar coating (optional but very tasty)

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Simple vanilla glaze (optional alternative)

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 ½–2 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

You can coat half the batch in cinnamon sugar and glaze the rest if your household likes options.

Equipment list

• 2 standard nonstick donut pans (6-cavity each)
  • If you only own one pan, bake in two batches.
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl
• Whisk and rubber spatula
• Piping bag or large zip-top bag (to pipe batter into pans)
• Cooling rack
• Small bowls for coatings and glaze

Tips & Tricks

• Grease the donut pans lightly with baking spray or a thin layer of oil so the donuts release cleanly.
• Do not overmix the batter; whisk until the flour disappears, then stop to keep the texture soft and tender.
• Use room temperature eggs and milk so the batter blends smoothly and bakes evenly.
• Fill each donut cavity about two-thirds full so the donuts rise nicely without spilling over.
• Use a zip-top bag as a piping bag: spoon in the batter, snip a corner, and pipe into the pan for neat rings.
• Taste your spices; if your cinnamon smells weak, add an extra ½ teaspoon to keep the pumpkin spice flavor bold.
• Let donuts cool a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack so they do not steam and turn soggy.
• Coat donuts in cinnamon sugar while they still feel slightly warm so the sugar sticks well.
• If you glaze them, let the donuts cool completely so the glaze sets instead of sliding off.
• Double the batch and freeze some plain donuts, then coat or glaze them after reheating for the best texture.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

Step 1: Preheat and prep the pans

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease your donut pans with baking spray or a thin layer of oil. Set the pans aside while you mix the batter.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Break up any clumps of spices so they distribute evenly. Set this bowl aside.

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture looks smooth and glossy. Add the eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until everything blends into a smooth, thick liquid.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry

Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together until no streaks of flour remain. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so you do not leave any dry pockets.

Step 5: Fill the donut pans

Spoon the batter into a piping bag or zip-top bag and push it toward one corner. Snip off a small tip and pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling about two-thirds full. Smooth the tops lightly with a spoon if needed.

Step 6: Bake the donuts

Place the pans in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the donuts spring back lightly when you touch them and a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven heats unevenly.

Step 7: Cool the donuts

Remove the pans from the oven and set them on a cooling rack. Let the donuts sit in the pans for about 5 minutes so they firm up. Gently lift them out with your fingers or a small offset spatula and place them directly on the rack.

Step 8: Make the cinnamon sugar coating

While the donuts cool slightly, melt the butter in a small bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon until the color looks even. Keep both bowls near your cooling rack.

Step 9: Coat in cinnamon sugar

When the donuts feel warm but not hot, dip each one lightly in the melted butter, coating both sides. Let any excess drip off, then roll the donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place coated donuts back on the rack so the sugar sets.

Step 10: Make the vanilla glaze (optional)

If you want glazed donuts, whisk the powdered sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Add a tiny splash more milk if the glaze feels too thick; it should flow slowly from the spoon. Dip the tops of completely cooled donuts into the glaze, then set them on the rack so the glaze firms up.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts Recipe

These pumpkin spice baked donuts pair beautifully with hot coffee, chai tea, or a big mug of hot chocolate. Kids enjoy them with cold milk or warm apple cider for a cozy snack. You can serve them as part of a weekend brunch with scrambled eggs, yogurt, and fresh fruit. They also work well as a quick dessert after a simple weeknight dinner when you want a fall treat without a lot of effort.

Storage Options

• Store leftover donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days if your kitchen runs warm or you used a glaze.
• Freeze uncoated or unglazed donuts in a single layer, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
• Reheat donuts in a 300°F oven or toaster oven for 5 to 7 minutes until warm and soft, then coat or glaze after reheating.