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Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

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These easy baked pumpkin donuts with cinnamon sugar are soft, tender, and coated in a buttery cinnamon-sugar crust. Ready in about 30 minutes, they’re the perfect cozy treat for fall mornings or any time you need a warm, spiced hug.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (100% pure, not pie filling)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¼ cup (60ml) buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • For the cinnamon sugar coating:
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Grease your donut pan generously with butter or non-stick baking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Whisk for about 20 seconds to ensure even distribution. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Then add the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until completely smooth and uniform in color.
  4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined—a few streaks of flour should remain. Do not overmix.
  5. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a sturdy zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling them about ¾ full.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the donuts spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Let the donuts cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes. Then gently turn them out onto a cooling rack.
  8. While the donuts are cooling, melt the ¼ cup of butter for the coating in a small bowl. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the ½ cup of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.
  9. While the donuts are still warm (but not hot), use a pastry brush to coat each donut all over with melted butter. Immediately dip the buttered donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture, turning to coat evenly.
  10. Place the coated donuts back on the cooling rack. Serve warm, within an hour of baking, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter—overmixing develops gluten and makes donuts dense. Use room temperature ingredients to prevent the melted butter from seizing. If your pumpkin puree is watery, blot it dry with paper towels. The butter bath is essential for the coating to stick; don’t skip it. Work in batches if you only have one donut pan, letting the pan cool completely between batches. The coating step is time-sensitive—coat donuts while they’re still warm but not hot.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked pumpkin donuts, cinnamon sugar donuts, easy pumpkin donuts, fall donuts, baked donuts, pumpkin spice donuts

Find it online: https://elaraeats.com/easy-baked-pumpkin-donuts-with-cinnamon-sugar/