Best Crowd-Pleasing Baked Pumpkin Donuts (Easy Cinnamon Sugar)
These baked pumpkin donuts are light, tender, and perfectly spiced, coated in a crunchy cinnamon sugar. They come together in under 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients, making them the perfect fall treat for brunches, gatherings, or a cozy morning at home.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
- ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted (for coating)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray your donut pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree, ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup (60g) melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a sturdy zip-top bag. Snip off about ½ inch from the corner. Pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling about ¾ full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the donuts spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through if needed.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then gently turn the donuts out onto the rack.
- While the donuts cool slightly, mix ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar and 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon in a shallow dish. Melt ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter in a small bowl.
- While the donuts are still warm, brush each one generously with melted butter on both sides. Immediately dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture, turning to coat evenly. Tap off excess.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Best the day they are made.
Notes
Do not overmix the batter to avoid dense donuts. Use room temperature ingredients to prevent butter from solidifying. Grease the pan well to prevent sticking. Coat donuts while warm for best adherence. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For vegan, use flax eggs, coconut oil, and almond milk with vinegar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 33
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: baked pumpkin donuts, cinnamon sugar donuts, easy pumpkin donuts, fall donuts, baked donuts, pumpkin spice donuts