Enjoy bakery flavor at home with these baked Pumpkin Spice Mini-Donuts!
Pumpkin Spice Mini Donuts
In our house, if someone is craving donuts, we usually have to make our own donuts at home because with my daughter’s severe peanut allergy, grabbing donuts at the local bakery like most people doesn’t happen for us. The chance for cross-contamination of ingredients is too great.
I’ve had a mini-donut pan in my cupboard for years. I bought it with the intention of making my own baked donuts for my daughter. I figured they would be healthier than those that are fried and obviously eliminate any chance of a stray peanut product sneaking into them. But after several attempts, I gave up searching for baked donut recipes that didn’t turn out as hard as rocks.
This recipe for Pumpkin Spice Mini-Donuts from Blue-Eyed Bakers caught my eye on Pinterest quite a while ago, and I’m so glad I broke out the mini-donut pan for it. Ah-mazing.
The texture is lighter and fluffier than your typical cake donut. It’s more like a muffin, which I think is ideal for baked donuts. The pumpkin keeps the donuts tender and moist, while the fall-themed spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves) are a perfect match for the season. But wait, we’re not done yet. The swooning begins once you coat them in butter and dust them with cinnamon-sugar. That really puts them over the top.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Mini Donuts
Making your own donuts isn’t nearly as hard as it sounds, especially when you’re making baked donuts that just get thrown in the oven, and don’t involve any complicated frying.
Start by preheating the oven, then grease the mini-donut pan. Next, you’ll whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves in a small bowl. Then, in a large bowl combine oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, pumpkin, and milk. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. (Don’t overwork the batter. No one likes tough donuts.)
Once the batter is prepped, pour the batter into a large Ziploc bag and snip a small corner off one end. Squeeze batter into mini-donut pan forms, working in stages if necessary. Bake until the donuts gently spring back when you touch them. Once ready, pop them out onto a wire rack to cool.
Can I Make Homemade Donuts Without A Donut Pan?
No donut pan? No problem! Whip out your regular old muffin pan, and grab some tin foil. With these two items, you can make some make ship donut pans in a flash.
Just place a small ball of foil in the center of the muffin tin, and pipe your pumpkin donut batter around it. Make sure you spray the foil, or the donuts will stick to it.
Are Baked Donuts Healthier Than Fried Donuts?
Traditionally baked donuts are a little healthier than fried donuts. The baked version has a lot less oil and fat content since there is no process of deep-frying.
This recipe does loose a little of that “healthier” status though as it is dipped in butter and coated in cinnamon and sugar, but life is too far too short to waste your calories on mediocre donuts.
How Long Do Baked Donuts Last?
Donuts are always best eaten fresh, and slightly warm. Honestly, there are few things that are better than a freshly baked donut that’s still warm. If you cant eat them right away no worries, you still have options.
If you don’t plan to eat all the donuts right away, place the uncoated donuts in an airtight container until ready to use. Then proceed with the butter/sugar coating when you are ready to serve them.
The donuts will last in an airtight container, uncoated, for about 4-5. Any longer than that and you will start to run the risk of them molding, or getting tough.
When To Serve Baked Donuts
There is no limit on when you can enjoy a good pumpkin baked donuts recipe! Have one with your morning coffee, as your after-dinner snack, or any time in between.
I made these as an after-school treat for my kids last week. Judging by their reactions, you’d think they just won the lottery. I have to agree; I felt rich with love for these bad boys, too.
Don’t let the pumpkin in this recipe make you think this is only a fall recipe wither. Most grocery stores sell pumpkin year-round, so feel free to whip up a batch even in the dead of summer! No one here will judge you.
Tips For Making The Best Pumpkin Donuts Recipe
- To make this recipe as full-size donuts, just use a regular size donut pan, and double the baking time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing will cause tough donuts, and no one wants that.
- For an extra tough of pumpkin flavor try making the coating with pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon.
More Pumpkin Recipes To Make This Fall!
No-Bake Oreo and Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits – Garnish With Lemon
Layered Walnut Pumpkin Pie – Tidymom
Creamy Turkey Pumpkin Chili – Garnish With Lemon
Pumpkin Pie Smoothies – Shugary Sweets
Kahlua Pumpkin Scotchie – Garnish With Lemon
Pumpkin Spice Latte Overnight Oats – Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Pumpkin Spice Mini-Donuts
Get all the bakery goodness at home with these easy Pumpkin Spice Mini-Donuts!
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup milk
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
Donuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the mini-donut pan.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves in a small bowl.
Combine oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, pumpkin and milk in a large bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. (Don't overwork the batter. No one likes tough donuts.)
Pour batter into a large ziploc bag and snip a small corner off one end. (You're essentially making a pastry bag.) Squeeze batter into mini-donut pan forms, working in stages if necessary. Bake for 7-9 minutes. If the donuts gently spring back when you touch them, they are ready. Pop them out onto a wire rack to cool.
Coating
Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
Working with a few donuts at a time, brush both sides of donuts with butter using a pastry brush (or dip them right into the butter.)
Put donuts into bowl and coat with cinnamon-sugar.
Notes
If you don't plan to eat all the donuts right away, place the uncoated donuts in an airtight container until ready to use. Then proceed with the butter/sugar coating when you are ready to serve them.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 353 Total Fat: 16g Saturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 40mg Sodium: 291mg Carbohydrates: 49g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 25g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 5g
