Name: Pumpkin Doughnut Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar; 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/4 tsp. baking soda; 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 1 cup canned pumpkin, or pumpkin puree (not pumpking pie filling); 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk combined with 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar); 1/4 cup melted butter; 3-4 Tbs. water; 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 Tbs. melted butter; 2-3 Tbs. milk or water; 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon; 1/4 cup melted butter

Jump to Recipe

This Pumpkin Doughnut Recipe makes a moist, perfectly golden brown cake donut with a rich pumpkin spice flavor balanced by a sweet cinnamon glaze.

Pumpkin spice doughnuts sprinkled with sugar and glazed on a plate with a bite taken out of one.

Baked Pumpkin Doughnut Recipe

My family goes ga-ga over this oven baked Pumpkin Doughnut recipe when I make them for breakfast or a lazy Sunday morning.

These donuts are probably best described as tender and moist cake doughnuts with all the fall flavors. I especially love how the dark brown sugar gives them a deep caramel flavor.

You’ll never believe how easy these pumpkin doughnuts are to mix up and bake. Just grab some canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and a few basic ingredients you probably already have in the pantry.

Save this Recipe

Enter your email address and we will send you this recipe to your mailbox for easy reference! Plus, we will send you our latest recipes every week!

If you love pumpkin spice, try these easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, too.

Donuts on a plate being served for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients for this Pumpkin Doughnut Recipe

Canned pumpkin: Make sure this says 100% pumpkin or pumpkin puree on it.
Pumpkin pie spice
All-purpose flour
Dark brown sugar
Eggs
Buttermilk
Melted butter
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Water

How to make this Pumpkin Doughnut Recipe

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt.

In a separate bowl, combine the canned pumpkin, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and water. Add this to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

Don’t overmix! When you add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, stir them until just combined. Over-mixing will make your doughnuts tough in texture.

Spray two 6-count doughnut pans with nonstick baking spray.

Using a small spoon, scoop the prepared dough batter (be warned—it’s very thick!) into the pan, dividing it evenly into twelfths.

Spread the batter as needed with the spoon or butter knife so it’s as level on top as possible.

You can also place the doughnut batter into a freezer bag, cutting off the corner. Pipe the batter through the hole in the corner of the bag and into the doughnut pan!

Place the doughnut pans side-by-side onto the center rack of the oven, uncovered.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the doughnuts spring back immediately when lightly touched on top.

Remove the doughnut pans to a cooling rack and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Using a butter knife, lgently loosen each doughnut from the pan. If the doughnuts don’t want to come out of the pan easily, it means they are still too warm.

Give them another 5-10 minutes, then try once again.

Once the doughnuts have cooled sufficiently, they will pop right out of the pans with the help of the butter knife.

To Make the Cinnamon Glaze: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the powder sugar, melted butter, milk or water, and cinnamon until smooth.

To Make the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping: In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar with the cinnamon; mix well. In a small shallow saucepan, melt the butter over low heat; keep warm.

To Finish the Baked Doughnuts: Using your fingertips, dip 6 of the warm doughnuts into the prepared cinnamon glaze, then place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter.

Dip the remaining 6 warm doughnuts first into the melted butter, then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture (recipe below), then place them beside the glazed doughnuts. Serve at once!

What’s a substitute for pumpkin pie spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is no more than equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves combined.

Adjust the flavoring as you would like to make your favorite pumpkin pie spice.

Canned pumpkin vs pumpkin puree vs pumpkin pie filling

Canned pumpkin is the flesh of pumpkin that’s been pureed.

Sometimes you’ll see it canned as 100% pumpkin and sometimes you’ll find it as pumpkin puree – these are the same thing, so don’t be thrown for a loop.

Also, keep in mind that pumpkin pie filling is NOT the same thing as canned pumpkin, so you’ll want to inspect the can thoroughly when you pick it up at the grocer.

You’ll typically find canned pumpkin with the other pie fillings in the baking section, but not always. Some stores like to play the game of “Where’s the canned pumpkin kept??”

How to make doughnuts without a doughnut pan

You can make your doughnuts in a different form: a doughnut-shaped MUFFIN!

Simply make a doughnut pan out of a muffin pan by using foil. Since the muffins may be a bit thicker, you will likely need to bake them 1-2 minutes longer.

To know when they are fully baked, lightly touch the muffins on top with your finger. When the doughnut immediately springs back, it is done.

Cake doughnut batter

Because cake doughnuts aren’t deep fried, they aren’t as sweet as a glazed, fried doughnut.

Keep in mind that topping the doughnuts with the cinnamon glaze or the cinnamon-sugar topping will add lots of sweetness—delicious!

Glaze the doughnuts while they are still warm

Once the warm doughnuts are out of the pan, immediately glaze them or dip them in the melted butter, then dipping them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Remember that you have to let the doughnuts rest a bit before they will want to lift out of the doughnut pan easily.

Other Baked Treats You May Enjoy

Moist, sweet, and delicious, this iced Pumpkin Spice Cake Muffins recipe is the perfect way to celebrate Fall and all things pumpkin spice.

This dense, moist Instant Pot Pumpkin Chocolate Cake with pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and chocolate chips melts in your mouth and has the perfect apple cider glaze.

These Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts are made with only two ingredients, making soft and fluffy doughnuts perfect for breakfast or a snack.

These easy Baked Cinnamon-Sugar Donuts will make your entire house smell like a bakery.