Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze (No Frying!)
Soft, cakey baked pumpkin spice donuts dipped in a simple maple glaze. No frying and no yeast, just 10 minutes of prep and one can of pumpkin. A cozy fall breakfast that also works for Halloween, Thanksgiving brunch, and Christmas morning, like my pumpkin cream cheese muffins and pumpkin bundt cake.
Servings 12 donuts
Calories 229kcal
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
For the Maple Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 to 2 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cavity donut pan generously with nonstick baking spray, including the center posts, and set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make the donut batter. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in the milk, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree and mix until the batter is even in color.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until the flour streaks disappear. Do not overmix.
- Fill the pan. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared cavities, filling each about ¾ full. I use a piping bag for this, and a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off works too.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean.
- Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the maple glaze. In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon of milk until smooth. Add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the glaze is pourable but still thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Glaze and set. Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze and let the excess drip off. Return the donuts to the wire rack and let the glaze set for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Spoon and level your flour. Scooping straight from the bag can add up to 20% extra flour, which is the most common reason baked donuts turn out dry.
- Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced, and it will throw off both the flavor and the texture.
- Homemade pumpkin pie spice: Mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and a scant ¼ teaspoon each of ground allspice and cloves.
- Pan and yield: I use one 12-cavity donut pan, and this batter makes exactly 12 donuts, so everything bakes in one round.
- Allow the donuts to cool completely before glazing to prevent melting.
- No donut pan: Bake the batter in a lined 12-cup muffin pan at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 20 minutes, then spoon the glaze over the tops.
- Want a stronger maple flavor? Add ¼ teaspoon maple extract to the glaze along with the syrup.
- Cinnamon sugar variation: Skip the glaze, brush the warm donuts with melted butter, and roll them in ½ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
- Make ahead: Bake the donuts a day early and store them unglazed in an airtight container at room temperature. Glaze them the morning you plan to serve.
- Storage: Store glazed donuts at room temperature in a single layer for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 3232IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg