Delicious Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Cream Cheese Icing recipe is perfect for an easy fall breakfast that’s great for busy weekdays, weekends, and holidays mornings.
You need to try this recipe. It is so easy and quick. They are the most perfect donuts, filled with pumpkin goodness, and smothered with maple cream cheese icing. I always take advantage of an opportunity to add maple. It’s my nature.
I’m telling you – these Pumpkin Donuts with Cream Cheese Frosting are full of warm cinnamon flavor and are everything you need in a fall treat. These are so simple and perfect for breakfast or dessert!
Bring in cooler weather with these fabulous Pumpkin Donuts With Maple Glaze. You won’t believe how easy they are to make – just perfect for a weekend breakfast. But just because they are baked doesn’t mean they are lacking flavor.
Don’t be fooled, these baked pumpkin donuts are just as rich and decadent as their fried counterparts. The maple butter glaze is the icing on the cake.
pumpkin donuts
Here are some commonly asked questions
Can these donuts be frozen?
So yes and no. My suggestion would be that you can freeze the donuts after they are baked. But you should then reheat and add the frosting when you are ready to serve.
Why do I need pumpkin puree instead of pie filling?
This is really important when making pumpkin recipes. Pay close attention to the recipe & see if it calls for one or the other.
This recipe calls for pumpkin puree, which is just pumpkin that is cooked & pureed. Pumpkin pie filling is the puree mixed with sweeteners & spices – which isn’t what is usually called for when it comes to most recipes that use pumpkin.
They are not usually interchangeable because it will change the flavor & possibly the consistency of the recipe you are making.
baked pumpkin donuts
What is the best way to store leftover donuts?
I like to put them in an airtight container and refrigerate them. You can keep them at room temperature providing your home isn’t too warm.
What if I don’t have pumpkin pie spice?
I understand that you might not keep pumpkin pie spice on hand – or maybe you used so much last season that you may have run out. No problem – just blend the following ingredients together and you will have your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- 1/3 cup cinnamon
- 1 tbsp each of ground ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves
- 2 tsp Allspice
pumpkin spice donuts
How do I properly measure the flour?
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
What is bakers release?
Bakers release is a combination of oil, flour, and shortening that makes releasing cakes and other baked goods almost effortless.
To make Bakers Release – it is as simple as 1,1 & 1.
- equal parts of all-purpose flour, shortening, and cooking oil – I like to do 1 cup of each.
Mix the ingredients together – whisking well. Store in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator. When ready to use, dip a pastry brush into the mixture and spread it over the cake pan.
pumpkin donut recipe
Ingredients for Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- all-purpose flour
- light brown sugar
- pumpkin pie spice
- baking powder
- egg
- pumpkin puree – not pie filling
- vegetable oil
- whole milk
- pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for Maple Cream Cheese Icing
- cream cheese – softened
- maple syrup
- pumpkin pie spice
- confectioner’s sugar
donut pumpkin
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a full-size donut pan with nonstick baking spray or bakers release.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk just until no large lumps remain– you don’t want to overmix.
- Divide the batter between the wells of the donut pan. I add about 2 tablespoons of batter per donut.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the baked donuts to a wire rack to cool.
How to Make Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
- Then add the confectioner’s sugar slowly, whisking as you add.
- Continue whisking until no lumps of confectioner’s sugar remain.
- Dip the cooled donuts in the icing and enjoy.
- Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
pumpkin cake donuts
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Donuts
- All-purpose flour is a great neutral flour to use in this recipe. Just makes sure you’re measuring it correctly using the spoon and level technique.
- I opted for light brown sugar because it sweetens the donuts but adds a little more depth of flavor than granulated sugar. Feel free to substitute granulated sugar if you don’t have brown sugar on hand.
- The pumpkin pie spice adds great warmth and spice to the donuts. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg if needed.
- The baking powder helps the donuts rise.
- The egg holds the donuts together.
- The pumpkin puree adds the pumpkin flavor and color. Please don’t use pumpkin pie filling.
- Vegetable oil adds richness and helps keep the donuts moist.
- I used whole milk because it’s what I had on hand– feel free to use any kind of milk you like.
- The vanilla enhances the flavor of the pumpkin and spices.
- The cream cheese is the base of our icing and the tanginess pairs perfectly with the pumpkin.
- The maple syrup gives our icing a great earthy sweetness.
- The confectioner’s sugar is the base of our icing– if your icing seems too thin, feel free to add a bit more sugar. If it seems too thick, feel free to thin it with a tablespoon of milk or water.
DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!
pumpkin spice donut recipe
Products I love when making Baked Pumpkin Donuts…
This Baked Pumpkin Donuts recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade donuts before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love these. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this fall donut recipe.
- Mini Donut Maker like this one!
- standard-size donut pan
- pumpkin pie spice
- pumpkin puree
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract
- maple syrup
- confectioner’s sugar
- light brown sugar
- cinnamon
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- spatulas
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- wire cooling rack
- piping bag
baked pumpkin donut recipe
If you love this Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts recipe, you’re going to love these other donut recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
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Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup pumpkin puree – not pie filling
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a full-size donut pan with nonstick baking spray or bakers release.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk just until no large lumps remain– you don’t want to overmix.
- Divide the batter between the wells of the donut pan. I add about 2 tablespoons of batter per donut.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the baked donuts to a wire rack to cool.
Icing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
- Then add the confectioner’s sugar slowly, whisking as you add.
- Continue whisking until no lumps of confectioner’s sugar remain.
- Dip the cooled donuts in the icing and enjoy.
- Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Notes
- All-purpose flour is a great neutral flour to use in this recipe. Just makes sure you’re measuring it correctly using the spoon and level technique.
- I opted for light brown sugar because it sweetens the donuts but adds a little more depth of flavor than granulated sugar. Feel free to substitute granulated sugar if you don’t have brown sugar on hand.
- The pumpkin pie spice adds great warmth and spice to the donuts. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg if needed.
- The baking powder helps the donuts rise.
- The egg holds the donuts together.
- The pumpkin puree adds the pumpkin flavor and color. Please don’t use pumpkin pie filling.
- Vegetable oil adds richness and helps keep the donuts moist.
- I used whole milk because it’s what I had on hand– feel free to use any kind of milk you like.
- The vanilla enhances the flavor of the pumpkin and spices.
- The cream cheese is the base of our icing and the tanginess pairs perfectly with the pumpkin.
- The maple syrup gives our icing a great earthy sweetness.
- The confectioner’s sugar is the base of our icing– if your icing seems too thin, feel free to add a bit more sugar. If it seems too thick, feel free to thin it with a tablespoon of milk or water.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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