Deliciously Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Your Perfect Fall Recipe
Welcome to the ultimate autumn indulgence! These Baked Pumpkin Donuts are everything you crave in a fall treat: wonderfully fluffy, bursting with rich pumpkin flavor, and delicately sweet. Forget deep-frying; these delightful donuts are baked, making them a healthier alternative without sacrificing any of the deliciousness. Each bite offers a comforting blend of warm cinnamon and aromatic spices, perfectly complemented by a delightful cinnamon-sugar coating. Quick to prepare and even quicker to disappear, they’re an ideal homemade treat for cozy mornings, festive gatherings, or simply when that pumpkin spice craving hits!
Crafting the Perfect Baked Pumpkin Donut Batter
Making a batch of these incredible baked pumpkin donuts is surprisingly simple, especially when you follow these clear, step-by-step instructions. The secret to their depth of flavor lies in a few key techniques, including the use of brown butter, which we’ll explore in detail. Let’s get started on creating a smooth, luscious batter that will bake into your new favorite fall dessert.
- Brown the butter for rich flavor: In a small saucepan, melt your unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue heating, stirring occasionally, until the butter transitions from yellow to a beautiful golden-brown, eventually reaching a rich, nutty chestnut color. You’ll notice fragrant aromas developing as the milk solids toast. Once it’s a perfect brown, immediately remove it from the heat to prevent burning. Pour the browned butter into a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup and place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to cool. It should still be liquid but only slightly warm to the touch before you incorporate it into the batter. This cooling step is crucial to prevent scrambling the eggs later.
- Cream together sugars, brown butter, and oil: In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetable oil, the slightly warm brown butter, white sugar, and dark brown sugar. Using a hand-mixer or stand mixer, beat these ingredients together on medium-high speed until they are thoroughly combined and the mixture is light and fluffy. This step creates the sweet foundation for your donuts and helps ensure a tender crumb.
- Incorporate pumpkin puree and vanilla: Now it’s time to add the star ingredient! Spoon all of the pumpkin puree into the mixing bowl, along with the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat until the pumpkin and vanilla are completely incorporated, resulting in a smooth and uniform mixture. Ensure there are no streaks of unmixed puree.
- Add eggs one at a time: This step is vital for a smooth batter. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until it’s fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next. This method helps to emulsify the batter, preventing any lumpy egg bits and ensuring a perfectly smooth, consistent texture for your donuts. Continue beating until the entire mixture looks glossy and smooth.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together: In a separate medium-sized bowl, measure out your all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and all the delightful pumpkin spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine these dry ingredients. This ensures that the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour, guaranteeing uniform flavor and rise in every donut.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gently pour the whisked dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl containing the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed *just* until combined and smooth. It’s crucial not to overmix the batter at this stage, as overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough or dry donuts. Stop mixing as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear.
- Pipe batter into donut pans: For perfectly shaped donuts, transfer the batter into a large piping bag (you can use a large Ziploc bag with a corner snipped off if you don’t have a piping bag). Pipe the batter evenly into the cavities of your prepared donut pans. Fill each cavity about 1/2 to 2/3 full to allow for proper rising without overflowing. This technique ensures uniform size and an appealing appearance for all your donuts.
- Bake to golden perfection: Carefully place the filled donut pans into your preheated oven. Bake for approximately 13-15 minutes. The donuts are ready when they are springy to the touch on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on them, as oven temperatures can vary.
- Cool the Pumpkin Donuts thoroughly: Once baked, remove the donut pans from the oven and allow the donuts to cool in the pans for a few minutes before gently transferring them to a wire cooling rack. It’s essential to let them cool completely on the rack before proceeding to the coating step. Trying to coat warm donuts will result in a sticky mess rather than a perfectly sugared exterior.
- Coat in a delectable cinnamon-sugar mixture: While the donuts are cooling, prepare your cinnamon sugar coating. Once the donuts are completely cool, brush each one lightly with melted butter. This butter layer acts as the adhesive for your cinnamon sugar. Immediately after brushing, place the butter-coated donut into a bowl filled with the cinnamon and sugar mixture and toss gently until it’s fully coated. Enjoy these beautiful, flavorful baked pumpkin donuts!
Unlocking Flavor: What is Brown Butter?
If you’ve ever experienced the rich, intoxicating aroma of butter browning, then you understand why this simple technique is a game-changer in many recipes, especially for these baked pumpkin donuts! Brown butter, also known as *beurre noisette*, is more than just melted butter; it’s butter that has been gently cooked until its milk solids caramelize, transforming its flavor into something deeply complex and wonderfully nutty.
The magic of brown butter lies in the Maillard reaction. As butter heats, the water evaporates, separating the butterfat from the milk solids. These milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and, under controlled heat, begin to toast and caramelize. This chemical reaction develops hundreds of new flavor compounds, giving the butter a profound depth that is reminiscent of toasted nuts, caramel, and sometimes even butterscotch. It adds an unparalleled richness and a sophisticated warmth that perfectly complements the earthy sweetness of pumpkin and the spice blend in our donut recipe, elevating them from delicious to truly extraordinary.
Don’t be intimidated by the idea of browning butter; it’s quite straightforward and yields incredible results. To begin, place unsalted, cubed, room-temperature butter into a small, light-colored saucepan. A light-colored pan is crucial because it allows you to clearly see the color change of the milk solids, preventing accidental burning. Heat the butter over medium heat, letting it melt and then come to a gentle boil. It’s essential to stir constantly during this process. Stirring promotes even cooking and ensures the milk solids don’t stick and burn at the bottom of the pan. You’ll observe the butter foaming, then the foam will subside, revealing small brown specks at the bottom of the pan and a beautiful nutty-brown color throughout the butter. The moment it turns ultra-fragrant and nutty, remove it immediately from the heat. Pour the hot brown butter into a separate heat-proof measuring cup or bowl to stop the cooking process. For this donut recipe, it’s vital to let the brown butter cool down significantly before mixing it with other ingredients. I recommend placing it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. When it’s ready, it should still be liquid but only slightly warm, or even cool, to the touch. This prevents it from cooking your eggs when added to the batter.
While you can certainly make these baked pumpkin donuts with regular melted butter, the brown butter truly sets this recipe apart. It infuses a complex, toasted depth of flavor that a simple melted butter cannot achieve, making these homemade pumpkin donuts a standout autumn treat. It’s a small extra step that makes a huge difference in the final taste profile, adding that extra layer of gourmet quality to your fall baking.
Achieving Uniform Donuts with a Piping Bag
When it comes to baking donuts, achieving a uniform shape and size is key not only for aesthetics but also for consistent baking. That’s why I highly recommend using a piping bag to fill your donut pans. By piping the batter, you gain excellent control over the amount of batter in each cavity, ensuring that every donut is roughly the same size. This consistency is crucial for even baking, preventing some donuts from being underdone while others are overbaked. The result? A batch of perfectly shaped, uniformly cooked baked pumpkin donuts that look as good as they taste.
While piping offers superior control, don’t worry if you don’t have a piping bag or prefer a simpler method. The consistency of this particular pumpkin donut batter is also perfectly suitable for spooning directly into the donut pan cavities. Just be mindful to fill each cavity to the same level, typically about 1/2 to 2/3 full, to allow space for the donuts to rise beautifully during baking. Whether you pipe or spoon, always remember to lightly grease your donut pans with cooking spray or butter to ensure easy release once baked.
Coated with the Perfect Cinnamon Sugar Blend
One of the most iconic toppings for a delicious donut is a simple yet irresistible cinnamon sugar coating. While traditionally, fried donuts absorb this coating easily due to their oily exterior, baked donuts require a slightly different approach. Since our baked pumpkin donuts are, well, baked, they don’t have that greasy surface for the cinnamon sugar to adhere to naturally. But fear not, achieving that perfect sugary crunch is still incredibly easy!
The trick for these baked pumpkin donuts is to create a thin, adhesive layer. Once your donuts have completely cooled – this is important, as warm donuts will melt the sugar – gently brush each donut with a thin layer of melted butter. This acts as the perfect “glue” for the cinnamon sugar. Immediately after brushing with butter, place the donut into a shallow bowl filled with your cinnamon sugar mixture. Toss or roll the donut until it’s evenly coated on all sides. The butter ensures a beautiful, sparkling coating that sticks perfectly without being overly greasy. This method guarantees every bite delivers that delightful sweetness and aromatic spice that makes these homemade pumpkin donuts an absolute fall favorite!
Get the Recipe:
Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar Coating
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Ingredients
Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour,, properly measured †
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- One 15oz Can Pumpkin Puree, (about 2 cups)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 3 Large Eggs
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup Butter,, melted
- 3/4 cup White Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
Equipment
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donut pan
Instructions
Baked Pumpkin Donuts
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In a small sauce over medium heat, add butter and bring to a boil. Continue heating over medium heat, constantly stirring until the butter has turned a nutty brown color. It may be hard to see the color if your butter is foaming a lot, so periodically take it off the heat to check the color. Remove from heat, place into a heat proof glass and then into the freezer to cool off for 15-30 minutes. When ready, the butter should still be liquid and just barely warm to the touch.
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Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare 4 donut pans with cooking spray. Next, in a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, and all the spices. Whisk together to combine, then set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, add oil, cooled brown butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat with a hand-mixer until smooth. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla, then beat again until well-combined and smooth. Finally, add eggs in, one at a time, and beat until smooth.
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Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and beat just until smooth.
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Add batter to donut pans by spoon or using a piping bag, then transfer to oven to bake for 13 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before coating with cinnamon sugar.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
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Add cinnamon and sugar to a medium size bowl, then whisk together until well-combined.
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Lightly brush each donut with melted butter, then place the donut into the cinnamon sugar, and toss to coat.
Notes
Source: Adapted from Food Network
Related Recipes to Love
If you’re a fan of these easy baked pumpkin donuts, you’ll surely enjoy exploring other delicious donut creations. Whether you prefer fried or baked, yeast or cake-style, there’s a world of donut flavors waiting to be discovered. Here are a couple of related recipes that bring unique twists to your homemade donut repertoire, perfect for any time you’re craving a sweet, satisfying treat.
BROWN BUTTER & VANILLA YEAST DONUTS: Take your love for brown butter to the next level with these incredible yeast donuts. This fried-donut recipe elevates classic vanilla with the rich, nutty notes of brown butter, creating an unforgettable flavor profile. A true indulgence for donut enthusiasts.
BAKED RED VELVET DONUTS: For a vibrant and equally simple baked option, try these delicious Red Velvet Donuts. Featuring their signature deep red hue and a moist, tender crumb, these easy-to-make donuts are beautifully crowned with a classic, tangy cream cheese glaze. A perfect treat for holidays or any special occasion.
