Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Brown Sugar Glaze
Soft, moist, bakery-style baked pumpkin donuts made with warm fall spices and pure pumpkin puree. Finished with a silky, buttery brown sugar glaze that sets beautifully, these donuts deliver all the cozy autumn flavor without any frying.
Equipment
- donut pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- zip-top bag
- Wire cooling rack
- baking sheet (to catch glaze drips)
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or nutmeg/ginger/cloves)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (100% pure)
- ⅓ cup milk (whole milk or buttermilk)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream, warmed
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a donut pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer batter to a zip-top bag, snip a corner, and pipe evenly into donut wells, filling about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes or until donuts spring back when touched. Cool in the pan 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Whisk powdered sugar, warmed milk, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Dip cooled donuts into the glaze and place on a wire rack to set.
Notes
Use 100% pure pumpkin puree for the best texture and flavor. Be sure donuts are fully cooled before glazing to ensure a smooth, glossy finish. If you don’t have a donut pan, use a muffin tin for pumpkin donut holes.