Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
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These easy baked pumpkin donuts with maple glaze are so soft, moist, and fluffy! Made in less than 1 hour with the most irresistible glaze!
Featured Comment
I made these for a treat for my daughter to bring in for her birthday one year, and her classmates talk about them all the time! She turned 13 today, and this is her third year bringing them in. Huge hit with everyone!
Why you’ll love these Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
- Completely baked. Skip the deep fryer! These irresistible crowd-favorite pumpkin donuts are completely baked start to finish, making them slightly healthier. And there’s absolutely no need to deal with hot oil or a messy clean up here.
- So moist, so soft. The pumpkin puree adds moisture and structure, keeping the donuts incredibly soft, tender, and fluffy for days.
- Quick and simple fall treat. The easy donut batter mixes in just minutes with an electric mixer, baking in about 10-12 minutes. And the maple glaze is pure gold, offering all the cozy, warm fall spices right at home.
What are pumpkin donuts?
Pumpkin donuts (or doughnuts) are ring-shaped pastries made with pumpkin puree and warm fall spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice (pumpkin pie spice). When baked, the donuts are soft and cake-y rather than chewy and airy like yeast donuts.
How to make Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
- Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Attach the paddle attachment to the stand mixer. Beat the butter and sugar until smooth, light, and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Then add the pumpkin puree and vanilla until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine. Slowly add the dry mixture, mixing just until the flour disappears. Avoid overmixing as this will result in dry, rubbery donuts.
- Fill the donut pan. Preheat the oven to 400°F and coat a donut pan with nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Pipe the batter evenly into the donut pan.
- Bake. Bake until the donuts are golden and are springy to the touch, about 10-12 minutes.
- Make the maple glaze. Reduce the maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat to 1/2 cup, then stir in the butter, vanilla, and salt. Finally, whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Pro tip: the glaze should be thin enough to drip off a spoon but thick enough to coat the donut without completely running off.
- Glaze. Let the donuts cool for 10 minutes, then dip the tops into the glaze, letting the excess glaze drip back into the bowl. Place the donuts on a wire rack to set. Pro tip: if preparing for leftovers, hold off on the glaze just before serving.
- Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Topping variations
- Plain: serve the donuts plain without a glaze, letting the pure pumpkin flavor stand out
- Classic glaze: swap out the maple glaze for this classic version
- Cinnamon sugar: brush the donuts with melted butter, then roll or press the donuts gently in cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon) until evenly coated
Tools For This Recipe
Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pumpkin pie mix?
Unfortunately no. It is best to use 100% pure pumpkin puree as pumpkin pie mix contains added sugars and spices.
Can I make donut holes instead?
Absolutely! You can use a donut hole pan instead, reducing the bake time to 7-8 minutes.
Do they taste like fried donuts?
Baked pumpkin donuts are more soft and cake-like whereas fried donuts are crispy on the outside, airy on the inside.
How can I store leftovers?
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, adding the maple glaze just before serving.
Can I freeze the donuts?
Yes, the unglazed donuts can be kept in the freezer for at least 2 months!
Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
These easy baked pumpkin donuts with maple glaze are so soft, moist, and fluffy! Made in less than 1 hour with the most irresistible glaze!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the maple glaze
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a donut pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.
- Beat in pumpkin and vanilla until just combined.
- Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.
- Pipe the batter evenly into the donut pan, filling each cavity two-thirds full.
- Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until donuts are slightly browned and spring back when touched.
For the maple glaze
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat maple syrup until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter, vanilla and salt until the butter has melted.
- Whisk in confectioners' sugar until smooth.
- When the donuts are done, cool for 10 minutes and dip the tops into the glaze. Allow glaze to set on a wire rack before serving.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Equipment
Notes
- Use 100% pure pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not the same, and are not interchangeable. Pumpkin pie filling comes pre-mixed with sweeteners and spices.
- Pipe the batter. Spooning the batter can be difficult and messy. Use a piping bag or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off to easily pipe the batter into the donut pan.
- Avoid overcooking the donuts. Check the donuts around the 8 minute mark. Overbaked donuts will be dry.
- Glaze while warm. Dip the donuts in the maple glaze while they are still warm – this will melt the sugar slightly, creating an even coating into a classic, glossy, shiny shell as it cools.
- Freeze without the glaze. Let the donuts cool completely, then wrap each donut tightly in plastic wrap before transferring to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months.
- Thaw, warm, and glaze. To reheat the donuts from frozen, thaw 1-2 hours at room temperature, then warm in a microwave for 15-30 seconds, glazing the donuts while they are still warm.
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Is it possible for me to make these without a stand mixer and just a hand mixer?
Great recipe! Very easy to follow and the donuts were great. It only made 10 donuts for me instead of 12 and I did have to make extra glaze, but I could’ve just been over filling them. Definitely will make these again!
How many ounces in your can of pumpkin puree? Thank you!
The recipe calls for one cup of canned pumpkin puree, so any size can you may already have is fine.
Do these freeze well?
Great recipe! Followed recipe completely and they were wonderful! Thanks!
So glad these were a winner for you!
I haven’t made these Pumpkin Donuts yet because I do have an electric donut maker and I am wondering if I can gook them using that?
They sound so yummy ….. I do hope they will work
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! Good luck! 🙂
Hi, I’ve been following your Instagram and website for a while and any recipe I’ve veered tried has turned out absolutely amazing. Baked these donuts today and everyone in the family loved them. Thank you for posting such wonderful, delicious and easy to follow recipes!
Awesome!
Made these. My husband said they were the best doughnuts he had ever had. Shared with friends and they agreed. Had trouble getting the maple syrup to reduce so I just made a double batch and everyone was thrilled. Served with spicy candied bacon…
If I make the doughnuts the night before I plan to serve them, how would you recommend I store them? And should I reheat them? If so, how, at what temperature, and for how long? I’m not a morning person. Thanks!
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
I am confused. You say to spoon into donut pan BUT your picture shows donuts on cookie sheet.
The donuts are on a baking sheet simply for photographic purposes. 🙂
When using the donut pan (which I do have) did you flip the donuts at the half time mark? I have made some in this same pan and it require you to flip the donut half way through.
Cathy, there is no need to flip the donuts for this recipe. 🙂
For those of you who do not have donut pan, here is what I used to still make these in donut shape:
https://www.google.com/amp/tiphero.com/diy-doughnut-pan-and-recipe/amp/
Has anyone tried to freeze these? I don’t have time to make them during the week but wasn’t them for a mid-week function.
Did you try freezing them and how did it work?
I’ve made these twice in the last 2 weeks! I’m not a donut person because I don’t like fried donuts, this baked donut recipe is awesome.
I tried making a different pumpkin donut this season which also called for a cup of pumpkin puree, and they came out very dense and moist, almost like a pie consistency. I plan on trying this recipe this weekend, any pointers on avoiding them becoming too dense?
You shouldn’t have to worry about any denseness with these! 🙂
So excited to makes these for my office halloween party! I’ve yet to make one of your recipes that wasn’t damn delicious. How would you adjust the time for a mini muffin pan?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Made these yesterday and I love the donuts but I think I reduced the maple too much because it became like a super sticky caramel once everything was combined. So I switched and made another maple icing like yours for your lightened version for the 2nd half of the doughnuts and it was delicious.
I made a batch of these and sent them to work with my husband. Everyone loved them! So very delicious
Made these this morning with gluten-free flour and they were unbelievably good. Thanks for sharing!!
Made these this morning and they really live up to your blog name! I don’t have donut pans but I used my Babycakes mini-donut maker- like a charm. You can only make 6 mini donuts at a time so patience was required, but for this recipe, it was worth it! Of course, now I am convinced I need donut pans to make even more donuts….
Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!!! Donut pans are life.
Always looking for good pumpkin recipes. This looks great! Plus bought my 13 you Rands on a out maker for Christmas (budding chef) so this will come in handy! Thanks! I absolutely love this site.