Pumpkin Donut Holes
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These irresistible baked pumpkin donut holes (mini pumpkin muffins) are super soft, cakey, and coated in cinnamon sugar! The best fall treat.
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Why you’ll love these baked pumpkin donut holes
- Cozy fall treat. These quintessential fall treats are packed with real pumpkin flavor and warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
- Completely baked, not fried. So moist and so fluffy, these donut holes deliver in all avenues without any of the fried, oily, greasy mess.
- Comes together fast. The donut holes come take only about 10-15 minutes to prep, tasting even better than your local bakery.
- Great for sharing. Made in a mini muffin tin yielding 12 bite-sized donuts, these are perfect for sharing at potlucks, school parties, family get-togethers, and holiday gathering. And they are guaranteed crowd-pleasers!
mini muffins or donut holes?
Technically, these are mini muffins as they are baked in a mini muffin tin. But they look and taste exactly like donut holes, donut holes that are super soft and cakey with all the warm, fall spices, completely baked start to finish.
Key Ingredients
Muffin batter
- Flour: all-purpose flour
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves (or substitute pumpkin pie spice)
- Leavening: baking powder and salt
- Pumpkin: pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- Wet ingredients: milk, brown sugar, canola oil, egg, and vanilla
Cinnamon-sugar topping
- Butter: melted to brush or roll the warm donut holes
- Cinnamon: ground cinnamon
- Sugar: granulated sugar (substitute brown sugar for richer, caramel-like flavors)
How to make baked pumpkin donut holes
- Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly grease a mini muffin pan.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, canola oil, egg, and vanilla.
- Combine. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture just until moist, working carefully not to overwork the batter.
- Bake. Using a small cookie scoop, transfer the batter into the mini muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make the cinnamon sugar topping. Whisk together the ground cinnamon and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Roll and coat. Roll or brush each warm muffin with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.
- Let cool. Let the donut holes cool on a wire rack.
Tools For This Recipe
Pumpkin Donut Holes: Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, no. Pumpkin puree contains 100% unsweetened cooked pumpkin whereas pumpkin pie filling contains pumpkin and various additives such as sugar, water, and spices.
Another neutral oil such as vegetable, grapeseed or sunflower oil can be used in place of canola oil.
A small cookie scoop should work very well here without making a mess.
This is best served immediately but you can prep the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking powder and salt) as well as the cinnamon sugar topping ahead of time.
The donut holes (before they are dipped in melted butter and coated with cinnamon sugar) can be stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature, adding the butter and cinnamon sugar just before serving.
Pumpkin Donut Holes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the cinnamon sugar topping
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a mini muffin pan or coat with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking powder and salt.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, canola oil, egg and vanilla.
- Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray.
- Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When the muffins are done, cool for 2 minutes and dip each muffin into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon sugar topping.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
For the cinnamon sugar topping
- In a medium bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.
Equipment
Notes
- Use a small cookie scoop. Using a small cookie scoop is a convenient way to transfer the batter to the mini muffin tin with ease and less mess.
- Avoid pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not the same, and are not interchangeable. Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin as pumpkin pie filling comes pre-mixed with sweeteners and spices.
- Combine just until moist. Using a rubber spatula, stir the batter until everything is just combined and moistened with a few lumps here and there. Over-mixing will lead to dense, tough donut holes.
- Fill 3/4 full. Fill each cavity in the mini muffin pan about 3/4 full to give the batter room to rise without spilling over the edges.
- Dip and roll just before serving. To avoid soggy donuts, coat the donut holes in butter and cinnamon sugar just before serving. Plain, uncoated donuts will store much better.
Did you make this recipe?
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These were fabulous! I’ve made them so many times. Everyone loves them! I made a few modifications – gluten free flour, walnut milk and olive oil. For the cinnamon sugar portion I only make half and I substitute maple sugar instead of sugar and ghee instead of butter.
Also used olive oil instead of canola oil.
Definitely damn delicious!
Can I freeze them for a few days and then coat them on the day that they will be eaten?
If this can be done; for how long to thaw?
Thank you!
What GF substitute did you use?
Swapped the canola oil for coconut oil. And used raw milk. These are so so good. Thank you!
These were excellent! They are light and fluffy and delicious!
This is beyond fantastic, and for an EASY Gluten Free version – in place of flour and all the spices = pumpkin pancake mix, but add the baking powder, and slightly less brown sugar.
Delicious and simple. I went a little heavy with the cinnamon sugar coating, I’ll go a little light next time. Great way to use up leftover pumpkin purée. Any suggestions on best way to store/freeze them? Thanks!
Absolutely delicious! I had to make a few substitutions as I have many food sensitivities. I used gluten free flour, walnut milk, olive oil and maple sugar for the topping instead of sugar. Absolutely delicious!! I had to make another batch right away since I had enough pumpkin puree. Thank you!
These are autumn breakfast perfection! I made half with the cinnamon sugar topping (per the recipe) and half with a maple glaze. Both versions were damn delicious :-). These are going into the rotation. Thank you for another winner!
Just made this with a big (12) cupcake pan… And I think I need get a mini pan. We felt it was too much with them big. Agree under 35 mins and easy to make. Flavor is delicious but next time I’m going try oat milk instead of reg milk since we have that in the fridge. Great recipe!
Wow. I don’t even like donuts (yes, I know I’m boring) and these were ridiculous! Every single person who has had them comments on how great they are! Save yourself and just make a double batch!!
These delicious donut holes were so easy to make and so yummy! My 6 year old daughters had so much fun helping me make them, too! They loved them as much as I did! I see many more in our future!
Can we substitute any of the spices for Pumpkin Spice?
Yes they really are that good. I put four in a container and froze them as a test. Hopefully they will be as good after freezing.
These look delicious! Do these keep in a container?
My, oh my! DEEEEEE-LICIOUSSSSSNESSS! My 16 year-old daughter made these while I was out running errands, and came home to these goodies. I only regret that she did not make a quadruple batch.
Absolutely awesome!!
These are awesome. The first time ever baking… if this is considered baking. I brought these to a party. My girlfriend said you better have more of these because I’m not sharing.
These are amazing! My husband asked me to marry him again after eating one lol.
This is a fabulous recipe. I’ve made it with pumpkin freshly cooked and canned pumpkin. I made it with regular organic white flour and also made it several times using Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 gluten free flour – both came out perfectly! I have also substituted date sugar for brown sugar multiple times with excellent results.
They look delicious! I like the recipe!!