Pumpkin Donuts (Fried or Baked)
This post may contain affiliate links.These cute Pumpkin Donuts are a fun treat to make for Halloween or during pumpkin season! Shaped like little pumpkins and coated in cinnamon sugar, they’re perfect for sharing with family and friends. You can deep-fry them for a golden crust or bake them if you prefer!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Pumpkin Donuts (Fried or Baked)
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 2 hour 20 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 12 pieces
🔥 Calories: 141 kcal per piece (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, pumpkin purée, milk, milk powder, butter, salt, caster sugar, ground cinnamon.
🥗 Dietary Info: Contains gluten and dairy.
🧠 Difficulty: Easy with simple step-by-step guide.
Have a question? Ask AI!
Halloween is just around the corner, and I thought it would be fun to make something a little different this year. Instead of regular round donuts, I shaped these pumpkin donuts into little pumpkins and added a cinnamon stick to make them look even cuter!
Made with real pumpkin purée and my homemade speculaas spice mix, these spiced pumpkin donuts have a lovely warm flavor. They’re coated in cinnamon sugar, which gives them a little extra sweetness and crunch on the outside. I also tried baking them, so you can choose whichever cooking method you prefer.
These homemade pumpkin donuts are lovely for Halloween parties, fall gatherings, or simply enjoying with a warm cup of coffee.
If you love pumpkin treats, you might also enjoy my Pumpkin Chiffon Cake or Pumpkin Bread with Coconut Filling. They’re all delicious ways to enjoy pumpkin!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin Purée – Use plain, unsweetened pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. If using homemade pumpkin purée, make sure to strain it to remove excess moisture and get a smooth texture.
- Milk Powder – Gives the donuts a richer flavor and helps make them soft.
- Instant Yeast – Helps the dough rise and gives the donuts their light, fluffy texture.
- Butter – Adds flavor and keeps the donuts tender. Use softened butter so it’s easier to incorporate into the dough.
For the Spiced Sugar Coating
- Caster Sugar – Gives the donuts a sweet, slightly crunchy coating.
- Ground Cinnamon – Adds a lovely warm flavor that goes especially well with pumpkin.
- Speculaas Spice Mix – I use my homemade speculaas spice mix for an extra warm, spiced flavor. It’s similar to pumpkin pie spice, so you can use pumpkin pie spice instead.
Note: The spiced sugar coating isn’t shown in the photo. You’ll also need granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and speculaas spice mix (or pumpkin pie spice) to coat the donuts after cooking.
How to Make Pumpkin Donuts
STEP 1. Prepare the Pumpkin Donut Dough. Sift the bread flour and milk powder into a stand mixer bowl. Add the sugar, instant yeast, egg, pumpkin purée, and milk (Image 1). Mix using the dough hook attachment at medium speed. Once the ingredients are combined and a dough starts to form, add the butter and salt (Image 2).
Continue kneading for about 18 minutes in total, or until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Check by gently stretching a small piece of dough. It should stretch thin without tearing easily (Image 3). Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size (Image 4).
STEP 2. Shape the Pumpkin Donuts. Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air (Image 5). Divide the dough into 12 portions and shape each into a smooth ball. You can make them equal in size or vary the sizes to resemble different pumpkins. I made mine in different sizes for a more natural look (Image 6).
Gently flatten each dough ball. Place food-safe cotton kitchen string underneath the dough and wrap it around to create pumpkin-like segments. Tie the string loosely, leaving enough space for the dough to expand during the second rise and cooking (Image 7). Place each shaped donut on a small square of parchment paper (Image 8). Let the donuts rise for another 40 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
STEP 3. Fry or Bake the Pumpkin Donuts. Once the donuts have risen and look puffy, they’re ready to fry or bake (Image 9).
For Deep-Frying: Heat the oil over medium-low heat. Carefully lower the donuts into the oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Avoid turning them too often. Let one side become golden before gently flipping to cook the other side (Image 10).
For Baking: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly spray the donuts with coconut oil and bake for 10 minutes. Flip them over, spray with a little more oil, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Once cooked, let the donuts cool slightly before carefully cutting and removing the cotton strings (Image 11). Mix the caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin spice in a shallow bowl. While the donuts are still slightly warm, gently roll them in the spiced sugar mixture until evenly coated (Image 12).
For the finishing touch, insert a small cinnamon stick into the center of each donut to resemble a pumpkin stem. Remove the cinnamon stick before eating.
Pro Tips
- Use thick pumpkin purée. If you’re using homemade pumpkin purée, strain it well to remove excess moisture. Watery pumpkin purée can make the dough too sticky and difficult to knead.
- Knead until smooth and elastic. The kneading time may vary depending on your mixer. Check the dough by gently stretching a small piece. It should form a thin, almost transparent membrane without tearing easily.
- Let the dough rise properly. Allow the dough to double in size during the first rise. After shaping, let the donuts rise again until they’re noticeably puffy. Don’t rush these steps if you want soft and fluffy donuts.
- Don’t tie the strings too tightly. Use plain, food-safe cotton kitchen string and leave a little room for the dough to expand. If the strings are too tight, they can cut too deeply into the dough and become difficult to remove.
- Make different pumpkin sizes. I divided my dough into 12 portions of different sizes to make the donuts look more like real pumpkins. Just remember that smaller donuts will cook faster than larger ones.
- Keep the frying oil at the right temperature. Aim for around 170–175°C (340–350°F). If the oil is too hot, the outside may brown before the inside is cooked. If it’s too cool, the donuts can absorb too much oil. Avoid flipping them too often.
- Coat the donuts while they’re still warm. Let the donuts cool slightly before removing the strings, then roll them in the cinnamon and pumpkin spice sugar mixture. The coating sticks better while the donuts are still a little warm.
- Add the cinnamon sticks last. Insert a small piece of cinnamon stick into the center of each donut after coating to make a cute pumpkin stem. Remember to remove it before eating!
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these pumpkin donuts with a refreshing drink like Lychee Soda, Pineapple Mint Soda, or Watermelon Juice. They’re perfect for an afternoon snack or a sweet treat after a meal.
For something extra delicious, you can also fill the donuts with homemade custard filling or coconut kaya jam. The creamy fillings go so well with the soft, fluffy pumpkin donuts and warm spiced sugar coating!
Pumpkin Donuts FAQs
Yes! You can bake these pumpkin donuts if you prefer not to deep-fry them. Lightly spray the shaped donuts with coconut oil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Flip them over, spray with a little more oil, and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Keep in mind that baked donuts will have a slightly more bread-like texture than fried ones.
Absolutely! I love using homemade pumpkin purée for these donuts. Just make sure to strain it well to remove excess moisture. If the purée is too watery, the dough may become sticky and difficult to knead. You can also use canned pumpkin purée, but make sure it’s plain and unsweetened, not pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin purée contains moisture, so the dough may feel a little sticky at first. Continue kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic. Avoid adding too much extra flour because it can make your donuts dense instead of soft and fluffy. Also, make sure your pumpkin purée isn’t too watery.
It’s easier than you might think! Shape each portion of dough into a ball and flatten it slightly. Wrap food-safe cotton kitchen string around the dough to create pumpkin-like segments. Don’t tie the string too tightly because the dough needs room to expand. After frying or baking, carefully remove the strings and add a small cinnamon stick in the center to make a pumpkin stem.
Yes! Pumpkin pie spice is a great substitute for my homemade speculaas spice mix. Both contain warm spices that go well with pumpkin. You can use either one in the spiced sugar coating for a delicious fall flavor.
Storage
Store leftover fried or baked pumpkin donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To enjoy them soft and fluffy again, reheat them briefly in the oven until warmed through. For the best texture, they’re best enjoyed fresh!
More Fall Recipes
Pumpkin Donuts (Fried or Baked)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 g bread flour
- 120 g pumpkin purée
- 35 g sugar
- 3 g instant yeast
- 20 g milk powder
- 1 egg
- 50 ml milk Adjust the milk to the texture of the dough.
Topping
- 5 tbsp sugar caster
- 2 tsp speculaas spice mix
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Sift the bread flour and milk powder into a stand mixer bowl. Add the sugar, instant yeast, egg, pumpkin purée, and milk. Mix using the dough hook attachment at medium speed. Once the ingredients are combined and a dough starts to form, add the butter and salt.
- Continue kneading for about 18 minutes in total, or until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Check by gently stretching a small piece of dough. It should stretch thin without tearing easily. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into 12 portions and shape each into a smooth ball. You can make them equal in size or vary the sizes to resemble different pumpkins. I made mine in different sizes for a more natural look.
- Gently flatten each dough ball. Place food-safe cotton kitchen string underneath the dough and wrap it around to create pumpkin-like segments. Tie the string loosely, leaving enough space for the dough to expand during the second rise and cooking. Place each shaped donut on a small square of parchment paper. Let the donuts rise for another 40 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
- Once the donuts have risen and look puffy, they're ready to fry or bake.
- For Deep-Frying: Heat the oil over medium-low heat. Carefully lower the donuts into the oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Avoid turning them too often. Let one side become golden before gently flipping to cook the other side.
- For Baking: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly spray the donuts with coconut oil and bake for 10 minutes. Flip them over, spray with a little more oil, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Once cooked, let the donuts cool slightly before carefully cutting and removing the cotton strings (Image 11). Mix the caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin spice in a shallow bowl. While the donuts are still slightly warm, gently roll them in the spiced sugar mixture until evenly coated.
- For the finishing touch, insert a small cinnamon stick into the center of each donut to resemble a pumpkin stem. Remove the cinnamon stick before eating.
Notes
- Use thick pumpkin purée. If you’re using homemade pumpkin purée, strain it well to remove excess moisture. Watery pumpkin purée can make the dough too sticky and difficult to knead.
- Knead until smooth and elastic. The kneading time may vary depending on your mixer. Check the dough by gently stretching a small piece. It should form a thin, almost transparent membrane without tearing easily.
- Let the dough rise properly. Allow the dough to double in size during the first rise. After shaping, let the donuts rise again until they’re noticeably puffy. Don’t rush these steps if you want soft and fluffy donuts.
- Don’t tie the strings too tightly. Use plain, food-safe cotton kitchen string and leave a little room for the dough to expand. If the strings are too tight, they can cut too deeply into the dough and become difficult to remove.
- Make different pumpkin sizes. I divided my dough into 12 portions of different sizes to make the donuts look more like real pumpkins. Just remember that smaller donuts will cook faster than larger ones.
- Keep the frying oil at the right temperature. Aim for around 170–175°C (340–350°F). If the oil is too hot, the outside may brown before the inside is cooked. If it’s too cool, the donuts can absorb too much oil. Avoid flipping them too often.
- Coat the donuts while they’re still warm. Let the donuts cool slightly before removing the strings, then roll them in the cinnamon and pumpkin spice sugar mixture. The coating sticks better while the donuts are still a little warm.
- Add the cinnamon sticks last. Insert a small piece of cinnamon stick into the center of each donut after coating to make a cute pumpkin stem. Remember to remove it before eating!
I love the cute pumpkin shape of these donuts, and they’re so soft and fluffy inside! The cinnamon sugar coating adds a lovely sweetness and warm, spiced flavor. You can deep-fry them or bake them if you prefer. They’re such a fun treat to make for Halloween or anytime during fall!