Pumpkin Donuts (Fried or Baked)

A stack of three pumpkin donuts with the shape of pumpkin and cinnamon stick as stems.

5 from 1 vote

These homemade Pumpkin Donuts are soft, fluffy, and made with real pumpkin purée and warm spices. Shaped like little pumpkins and coated in cinnamon sugar, they're a delicious treat for Halloween or fall gatherings. You can deep-fry or bake them!

Prep Time2 10

Cook Time20

Total Time2 30

Course: Dessert, Desserts, Snack

Cuisine: International

Diet: Halal

Servings: pieces

Calories: 141kcal

Author: Claudia

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!

Nutrition