Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts

Apple cider donuts get all the glory each fall, but pumpkin treats deserve more fanfare. Pumpkin donuts, specifically. The pureed gourd makes this dessert extra moist, which is complemented by a hearty jolt of cinnamon sugar to add some sweetness and spice. It’s well balanced, which is not what I can say about my diet after I devoured, ahem, six mini donuts over the course of a single afternoon.

You could make these cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts in a traditional donut pan, cooking them at 350 degrees for about 15ish minutes, as King Arthur Flour recommends. My version makes a few minor modifications, and I used a mini donut machine.

What’s the Best Mini Donut Machine to Use?

Honestly, they’re all pretty comparable. I love the giant donut aesthetic of my ol’ Sunbeam, but it’s no longer made. Dash sells a pretty solid machine that whips up seven mini donuts at a time for $22 on Amazon, but if you want something that takes up slightly less shelf space, you could go with the Babycakes design (which is 4 inches smaller). Just know that that model makes four donuts at a time, so you’ll be baking in bigger batches.

Can I Substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice for the Seasonings?

Yes! Mix in two teaspoons and call it a day.

Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Filling Instead of Pumpkin Puree?

I wouldn’t recommend it. The added sweetness and slightly different viscosity could affect bake times and overall flavor.

Onto the recipe!

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts

Step aside, cider donuts—these minis are every bit as addictive. (Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour's version for simplicity and to work with a mini donut maker.)

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 30 mini donuts

Equipment

• measuring cups
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 silicone spatula
• 1 mini donut maker
• 2 large resealable bags

Ingredients

  

Pumpkin Donuts

• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar

Instructions

 

• Make the Pumpkin Donuts: In a large mixing bowl, whisk—or beat using an electric mixer—the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin and cinnamon. Stir in salt, baking powder and flour. Pour batter into a large resealable bag.
• Spritz the wells of the donut maker with cooking spray or grease with a little vegetable/canola oil. Heat, and when it's ready to cook, snip a corner of the resealable bag. Use that to pour batter into each donut mold in the donut maker, filling them about two-thirds full. Close the lid and bake according to the machine's instructions, about 3 to 5 minutes per batch.
• Use a fork to remove each batch of donuts, placing them on a cooling rack.
• Make the Cinnamon Sugar: In a large resealable bag, combine cinnamon and sugar. As you're ready to serve the donuts (preferably still warm but not hot), toss a few in the bag, seal and shake to coat them. Only coat as many donuts as you plan on eating; otherwise, the coating will get moist and soggy.

  Store the donuts in a resealable bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Keyword cinnamon sugar, donuts, fall, pumpkin