Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple & Brown Sugar Glaze

- Amanda

Whether you’re thinking about some easy treats to celebrate Halloween this weekend or on to fall recipes to get you through November, I’ve got a great one for you today. These Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple & Brown Sugar Glaze are so fun, so yummy and so not fried. Yes, yes, the fabulous fried donut will always have a place in my heart (I’m lookin at you classic glazed,) but sometimes you just need an easier, slightly less sinful option to whip up at home. Not to mention, much less time consuming. But still hits the spot for the timeless treat.

These truly couldn’t be quicker to make. We’re talking another one bowl wonder. You mix up the wet ingredients- pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, a dash of milk, sugar and brown sugar, vanilla and all the season’s best spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves plus a little salt and baking powder. Then fold in the flour and that is it. Pour that into a piping bag or ziptop bag for easiest transfer to the donut pan. Then pipe it into the greased pan and bake for about 15 minutes. Simple, yeah?

Then comes my favorite part, that fragrant and irresistible glaze. This is just a little butter melted with brown sugar, maple syrup and milk. Then you stir in a little vanilla, a pinch of salt (always) and confectioner’s sugar and let it firm up a bit. Then once the donuts are cool, ya just dip them in. You could also drizzle if you prefer for a different look. If you’ve got some sprinkles or pecans or something like that for the tops, that’s great too.

These really are yummy and such a fall gem of a recipe. In fact, this past weekend, I wrapped a little parchment strip through the loop and around a part of the donut, then tied some string on top of the parchment (so the donut woudn’t break,) then tied them to tree branches. The kids had some pre-Halloween fun with the old school donut on a string game. Might have been their favorite game ever, once they got the hang of it.

This year’s spooky holiday as well as the one’s that will follow will sure look a bit different than those of the past. But with a little festive spirit, and treats of course, the fun can continue, and maybe a few new traditions too. I hope your Halloween is filled with all the tricks and of course, sweets.

Print

Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple & Brown Sugar Glaze

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 12 standard-sized donuts
Author Amanda – A Treat Life

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups (340g) pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1 1/4 tsps ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 tsps kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup (99g) grapeseed or canola oil
  • 3 lg eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tbsps milk
  • 1 3/4 c + 1 tbsp (240g) all-purpose flour

For the Maple & Brown Sugar Glaze:

  • 1/2 c (100g) brown sugar
  • 3 tbsps milk
  • 1 tbsp (14g)  unsalted butter
  • 2-3 tbsps maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 c (175g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

For the donuts:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 177°C. Spray a standard 12-cup or 2 6-cup donut pans with non-stick spray. Set aside.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, the baking powder, the salt and all the spices. Then whisk in the eggs, oil, milk & vanilla until combined.

  3. Add the flour and then gently fold everything together until just combined and no flour streaks remain.

  4. Pour the batter in a large piping bag or zip-top bag. Seal and snip a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each greased donut space, filling about three-quarters of the way.

  5. Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and they spring back when gently touched at the tops. Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Cool the donuts completely before icing them.

To make the glaze:

  1. Combine the brown sugar, milk and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter is melted and everything is smooth, then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute then whisk in the maple syrup, simmer about 30 seconds more, then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla, sifted confectioners’ sugar and salt until smooth and combined. Let the icing cool a few minutes to thicken.

  2. Dip the tops of the pumpkin donuts into the warm glaze. If the glaze starts getting too thick as you’re dipping, you can hold back over the stove for a few seconds to reheat as necessary. Lay the glazed donuts on a wire rack to set. *Sprinkle on any toppings like sprinkles or nuts before the glaze hardens.

  3. Enjoy once the glaze sets or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator a week.