Get into the fall spirit with these pumpkin donuts that are baked (not fried!) and have the finishing touch of a sweet cream cheese icing.
Baked donuts FOR THE WIN. I’ve had a donut baking pan ever since we got married (we only registered for the essentials, obviously). I’ve used it several times, but nothing has been overly mind-blowing—at least not worth sharing the recipe for—until recently.
I’ve been on a mission lately to perfect some fall recipes I’ve tried in the past, so they could become a yearly occurrence in our house. I don’t know about you, but I love associating certain foods with the time of year. It’s something to look forward to and just throws you into the mindset of the season.
There are a few recipes I always make once I officially break out the pumpkin at this time of year (i.e., Spiced Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip, etc.). And now I’ve got another one to add to the list!
These pumpkin donuts are a treat no matter when you enjoy them. They don’t take too long to make, so unlike some recipes that have to bake forever, making you regret the time-consuming breakfast prep, you simply need to mix the batter, spoon (or pipe) it into a 6-ring donut pan, and bake for a whopping 10 or so minutes.
While the donuts are baking, that’s when I put the cream cheese icing together. So once they’re out of the oven and slightly cooled (or not, let’s be real), you’re ready to drizzle the icing over the top using a piping bag (read: Ziploc bag with a hole in it because I’m stingy with my legitimate piping bags).
These donuts taste best on the day they were baked. However, if you’re not going to eat all six at once, just store them in the fridge and you can enjoy them leftover. I noticed they seemed more dense than fluffy, like when they were first baked, but they still have that indulgent flavor combo of pumpkin, spices, and cream cheese that you’re wanting.
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying them as a mid-morning treat with the remainder of my coffee. I hope you enjoy them as well!
Adapted from Live Well Bake Often
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 Tbs confectioners' sugar
- 2 tsp milk (add more if you want thinner icing)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and coat a 6-ring donut pan with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.
- Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Spoon (or pipe) the batter into the donut pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
- Using an electric mixer, mix all icing ingredients together until smooth.
- Once the donuts have at least partially cooled, drizzle* the icing over the tops.
Notes:
*To ice the donuts, you can either use a piping bag to create a criss-cross pattern, or you can add more milk to the icing to thin it, using a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the donuts.
Is there anything better than a sweet, freshly baked breakfast to go along with a bottomless cup of hot coffee? It’s just the BEST.
What’s your top donut flavor/type? (I’m a sucker for either glazed with chocolate icing or a maple-iced donut.)
Looks amazing!!
Thank you!! 🙂