These Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts are a fall favorite, bursting with warm pumpkin-spice flavor. They bake up moist and tender on the inside with a lightly crisp exterior. An optional cinnamon-sugar coating adds extra sweetness and spice. Made with simple pantry ingredients, these cake-style donuts are easy enough for a weekday treat and special enough for company.
The Only Pumpkin Donut Recipe You Need
When I first tried baking donuts at home I expected a lot of fuss, but after making baked apple cider donuts I discovered how straightforward it can be. These pumpkin cake donuts capture that cozy pumpkin-spice flavor you know and love—think pumpkin spice latte in donut form, but even better because it’s a donut.
They’re especially wonderful during autumn, but they’re tasty any time of year. Light, tender, and perfectly spiced, these donuts are an approachable homemade treat.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
- Canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- Large egg
- Milk (any kind)
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
Add a Cinnamon Sugar Coating!
Optional but delicious: combine ¼ cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon and toss the warm donuts in the mixture for a sweet, spiced finish.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Donuts
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a donut pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: canned pumpkin, egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Avoid over-mixing—tender, fluffy donuts come from a light touch.
Quick tip: Mix until just combined—overworking the batter makes dense donuts.
5. Spoon or pipe batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full.
6. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Remove from the oven.
7. If using the cinnamon-sugar coating, add the sugar and cinnamon to a large resealable bag and shake to combine while the donuts bake.
8. Gently loosen each donut from the pan with a toothpick or fork (don’t stab the donut) and drop it warm into the bag. Seal and shake gently until evenly coated. Transfer the coated donuts to a wire rack to cool slightly, or enjoy one while warm.
9. Let the donuts finish cooling on a wire rack. They’re best the first day, but still tasty warmed up later.
Storage
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2–3 days. If they start to dry out, refresh them by microwaving for a few seconds to restore softness.
More Pumpkin Desserts You’ll Love!
- Pumpkin Crumb Cake
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie
- Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting & Candied Pecans
Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk any kind
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ¼ cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 °F / 175 °C. Lightly grease donut pan.
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Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
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In another bowl whisk pumpkin, egg, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
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Pour wet into dry and fold until no dry streaks remain—do not over-mix.
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Spoon or pipe batter into pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
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Bake 12–14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Combine cinnamon and sugar in a large resealable bag; seal and shake to mix.
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Remove pan from oven, gently nudge each donut out with a toothpick or fork, drop into the bag, seal, and shake to coat.
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Transfer coated donuts to a wire rack to finish cooling, or enjoy warm.