Here is my go-to recipe for baked pumpkin donuts with maple glaze, featuring soft, spiced donuts made with real pumpkin puree and topped with a sweet, creamy maple glaze that sets perfectly.
These pumpkin donuts are what my kids ask for every weekend during fall. I always make a double batch because they disappear so quickly. There’s nothing quite like a warm donut with your morning coffee, right?
Why You’ll Love These Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Baked, not fried – These donuts are made in the oven, so they’re lighter than traditional fried donuts and much easier to make at home without any messy oil.
- Quick and easy – Ready in just 25-35 minutes from start to finish, these donuts are perfect for a weekend breakfast treat or when you need something sweet fast.
- Perfect fall flavors – The combination of pumpkin puree and warm pumpkin pie spice gives you all those cozy autumn vibes in every bite.
- Simple pantry ingredients – Most of these ingredients are probably already in your kitchen, making this an easy recipe to whip up whenever the craving hits.
- Maple glaze perfection – The sweet maple glaze on top adds just the right amount of sweetness and makes these donuts feel extra special.
What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?
For these donuts, you’ll want to stick with canned pumpkin puree rather than fresh pumpkin – it’s much more convenient and gives you consistent results every time. Make sure you’re buying plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices and sugar added. Libby’s is a popular brand that works well, but any pure pumpkin puree will do the trick. If you do want to use fresh pumpkin, you’ll need to roast it, scoop out the flesh, and puree it yourself, but honestly, the canned stuff is just as good and saves you a lot of time.
Options for Substitutions
These baked donuts are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here’s what you can try:
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute with whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor, but use about 1 3/4 cups since it’s denser. Gluten-free flour blends work too – just follow a 1:1 ratio.
- Pumpkin pie spice: No pumpkin pie spice? Make your own by mixing 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger, and a pinch of cloves and allspice.
- Canned pumpkin puree: Sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree work great as substitutes. You can also use applesauce, though the flavor will be milder and less seasonal.
- Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar adds more molasses flavor, or you can use regular granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons of molasses mixed in.
- Maple syrup: For the glaze, honey or corn syrup can work in place of maple syrup, though you’ll lose that maple flavor. You could also make a simple powdered sugar glaze with milk instead.
- Unsalted butter: Melted coconut oil or vegetable oil can replace the butter in the donuts, using the same amount. For the glaze, stick with butter since it helps the consistency.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake when making baked donuts is overmixing the batter, which creates tough, dense donuts instead of light and fluffy ones – mix just until the ingredients are combined and you still see a few flour streaks.
Another common error is overfilling the donut pan, so fill each cavity only about 2/3 full to prevent overflow and ensure even baking.
Don’t skip greasing your donut pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray, as pumpkin-based batters tend to stick more than regular cake batters, and let the donuts cool completely in the pan for 5 minutes before turning them out.
For the maple glaze, make sure your donuts are completely cool before dipping them, otherwise the glaze will melt right off and create a sticky mess instead of a smooth coating.
What to Serve With Baked Pumpkin Donuts?
These pumpkin donuts are perfect with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea – the warm spices in the donuts pair beautifully with those cozy fall drinks. I love serving them for weekend brunch alongside some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage to balance out all that sweetness. They’re also great with a tall glass of cold milk, especially if you’re serving them to kids or just want that classic donut shop experience. For a fun fall gathering, try setting them out with hot apple cider or even a pumpkin spice latte for the full autumn vibe.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These pumpkin donuts taste best when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The maple glaze might get a little sticky, but that just makes them extra delicious! If you want to keep them longer, pop them in the fridge for up to a week.
Freeze: You can absolutely freeze these donuts for later! Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. I like to freeze some without the glaze and add it fresh when I’m ready to eat them.
Serve: Thaw frozen donuts at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or give them a quick 10-15 second zap in the microwave. If you stored them without glaze, just whip up a fresh batch of that maple goodness and drizzle it on top before serving.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 25-35 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2300-2500
- Protein: 22-26 g
- Fat: 70-80 g
- Carbohydrates: 380-410 g
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the maple glaze:
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Donut Pan
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
Lightly coat a donut pan with nonstick spray to prevent the donuts from sticking.
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice mix, kosher salt, and baking soda until well blended.
This helps ensure the leaveners and spices are evenly distributed.
Step 3: Prepare Wet Ingredients Mixture
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- dry ingredients from Step 2
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the melted unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar together on medium-high speed until fully combined and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until just combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until the batter comes together and is smooth.
Be careful not to overmix.
Step 4: Bake the Donuts
- batter from Step 3
Scoop the prepared batter evenly into the donut pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly browned and spring back when lightly touched.
Remove the donuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Personally, I like to check them a minute early—they can dry out quickly if left too long.
Step 5: Make the Maple Glaze
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
While the donuts are baking or cooling, prepare the glaze.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the maple syrup to a gentle boil and cook until it reduces to about 1/2 cup, approximately 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until the butter has completely melted.
Then sift in the powdered sugar, whisking vigorously until the glaze is smooth and glossy.
Step 6: Glaze and Serve Donuts
Once donuts are cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes), dip the tops of each donut into the warm glaze from Step 5.
Set the glazed donuts on a wire rack to allow the glaze to set before serving.
Enjoy the donuts warm or at room temperature!
For extra flavor, I sometimes sprinkle a little more pumpkin pie spice on top right after glazing.
Tasty Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the maple glaze:
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly coat a donut pan with nonstick spray to prevent the donuts from sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice mix, kosher salt, and baking soda until well blended. This helps ensure the leaveners and spices are evenly distributed.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the melted unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar together on medium-high speed until fully combined and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until just combined. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until the batter comes together and is smooth. Be careful not to overmix.
- Scoop the prepared batter evenly into the donut pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly browned and spring back when lightly touched. Remove the donuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Personally, I like to check them a minute early—they can dry out quickly if left too long.
- While the donuts are baking or cooling, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the maple syrup to a gentle boil and cook until it reduces to about 1/2 cup, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until the butter has completely melted. Then sift in the powdered sugar, whisking vigorously until the glaze is smooth and glossy.
- Once donuts are cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes), dip the tops of each donut into the warm glaze from Step 5. Set the glazed donuts on a wire rack to allow the glaze to set before serving. Enjoy the donuts warm or at room temperature! For extra flavor, I sometimes sprinkle a little more pumpkin pie spice on top right after glazing.
