Pumpkin Donuts

These fried pumpkin donuts are pumpkin shaped, super soft and fluffy, and coated in a dusting of cinnamon sugar. The cutest, tastiest fall pumpkin donuts! We've also included an easy spiced pumpkin cream filling if you want to make these filled pumpkin donuts. Follow our detailed step by instructions with photos to guide you through the process. For more pumpkin recipes, also try our pumpkin spiced cinnamon rolls and pumpkin dinner rolls!

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• Ingredients needed
• How to make pumpkin donuts
• Recipe notes
• Storage
• Reheating
• FAQs
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Ingredients needed

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!

For the pumpkin donuts:

• Active dry yeast - This is the pumpkin donut's leavening agent and our pantry staple yeast because it's versatile and can be used in most recipes. If you only have instant yeast, it can be substituted in equal amount. See our FAQ section below for more details.
• All-purpose flour - We like to use all-purpose flour because it's the most accessible flour and it's the most affordable as well. Plus, it's got just enough gluten to create a beautiful, soft and fluffy dough without the end product being too chewy, which is exactly what we want for donuts.
• Pumpkin puree - You can use either can pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree. For can pumpkin puree, make sure it's 100% pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie mix. If you're making homemade pumpkin puree, make sure to blend it until smooth and note that you may or may not need to use more or less flour due to the varying moisture content.

• Milk, egg, and unsalted butter - These help enrich the dough, making the donuts even tastier. Make sure to use unsalted butter though! This will help to ensure you have full control of the flavor.
• Sugar and salt - To season the dough. For the sugar, make sure to use granulated sugar or caster sugar! Larger crystals of sugar may not dissolve properly in the dough.
• Pumpkin spice - to give our pumpkin donuts a hint of pumpkin spice, which makes our donut tastes better and more like a "pumpkin"!
• Sugar and ground cinnamon - These two ingredients are all you need to make the cinnamon sugar that will coat the outside of the donuts.

(Optional) For the spiced pumpkin cream filling:

• Cream cheese - Not only is cream cheese a classic and a great combo for pumpkin and pumpkin spiced things, it's also a great a great base for our cream filling to give it a thicker consistency.
• Pumpkin puree - To give our cream filling some pumpkin flavor. Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie mix, if you're using can pumpkin puree!
• Pumpkin spice - To add a little oomph to the cream because sweet pumpkin recipes always taste better with a little pumpkin spice or cinnamon! You can use either premixed pumpkin spice or make your own! To make your own, use the ratio below, but feel free to adjust the ratio to your preference:
  • 3TBSP ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 teaspoon ground cloves or ground allspice (or half and half of each)
  • 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Vanilla extract - Adding a little vanilla is totally option since there's always pumpkin spice, but it definitely adds another layer of flavor.
• Powdered sugar - It is highly recommended that you use powdered sugar because it dissolves the easiest, which is very important for making a smooth cream.
• Heavy cream - The cream lightens up the pumpkin cream and also keeps the cream stiff.

How to make pumpkin donuts

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!

For the dough:

1. Activate the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and give it a stir. Set it aside and allow the yeast to dissolve and activate, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Combine dry ingredients. In the stand mixer bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, and pumpkin spice. Mix to combine.

3. Knead the dough. Once the yeast has dissolved and activated, add it to the flour mixture along with the pumpkin puree and egg. Using the hook attachment, mix on medium low speed until the dough roughly comes together. Then increase the speed to medium high and knead the dough until it's smooth, supple, and passes the window pane test.

📝 Note: This dough is a little on the sticky side and depending on your environment, it may need an extra tablespoon of flour. BUT don't add too much or the rolls will become dense!

4. Add butter. Once the dough passes the window pane test, add the 3 tablespoons of softened butter and knead the dough on medium speed until all the butter is absorbed. If you want to quicken this process, we recommend kneading and incorporating the by hand.

Proof and shape:

5. First proof. After the butter has been incorporated, round out the dough and transfer to a clean bowl. Allow it to proof in a warm area until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

6. Prepare shaping tools and equipment. While the dough is proofing, prepare 1-2 sheet pans (depending their size), 12 small squares of parchment paper (about 3x3 inches), and 12 pieces of butcher's twine (about 25 inches long each).

7. Divide dough. Once the dough has doubled, punch down the dough to deflate it and roughly knead it back to its original size. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface or a pastry mat lightly dusted with flour. Evenly divide the pumpkin dough into 12 equal pieces and round each piece into a tight ball. Lightly dust as needed.

8a. If keeping the donuts a circle: Place each piece of dough ball, seam side down, on a piece of prepared parchment square.

8b. If shaping donuts into pumpkins: Working with 1 dough ball at a time, place a piece of butcher's twine straight on the work surface and place a dough ball, smooth side down, at the center of the twine.

Gently, twist the twine over the center of the dough and repeat this process 3 more times until there's 8 equal segments wrapping around the dough ball.

Gently tie up the ends of the twine to keep the twine in place and place the dough on a piece of prepared parchment square. Repeat this process with the remaining dough balls.

🌟 Pro tip: Don't wrap the twine around the dough too tightly, just enough to keep the twine in place is enough. This is because the dough will expand as it proof later.

9. Second proof. Allow the donuts to proof in a warm, moist area until almost doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If proofing in an open environment, make sure to keep the donuts covered with sometime that does not does not touch them.

For the cinnamon sugar:

While waiting on the donuts to proof, make the cinnamon sugar. In a plate or a wide bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside until needed.

(Optional) For the spiced pumpkin cream filling:

You can save time by making this filling while the donuts are in their second proof.

1. Mix together the base. In a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and vanilla. Using a handmixer, mix until well combined. Scrape down bowl as needed.

2. Add powdered sugar. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until well combined and no more lumps of powder sugar is visible. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

3. Finish. Add the heavy cream and mix on low speed until the mixture becomes a little thicker.

Then increase the speed to medium or medium high and mix until the pumpkin cream reaches stiff peak. Transfer the cream to a pipping bag fitted with a round tip or a Bismark tip (this is a long, round tip made for filling donuts). Keep refrigerated until needed.

💡Hand mixer alternative: You can also make the pumpkin cream in the stand mixer, using the paddle attachment.

Fry and assemble the donuts:

1. Prepare frying station. When the donuts are almost doubled, prepare the frying station. In a pot, add about 1½ to 2 inches oil and heat it to 325°F. Also, prepare a plate lined with paper towels or a sheet pan with a cooling rack, a spider strainer and/or tongs, a thermometer, and keep the prepared cinnamon sugar close by.

2. Fry the donuts. Once the donuts have doubled in size and the oil is at 325°F, pick up a donut by the parchment paper and gently place it into the oil.

Allow the donut to fry for a few seconds and the parchment paper should release from the donut. Remove the parchment paper and fry the donut for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Fry in smaller batches as needed.

3. Drain oil. When the donuts are done frying, remove from the oil and allow them to drain on the prepare plate or sheet pan.

4a. If making round donuts: While the donuts are hot, roll them in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.

4b. If making pumpkin donuts: Use kitchen shears to cut the twine that's on the donuts as soon as possible. It'll be hot, but start removing the twines off the donuts. While the donuts are still hot, roll them in cinnamon sugar until well coated.

(Optional) If filling donuts with pumpkin cream:

1. Cool donuts. Allow the donuts to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they are at room temperature.

2. Hollow out donuts. Then insert a chopstick or the base of a spoon into one edge of a round donut or through the top of the pumpkin donuts where the criss-cross meets. Wiggle the utensil around to create a large space inside.

3. Fill donuts with pumpkin cream. Insert the pipping tip into the hole you just created and pipe as much pumpkin cream into the donut as possible. You'll see the donut expanding. Stop once the cream starts to overflow from the hole. Repeat with remaining donuts.

Recipe notes

• Properly measure the flour and wet ingredients. This is SUPER important for all baking recipes and will greatly affect whether the end result. Either use a scale to measure (the most preferred method) or use the fluff, spoon, and level method.
• Use fresh oil if possible. This is important because donuts are heavy in flavor, so if your oil has other flavors in it, the donuts will very likely pick it up as well. Plus, it'll also ensure the donuts don't become too dark.
• Keep the oil between 315°F and 335°F. If the oil is too low in temperature, the dough will likely soak up too much oil and taste greasy, and the donut may not be cooked through. However, if the temperature is too high, the donuts can become too dark too quickly while the dough is still raw on the inside.
• Coat the donuts with cinnamon sugar while they're still hot. Once the donuts cool too much, the cinnamon sugar may not stick as well.
• Fill the donuts once they are cooled. This is especially important because the spiced pumpkin cream is partially made with heavy cream, which melts when in contact with heat. So do let the donuts cool!

Storage

Leftover pumpkin donuts that are not filled can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Just make sure they are completely cooled before storing. Filled donuts are best enjoyed the day of. So do avoid filling more donuts than you will eat.

These fried pumpkin donuts also freeze really well if they are not coated with cinnamon sugar. So if you can't finish eating them within 3 days, store them in an airtight container or freezer bags for up to 2 months.

The cream can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheating

These pumpkin donuts, just like kkwabaeggi and regular donuts, tastes best the day off or with a little reheating in the microwave.

To reheat leftover pumpkin donuts, place the donuts in a microwave safe container and microwave briefly until warmed through and soft again, about 10 to 15 seconds. Frozen, uncoated donuts should be thawed first before reheating, and once hot, rolled in cinnamon sugar.

If you wish to fill the reheated donuts, allow them too cool just warm before filling with the pumpkin cream.

FAQs

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