Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Soft cakey pumpkin donut base topped with brown sugar icing and a maple glaze make up these amazing Baked Pumpkin Donuts. Each bite is sweet and delicious you’d never even know they’re gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan! The most perfect treat for autumn or any time of the year!

I know pumpkin desserts are usually only associated with autumn but quite frankly not every place in the world gets to experience a cool crisp autumn. 

Everyone should be able to enjoy pumpkin treats like my pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting, my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and my Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars at any time of the year!

So yes, these baked pumpkin donuts are perfect for crisp fall air but they’re just as delicious at any time of the year, just like my Pumpkin Cupcakes and my pumpkin banana muffins!

Love donuts? Check out my Maple Donuts, Triple Chocolate Donuts, Red Velvet Donuts and Baked Apple Cider Donuts.

Ingredient Notes

• Brown Sugar: Light and dark brown sugar are in the donut itself for that molasses like flavor and both types are also in the icing!

• Pure Pumpkin: Of course we need this for our pumpkin donuts! Make sure to use this and not pumpkin pie filling, just like in my Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.

• Cinnamon: This spice gives the donuts that mild woody flavor that pairs perfectly with the brown sugars and pumpkin.

• Maple Syrup: I like to use pure grade a maple syrup for my glaze. It’s sweet and delicious. 

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

Can These Donuts be Vegan?

How to Make these Vegan

• Make sure your gluten free flour is free from dairy.
• Use a non dairy milk of choice.
• Make sure to use vegan baking sticks.
• Read the label on your pumpkin purée to make sure there are no hidden ingredients. 
• Use only pure maple syrup. 

How to Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Here are the step by step instructions to make these donuts!

For the Donuts

Step 1: Grease the Pans and Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two donut pans and set aside.

Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients Together

Whisk the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside. 

Step 3: Make the Cornstarch Water

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water with a spoon until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugars, cornstarch water mixture, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold everything together gently just until combined and no flour pockets remain.

Step 4: Pipe the Batter

Spoon the batter into a zip topped bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling almost all the way. Smooth the tops with a knife, spatula or back of a spoon. This is important with gluten free otherwise they might end up misshapen. 

Step 5: Bake

Bake for 11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Cool donuts in the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining batter.

For the Icing

Step 1: Heat the Ingredients

Combine the brown sugars, water and butter or vegan baking stick in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and sifted confectioners’ sugar until smooth and combined. Taste, then add a pinch of salt. Let the icing cool for 5 minutes to slightly thicken.

Step 2: Dip the Donuts

Dip the tops of the pumpkin donuts into the warm icing. If icing is getting too thick as you’re dipping, add a little more water or warm back up in the microwave or on the stove to thin out. Place dipped donuts on a wire rack placed on top of wax or parchment paper so any excess icing can drip off. Let icing harden. 

Step 3: Make the Maple Drizzle

Combine all ingredients together with a whisk and drizzle on top of brown sugar icing once it has cooled. Enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips 

• Fill the Donut Pans- Make sure you fill them to almost the top. Filling them this much helps them get that nice height.
• Smooth the Tops- Before they go into the oven, take the back of a small spoon or a butter knife and smooth any lumps on the tops of the donuts. Many gluten free flours tend to remain the way you put them so if they are bumpy, that’s how they will look when baked.

Other Donut Recipes You'll Love

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📖 Recipe

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Author: Lee

Soft cakey pumpkin donut base topped with brown sugar icing and a maple glaze make up these amazing Pumpkin Donuts. Each bite is sweet and delicious you’d never even know they’re gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan! The most perfect treat for autumn or any time of the year!

5 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 11 minutes mins

Total Time 31 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 14 Donuts

Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Donuts:

• ▢ 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 4 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons of water
• ▢ 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ▢ ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk of choice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Brown Sugar Icing:

• ▢ ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegan baking stick
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1.5 cups confectioners sugar sifted
• ▢ Pinch of salt

For the Maple Drizzle:

• ▢ 1.5 cups confectioners sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons of water

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two donut pans and set aside.
• Make the donuts: Whisk the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside. 
• In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water with a spoon until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugars, cornstarch water mixture, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold everything together gently just until combined and no flour pockets remain.
• Spoon the batter into a zip topped bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling almost all the way. Smooth the tops with a knife, spatula or back of a spoon. This is important with gluten free otherwise they might end up misshapen. 
• Bake for 11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Cool donuts in the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Make the Icing: Combine the brown sugars, water and butter or vegan baking stick in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and sifted confectioners’ sugar until smooth and combined. Taste, then add a pinch of salt. Let the icing cool for 5 minutes to slightly thicken. Dip the tops of the pumpkin donuts into the warm icing. If icing is getting too thick as you’re dipping, add a little more water or warm back up in the microwave or on the stove to thin out. Place dipped donuts on a wire rack placed on top of wax or parchment paper so any excess icing can drip off. Let icing harden. 
• For the Maple Drizzle: Combine all ingredients together with a whisk and drizzle on top of brown sugar icing once it has cooled. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 2gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 40IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mg

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This recipe was adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction Baked Pumpkin Donut recipe.