Go Back
Golden brown baked pumpkin donuts coated in cinnamon sugar arranged on white plate with fall decorations

Baked Pumpkin Donuts: The Ultimate Fall Treat That's 40% Healthier Than Fried

These baked pumpkin donuts deliver all the cozy flavors of fall with 40% fewer calories and 60% less saturated fat than fried versions. Moist, spiced, and perfectly tender, they’re a healthier twist on a nostalgic autumn favorite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12 donuts
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 145
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar for deeper flavor
  • 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves blend
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour or cake flour for tenderness
  • Cinnamon Sugar Coating: 3 tbsp sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease donut pan well.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk oil, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree until smooth.
  3. Mix in pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until combined.
  4. Stir in flour gently until batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
  5. Spoon or pipe batter into donut pan, filling 3/4 full.
  6. Bake 15–17 minutes until donuts spring back when touched and edges pull away slightly.
  7. Cool 5 minutes. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a bag, then shake each donut to coat.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to keep donuts tender. Coat with cinnamon sugar only after slight cooling to avoid melting. Only use pumpkin puree, not pie filling.