Quick and easy baked pumpkin spice doughnuts coated with either a sweet maple glaze or cinnamon sugar. Either way – they’re absolutely amazing!
I hadn’t made doughnuts in far too long. I bought a doughnut pan about a year ago and used it once to make banana bread doughnuts that we loved. After that I somehow forgot the pan, and it sat unused in the cupboard. It’s a shame, because I missed out on so many easy, impressive baked doughnuts simply because I kept defaulting to muffins instead.
Muffins are fast and simple, and they don’t need any glaze, icing, or sugar to be satisfying. But doughnuts feel different. Plain doughnuts can be underwhelming unless they’re dressed up with a glaze, sugaring, or a drizzle of chocolate. For me, chocolate usually wins when there’s a choice, but these pumpkin spice doughnuts prove that you don’t always need chocolate to be delighted.
These baked pumpkin spice doughnuts are changing my mindset. They’re not difficult to make, they bake quickly, and the pan is easy to fill if you use a simple technique. Finishing them with a maple glaze or a cinnamon-sugar coating takes only a few extra minutes but makes a big difference in flavor and presentation. If you want a small sweet bite instead of a full-sized doughnut, the same batter works perfectly in a mini muffin tin to make doughnut holes—cute, two-bite treats that are hard to stop eating.
These doughnuts don’t have chocolate, and yet they’re delicious. Pumpkin adds warmth and moisture, and the pumpkin spice blend pairs beautifully with a maple glaze or a simple cinnamon-sugar coating. Either finish is satisfying: the maple glaze offers a sweet, syrupy note, while the cinnamon sugar delivers a classic, comforting crunch and spice.
Because the recipe is so forgiving, it’s great for weekday mornings or for a weekend baking session. The dough is straightforward to mix, and you can adapt it to make larger or smaller batches depending on the size of your pan. Baked doughnuts are lighter than their fried counterparts, but they still have the familiar shape and the comforting flavors you want from a doughnut.
Tips for perfect Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts:
- Use a good-quality doughnut pan and coat it very lightly with cooking spray so the doughnuts release easily.
- A convenient way to fill the doughnut cavities is to spoon the batter into a large, resealable plastic bag, snip off a small corner, and pipe the batter into the pan. This keeps things neat and fast.
- If you’re making doughnut holes, a mini muffin tin works great. The batter makes many mini bites, so consider the yield when sizing your pan.
- Both a maple glaze and a cinnamon-sugar coating are excellent choices. Try both to see which you prefer—maple for a sweet, syrupy finish, or cinnamon sugar for a classic, lightly crunchy coating.
- These doughnuts are versatile: you can keep them plain, top them with glaze, roll them in sugar, or try other toppings you enjoy.
These baked pumpkin spice doughnuts are perfect for seasonal breakfasts, coffee breaks, or anytime you want a cozy, spiced treat. They’re simple enough for weeknights but special enough for guests. If you’ve been hesitating to dust off your doughnut pan, this recipe is an easy and delicious way to put it back to use.
