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This donut hole recipe is baked instead of fried! Pumpkin donut holes are the perfect Fall treat!
Please, nobody throw things at me.
I know it’s still August, but I can not hold out another minute in the pumpkin department. I’ve been working on pumpkin recipes for a month now to be prepared for you guys this Fall, and I’m sorry. These are so good, I could not keep them from you another second. It would have been wrong.
I’m a total sucker for pumpkin donuts and pumpkin muffins, but I wanted to do something a little different this time around. I made baked donut holes instead!
These are a cross between a donut and a muffin and they are so divine.
Please, don’t expect something light and fluffy from these guys. I packed in as much pumpkin as I possibly could so that these would be dense and rich and fudgy. I like my pumpkin goods to remind me of pumpkin pie in both taste and texture!
Speaking of baked goods that are packed with pumpkin, please tell me that you’ve tried my pumpkin coffee cake. It has two full cans of pumpkin, a swirl of cinnamon sugar, and it’s topped with a crunchy streusel topping. It’s by far my most favorite pumpkin treat and the recipe I’m most proud of creating.
Anyway, back to these little pumpkin donuts. They’re baked instead of fried, because I know how much y’all hate frying things. I just bake these in a mini muffin tin to keep them small like donut holes. You can definitely use a regular muffin tin and call these muffins, but adjust your bake time as needed.
Don’t be freaked out by the fact that the entire donut hole gets bathed in a bowl of melted butter. It is divine. Be sure to use salted butter for that step, because the saltiness paired with the cinnamon sugar coating is outrageous.
The rich butter paired with the slightly crunchy cinnamon sugar topping gives these the taste of a fried donut. You’re going to love this recipe! You can also try my applesauce donut muffins, if you’re not quite ready to jump on the pumpkin train.
Pumpkin Donut Holes
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened butter divided
- 1 cup white sugar divided
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together 1/2 cup of butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin until well combined.
- Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Fill the muffin wells 2/3 full. Bake for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out mostly clean. Do not overbake these as you're looking for a fudgy center.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before removing the muffins from the tin.
- Melt the remaining 1/2 cup of butter in a small bowl.
- Stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and teaspoon of cinnamon and place in a second small bowl.
- Dunk each muffin in the butter and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.
Liz Tosti says
I made your Pumpkin Donut Holes after I made your Pumpkin Crunch Cake which came after my pumkin squares, so you get my pumkin addiction. The donut holes were fudgy and of course delicious. I’ve made a plain muffin coated in butter and sugar like this before but I liked the fudgy texture in your mini holes. ย Can’t wait to bring these tomorrow to our family thanksgiving meal. Enjoy your turkey day!
Karly says
Sounds like a pumpkin extravaganza!! ๐
Sarah says
The picture of those little beauties caught my eye. Then I read the description. Fudgy pumpkin donut holes? Ok, now you really have my attention. These look like a dream come true. Dense but not cakey I’d assume. ย Can’t wait to try these.ย
Karly says
Hope you give them a try!
Carmen Weiss says
I CANNOT believe how good these are!! ย I have literally just eaten six and I have just put half in a tupperware to give to a friend! ย Ridiculously tasty!!
Karly says
Dangerous, aren’t they? ๐
Shelley says
I cannot find pumpkin puree — I have looked all over for it. ย Where do you get it?
Karly says
It’s not always stocked year round, depending on the store, but it’s out at every grocery store I’ve been to lately. Walmart also usually has it year round as does Kroger. It’s located in the baking aisle, near the other pie fillings.
Hilary says
These look so good! All of your pumpkin recipes look delicious that I want to make them all! I’m not sure which one to start on first. Haha. By chance, you mentioned making these into muffins instead of donut holes. (I only have regular size muffin tins right now, but I’m definitely going to get some mini ones just because of this recipe.) If you were making them this into muffins, what changes would need to be made in the recipe? Thanks for any advice, and thank you for these scrumptious recipes!ย
Karly says
You might need to bake them a bit longer since they’ll be larger, but otherwise the recipe will work the same. ๐
Debbie says
How did you get them to come out so round? Mine didn’t look that way when they came out of the oven.
Karly says
They’re not really that round…the bottoms are flat, just like on a regular muffin. ๐
Jessica Gavin says
I LOVE baked donuts, especially the holes! I’m so ready for pumpkin and can’t wait to try this recipe. Gorgeous photos Karly!
Karen Alexander says
Does the ground nutmeg go in the batter or in the cinnamon and sugar coating?
Karly says
It gets added to the batter.
Karen says
Do these hold up well? Like can you make them a couple days ahead of time?
Karly says
These are best served sooner than later. The crispy crunchy coating isn’t as crispy and crunchy after it sets for a day or two. ๐
Carol Cox says
Can you use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer?
Karly says
Sure thing!
Molly says
Oh my!!? Pumpkin and donuts and cinnamon sugar! I love that they’re baked instead of fried. These and your pumpkin coffee cake are on my list to make! Pinned! Cant wait to give them a try.
Maegan @thebakermama says
Go Karly Go!! I couldn’t be more ready for all things pumpkin and these donut holes are first on my list. They look amazing!
Karly says
I hope you love them!
Sam @ SugarSpun says
Oh yum! I’m about to start breaking out the pumpkin myself so I don’t think it’s too early! These look scrumptious! ๐
Maria says
Bring on the pumpkin! YUM!
Heather @Boston Girl Bakes says
Shared on facebook ๐ Never too early for pumpkin! These look scrumptious!