Name: Pumpkin Donut Holes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 9
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg white; 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup milk; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 2 tablespoon cinnamon; 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Pumpkin donut holes that are coated in irresistible cinnamon sugar crust. These baked pumpkin spice donut holes taste just like the real thing!

Have you seen my pumpkin ebook for 25 pumpkin recipe that aren't pie and 1 that is? I think you would love it.

Hand to God, these baked donut holes taste like fried donut holes. I don't know how I did it. There were several versions, but the last one just popped. I sent the recipe to my Mom to try, and she agreed.

It's not just the cinnamon-sugar coating (which all donuts should have, am I right?); there's a creaminess to the muffins. It's unbelievable, until you try it!

If I had to guess, I would say that it's the high amount of baking powder in such a small recipe. This recipe makes just 9 mini muffins, but calls for a full teaspoon of baking powder. It's a balancing act to use this much baking powder; the spices and pumpkin puree really step up to the plate here.

Pumpkin donut holes:

I'm not one to shy away from frying anything (pickles?, ice cream?, veggies?), but in the interest of getting donuts in my face faster, a baked version can really save the day.

Plus, I'd rather slide these pumpkin donut holes into the oven in the mornings than heat up a big pan of oil. It's so much easier to plop batter in a muffin pan, too, isn't it? you really need a mini muffin pan for this recipe, not a full size muffin pan.

Pumpkin spice donut holes

I love that these pumpkin donut holes are baked before being rolled in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. There's hardly anything that isn't made better by dunking in melted butter and cinnamon sugar post-baking.

This is such a great fall breakfast treat, and I love to make it on Friday mornings before school for my daughter. Nine baked pumpkin donut holes is the perfect amount for our family: my daughter can eat two and my husband and I can take care of the rest, hah. It's a challenge to eat seven pumpkin donut holes for us, but we somehow manage--only kidding.

Happy pumpkin season, friends! Can I suggest my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for an after school snack?

If you try these pumpkin donut holes, let me know how you like them! I'd love to hear from you in the comments.

Yield: 9 donut holes

Pumpkin Donut Holes

Pumpkin donut holes with a cinnamon sugar crust.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg white
¼ cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup milk

For the coating:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoon cinnamon
⅓ cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350.
Spray 9 cups in a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Beat in the egg white and pumpkin puree.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just to combine.
Add half of the milk, mix well.
Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, stirring to combine, followed by the last ½ of the milk. Finally, stir in the the last of the dry ingredients.
Divide the mixture into 9 of the mini muffin cups. Do not make more than 9 muffins--pile the dough into the pan evenly.
Bake for 12-13 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan while making the coating: melt the butter and place into a small bowl for dipping.
Stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a shallow bowl for dipping.
Dip each muffin generously in butter, and then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Serve immediately, but will keep for 1 day covered on the counter.

Notes

Please note that this recipe uses a MINI muffin pan.

Comments

Shawnna says

October 01, 2015 at 5:40 am

oh yummy!! These look really good!

Nancy Diehl says

October 01, 2015 at 6:39 am

I was just thinking about making donuts and these will be perfect. Thanks!

Ashley says

October 03, 2015 at 5:18 pm

I just made these and they turned out great! They are very moist on the inside. I would say they are more of a small muffin size (which, to me, is bigger than a donut hole). Today in Pittsburgh it's a cold, windy, rainy day-- these little gems were a great "fall" treat.. thanks for sharing :-)

Ashley

- Christina Lane says
  
  October 03, 2015 at 7:37 pm
  
  I'm so glad to hear it! Thanks for making them, and thanks for letting me know :)
  
bankingonkismet says

October 06, 2015 at 9:09 am

unfortunately, canned pumpkin puree is not available anywhere near where I live. Can i replace it with like boiled and pureed squash instead? or applesauce?

- Christina Lane says
  
  October 08, 2015 at 8:07 pm
  
  Sure, give it a try :)
  
Cheryl R says

February 26, 2016 at 3:59 pm

These are phenomenal!! So light and yummy, and no guilt. Well, almost.... :)

Jeannette says

October 25, 2019 at 8:34 am

I can't get any good (or even decent) donuts where I live, so to me donuts are a real (unfortunately rare) treat. So when I saw your recipe for these baked donut holes I got really excited and was ready to get baking. Until I remembered that I don't own a mini muffin pan. I sat on that realization for a day (and felt sorry for myself and the missed donut opportunity). Then my memory kicked in again - clearly it had been on a little break: my husband bought me a mini muffin pan years ago and I have never used it so far. So straight to the kitchen I went and baked a batch of donut holes. I ate 7 so far in 24h... Clearly, it's dessert for one with those. They are wonderfully soft and moist and the perfect little treat with my afternoon tea. Thanks so much for this great recipe!
P.S.: I replaced the pumpkin puree with apple sauce since that's what I had on hand.

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Pumpkin Donut Holes

Pumpkin donut holes:

Pumpkin spice donut holes