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–+ servings
Baked donuts stacked on a brown plate.
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5 from 2 votes

Baked Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Get ready for a taste of fall with our Baked Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donuts recipe! These delectable treats are a celebration of the cozy flavors of the season, with a vegan twist that makes them perfect for everyone to enjoy. Indulge in the warm, spiced goodness of pumpkin in every delightful bite. Completely Vegan + Gluten-free version.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword: baked, breakfast, brunch, dessert, donuts, doughnuts, easy, fall recipe, fall spices, family-friendly, kid-friendly, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, snack, sweet
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 251kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

PUMPKIN DONUTS:

  • 1 ½ cusp organic all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup organic cane sugar
  • ¾ cup organic pumpkin puree (NOT Pie filling!; See POST for homemade option)
  • 1 ½ tsps baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Homemade pumpkin spice blend
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅓-1/2 cup Almond milk (You can use your fave plant-based milk)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 Tbsps vegetable oil, organic
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PUMPKIN SPICE-SUGAR COATING:

  • 1 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice, store-bought or homemade
  • 4-5 Tbsps vegan butter, melted
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO CREATE THE 'BUTTERMILK":

  • In a bowl or measuring cup, add the milk + apple cider vinegar, whisking together well and letting it sit aside for 5-6 minutes until "activated" and the milk thickens a bit. This creates the "buttermilk".

TO MAKE THE PUMPKIN DONUTS:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray your donut baking pans that has 6-wells.
  • In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, pumpkin spice blend, and sea salt. Finally, stir in the 'buttermilk' (start with ⅓ cup and work your way to the entire ½ cup as needed), pumpkin puree, vanilla, and oil, until combined and batter is thick and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Spoon the batter into a piping bag and pipe batter it into prepared donut pan wells, filling them about ¾ of the way.
  • Bake for 10-13 minutes or until toothpick inserted into donuts comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before releasing the donuts from their pan and unto a cooling rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE PUMPKIN SPICE-SUGAR COATING:

  • Whisk together the sugar and pumpkin spice in a bowl until combined. In a separate bowl, add the melted butter.
  • Once fully cooled, dip (or lightly brush) each side of the donut into the melted butter and then dip each side into the sugar-spice coating mixture, ensuring that you fully coat the edges as well. Then set the coated donut onto a cooling rack to 'set'. Repeat until all donuts are coated.
  • Serve donuts for breakfast/brunch with your favorite cup of coffee or tea or as dessert or a nice sweet snack!
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in a tightly sealed container and best if placed in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for ultimate freshness.
  • FREEZE (LONGER STORAGE): For longer storage, freeze the donuts (uncoated) in an airtight container for up to three months. To serve, defrost the donuts on the counter for several hours. Add the sugar coating just before serving. 
  • SERVING SIZE: This recipe makes 6 standard sized donuts or 12 mini sized donuts. 
  • GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these donuts GF, I recommend using a GF Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mills has a great version!). NOTE: If the batter is too ‘thin + runny’, simply add additional GF flour, ¼ cup at a time.
  • SWEETENER: If you choose to opt out of cane sugar, you can always substitute with coconut sugar, Agave, or pure maple syrup instead. For liquid sweeteners, just adjust the amount of milk you use by reducing the amount to ¼ cup to start, slowly adding up to ½ cup.
  • FLOUR: If you want your donuts to be more of a ‘cakey’ texture, substitute 1 cup of All-purpose flour with Super-Fine Cake Flour. 
  • OIL: Instead of vegetable oil,  you can use melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter, if preferred.
  • PUMPKIN SPICE BLEND: 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ginger, + ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 4767IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg