Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft baked pumpkin donuts are filled with fall spices, and topped with a creamy maple-cinnamon cream cheese frosting. A healthier alternative to fried donuts that is easy to prepare, and fun to make with kids!

Someone stop me. Please!

I have another pumpkin recipe today!

Let's recap: Pumpkin Biscuits. Butternut Lasagna. And now Pumpkin Donuts. And this is coming from a non-pumpkin person. What on earth is going on?!

Like any obsession, this one is just going to have to run it's course. So here we go. Baked Pumpkin Donuts.

Not just any pumpkin donuts. Baked pumpkin donuts with a spiced maple cream cheese frosting. And I'm not going to lie to you. These donuts are all about the frosting.

I am such a sucker for cream cheese frosting. It is the entire reason I eat carrot cake. It is sweet, tangy, smooth, creamy, just so perfect.

For this cream cheese frosting, I added cinnamon, maple syrup, and maple extract. The predominant flavors are the cream cheese and the cinnamon, but you can get that little hint of the maple syrup. I'm Canadian, so I have to like maple syrup, and say eh, and apologize all the time. Actually all three of these things are true 😉

Sorry, I digressed, eh?

Anywho. These donuts. They are like little spongy pumpkin cakes with all those awesome pumpkin pie spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.

It takes about 15 minutes, if you are going  S U P E R   S L O W  to get this pumpkin donut batter together. So. Simple. They bake up in 10 minutes.

You can make these into donut holes, if you prefer, by baking them in mini muffin pans for the same amount of time. Although, I actually find the donut holes more dangerous: it is easier to convince myself to pop one in my mouth then it is to commit to eating a whole donut. So maybe I should stick to donuts from now on?

The cream cheese frosting is also superduperfast to whip up, however you do need to remember to let the cream cheese come to room temperature.

Uh huh. So another day, another pumpkin recipe. Happy Tuesday!!

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

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Soft baked pumpkin donuts are filled with fall spices, and topped with a creamy maple-cinnamon cream cheese frosting. A healthier alternative to fried donuts that is easy to prepare, and fun to make with kids!

8

Ingredients

Pumpkin Donuts

• ▢ 1 cups all purpose flour (125 g; fluffed, spooned & levelled)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
• ▢ ⅓ cup milk

Maple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup cream cheese {brought to room temperature}
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 4 tablespoon maple syrup
• ▢ ½ teaspoon maple extract
• ▢ heavy cream {as needed to thin out frosting}

Instructions 

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease a standard donut pan and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, beat eggs lightly, and mix in brown sugar, stirring until no lumps remain. Stir in the pumpkin, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
• Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until smooth.
• Spoon into the greased donut pan, filling ⅔ full.
• Bake for 8-11 minutes, until donuts spring back to the touch.
• Cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Frost when cooled.

Maple-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, beat until smooth.

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Tips:

Do not frost donuts until just before eating. Donuts will keep in a sealed container for up to three days, while frosting will keep in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 177kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 113mg, Potassium: 154mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 1730IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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