Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
These Pumpkin Spice Donut holes are a bite-sized taste of fall without the guilt of whole Pumpkin Spice Donuts! And because they are baked, you are looking at about one-third of the calories of their fried cousin.
You get double the Pumpkin Spice Flavor, as we use pumpkin pie spice in both in the batter of the donut hole and in the spice and sugar mixture that the wee holes are rolled in after they are baked. Move over Pumpkin Spice Latte, and make room for these little spiced pumpkin treats!
Table of Contents
And, not for nothing, the batter components for these baked pumpkin donut holes can be made the night before and refrigerated, making it easier for you to be the hero come breakfast time. In fact, if you are hosting breakfast or brunch this fall or Thanksgiving, make a batch of both these Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes and these Apple Spice Donut Holes. Doubly good!
ingredients for this pumpkin spice doughnut holes recipe
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Canola oil
- Sugar
- Pumpkin Puree
- Eggs
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
can you make your own pumpkin spice?
Absolutely. If you are chomping at the bit to make these doughnut holes, but are out of pumpkin pie spice, don’t fear. You most likely have all the ingredients to make your own. Here’s my recipe to fill a two-ounce jar.
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 2 teaspoons nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- pinch of black pepper
no yeast necessary
This easy donut recipe is a cake doughnut, so no yeast is necessary.
make these baked donut holes in a mini-muffin tin or a donut hole pan
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I used this Wilton Donut Hole pan from Michael’s.(use code 22MADEBYYOU for 20% off) for this donut holes recipe, but it is also available through Walmart.
If you’d prefer, you can make the donut holes in a mini-muffin tin, but just know that they will have a flat side.
Or, you can turn this into a doughnuts recipe by using a donut pan. To make this as a baked donut recipe, follow the recipe and bake at 350° for 18 minutes.
the temperature change when baking is important
This donut holes recipe has the oven at 375° for 6 minutes and then reduces the heat to 350° for another 6-7 minutes. Starting them at the higher temp is one way to help them form the round dome we are looking for.
serving, storing, and reheating your pumpkin spice donut holes
These donut holes are flat out at their very best right out of the oven, having just been tossed in butter and then sugar. Making the components for the baked pumpkin spice donut holes recipe the night before is the best way to serve these donuts fresh and warm.
That being said, if life just doesn’t allow for that that you can still serve fresh donuts to your family and guests if you need to bake them earlier. After you’ve baked the donut holes, let them completely cool, but don’t toss them in the butter or sugar. Store the donuts in a fridge or freezer in an airtight container. The day you want to serve the doughnuts, let them thaw (if frozen). Cover them snugly with aluminum foil and heat them for 5 minutes in a preheated 350° oven. While they are heating, melt the butter, mix the sugar and nutmeg, and then toss the warm donut holes in both as instructed in the recipe.
make the pumpkin spice donut hole recipe the night before
Make your mornings easier by making the batter the night before. Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients but keep them separate. Refrigerate the wet ingredients. In the morning, combine the two and scoop the batter into the donut hole pan or mini-muffin pan per the recipe, but add 1 minute to the time the donuts are baked at 375° to account for the chilled batter.
Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice blend or see note for individual spices
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 224 grams
Donut Topping
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Beat together oil, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin.
- Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and fold until just combined.
- Lightly grease the wells of a donut hole or mini muffin pan.
- Fill the wells with the batter, about 3/4 full.
- Bake the donuts for 6 minutes at 375°F, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for another 6 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and reset the oven to 375°F in preparation for the second tray of donut holes.
- Melt butter and mix sugar and spices for donut topping in separate bowls and pour butter in one rimmed pan and the spiced sugar in another rimmed pan.
- Let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes, then coat them in the melted butter in the baking pan by gently moving the tray back and forth.
- Then, transfer them to the baking tray with the sugar and gently coat them there, by gently moving the tray back and forth.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
Notes
Nutrition
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