Super soft and fluffy baked pumpkin donuts are dipped in a rich cream cheese glaze and perfect for any fall occasion.

Welcoming fall with a big ol’ pumpkin donut smothered in cream cheese glaze just seems like the only way to do things around here.

BAKED donuts, mind you. So go ahead, have that third one.

And please don’t mind me over here eating that incredible glaze with a spoon.

While I have a soft spot for traditional fried pumpkin donuts, these soft, cakey donuts are kinda in an entire category of their own! They’re more than appropriate for breakfast as well as a snack or dessert.

These Pumpkin Donuts feature…

A moist and fluffy interior
Lots of pumpkin spice flavor
A rich cream cheese glaze coating

Making the Pumpkin Donuts

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

Brown sugar
Pumpkin puree
Maple syrup
Egg
Vegetable oil
Buttermilk
Vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Pumpkin pie spice
Salt
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
2% or skim milk

Muffin Pan Instructions

These donuts can easily be converted to muffins instead if you don’t have a donut pan! Line a muffin tin with paper liners, fill liners 3/4 full with batter, and bake muffins at 350F 15-20 minutes until muffins spring back when lightly touched.

Tips for Perfect Donuts

Measure flour correctly – I use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife.
Gently fold batter – use a light hand when folding the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients to prevent overmixing.
Pipe batter into donut pan – I find that scooping the batter into a sealable bag, snipping a corner off, and piping it into the donut pan is much less messy than trying to spoon batter into each donut mold.
Bake donuts until they spring back when touched – these donuts bake up fast and should only take 12-15 minutes.
Allow donuts to cool before glazing – the glaze will melt off if you try to glaze the donuts while they’re still warm. For best results, allow donuts to cool completely.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on these donuts.

Flavor glaze – try flavoring glaze with a little maple syrup, grated orange zest, or extra spices.
Use another glaze – dip donuts in a regular powdered sugar glaze or chocolate ganache.
Dip donuts in cinnamon sugar – skip the glaze and instead brush warm donuts with melted butter and dip in cinnamon sugar.
Add chocolate or nuts – fold 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or toasted chopped pecans into the batter.

Storing and Freezing Donuts

Due to the cream cheese glaze, I recommend storing donuts in refrigerator until ready to serve.

To freeze donuts, allow to cool completely and do not dip in glaze. Freeze donuts up to 2 months and coat in glaze after thawing.

Friends, this is falls finest all wrapped up into a few luscious bites! The sweet pumpkin spice flavor works pure magic with all that cream cheese glaze on top.

Kinda like a form of pumpkin cheesecake and boy, life doesn’t get any better than that.

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More pumpkin baked goods to try next!

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