Description
These Pumpkin Streusel Donuts combine the warm spices of fall with a tender cake-like texture, topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel and finished with a sweet cinnamon glaze. Perfect for autumn breakfasts, brunch, or a cozy snack, these baked donuts are easy to make and delightfully flavorful.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Donuts:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Streusel:
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a donut pan with baking spray to ensure the donuts don’t stick and set it aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Beat them together until the mixture is creamy and well combined, creating a smooth base for your donut batter.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat until fully incorporated, which will help add moisture and flavor to the batter.
- Incorporate Pumpkin Puree: Blend the pure pumpkin puree into the wet mixture. This adds moisture and that classic autumn flavor to the donuts.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, beating until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
- Fill Donut Pan: Spoon the thick batter into a large resealable plastic bag and snip off one corner to create a piping bag. Pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling only about half full to allow space for rising and topping.
- Prepare and Add Streusel: In a small bowl, mix together the light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and ground cinnamon for the streusel. Stir in the melted unsalted butter until the mixture is crumbly and moistened. Generously sprinkle the streusel over each donut, pressing gently so that it completely fills the donut cavity to the top.
- Bake: Place the donut pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the donut part comes out clean and the streusel topping is golden and set.
- Cool Donuts: Remove the donuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before glazing.
- Prepare and Drizzle Glaze: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk (start with 1 tablespoon and add more to reach desired consistency), and cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle this glaze over the cooled donuts evenly. Allow the glaze to set for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Storage: After baking and cooling, place donuts in an airtight container or a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best texture.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Alternative: Instead of using individual spices (cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon), use 3 ½ teaspoons of store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice mix for convenience and consistent flavor.
- Mini Muffins Option: To make donut holes, use a mini muffin pan and bake at 350°F for about 8 minutes for a bite-sized treat.
- Glaze Consistency: Begin by adding 1 tablespoon of milk to the powdered sugar and cinnamon, whisking it together. Add more milk little by little until you achieve a pourable but not overly runny glaze, ideal for drizzling.
- Donut Filling: Fill each donut cavity only halfway with batter before adding streusel—it should fill the cavity completely.
- Refer to the full blog post for additional tips, tricks, and substitutions to customize this recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
