If you don’t have a busy Sunday, I’d suggest you make these for breakfast stat. They are seriously amazing.
A couple of weeks ago, I made these pumpkin donuts topped with cinnamon and sugar and all three of my boys (and me, let’s be honest) went nuts over them. They were so good, in fact, that I’ve decided to make them Christmas morning for my whole family when we’re all home together for the holidays. Rest assured, this will be no easy task given the number of mouths I have to feed.
As one of five daughters (no boys… my poor dad… blah, blah, blah.. not original) who live in five different cities across the country, Christmas is the single holiday we almost always all get together to celebrate. This year, all five girls will be home together for over a week. That means that on Christmas morning, I’ll be feeding five daughters, two parents, two brothers-in-law, and four grand children, all of whom enjoy a good donut indulgence. I have full faith that many of them will eat more than one.
I’m also no dummy. I’m not about to feed an army of faces with a fussy, complicated recipe on Christmas morning. Instead, this recipe is quite simple and comprised of pretty common ingredients probably found in your pantry. You might have to buy a donut pan (I’ve got this 6 cavity pan and this 12 mini cavity pan) if you don’t keep one of those on hand, but beyond that you’re golden.
If you give them a shot, be sure to let me know what you think.
Oh yeah. If you’re a 3 year old little boy dredging delicious pumpkin donuts in cinnamon and sugar in the comfort of your own kitchen, no shirts required. I’m pretty sure he thinks they’re overrated.

Pumpkin Donuts
Ingredients
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups pumpkin puree
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp butter for coating pan
- 2 tbsp flour for coating pan
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350.
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In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin puree, and brown sugar.
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In a smaller bowl, combine the cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while stirring.
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Coat donut cavities in the pan with a bit of butter. Lightly sprinkle the flour over the donut cavities, shaking and swirling the pan to create a light layer of butter/flour to prevent the donuts from sticking to the pan.
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Fill each donut cavity about 3/4 full with batter (any more full and the donuts will rise over the edges of the tray).
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Bake for 10-12 minutes.
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Allow the donuts to cool on a cooling rack.
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While they are cooling, melt 3-4 tbsp butter (can do this in increments if easier). Mix ½ cup sugar + 2 tbsp cinnamon mixed for the dredge.
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Brush the donuts with butter, roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture, and enjoy!
[…] I made my whole family (two parents, five daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandkids) fresh, homemade pumpkin donuts. Reminded of the health benefits of pumpkin and it’s perfect place in any holiday menu, I […]