Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
Celebrate Autumn with these quick and easy Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes!
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I have a slight obsession with donut holes. Seriously. I mean bite-sized anything is just awesome to begin with, but bite-sized donuts? Yes, please. (And I’m not really sure where the spelling donut vs. doughnut came from…so let’s just go with it.)
When I was a kid, I always stared in wide-eyed wonderment at the donut holes in the local bakery. As a special treat, my sister and I would occasionally get to stop by the bakery and pick out some donuts for breakfast the next day. My sister would usually go for the chocolate sprinkle version, but I was always drawn straight to the donut holes. Simple glazed donut holes. Is it sad that I can barely remember my birthday, but I can recall such vivid memories about donuts?
In honor of Fall, I decided to whip up a quick batch of these Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes. And when I say quick, I mean quick. This is just a simple batter, and it’s dropped in mini-muffin tins to bake. Wilton makes a donut hole pan, but I’m just running out of room for bakeware. (I suspect that my wife wouldn’t be too happy with me if I started storing bakeware in her closet.) Nope, the mini-muffin tins worked just fine. Ok, maybe the donut holes weren’t perfectly round, but they were close enough. We’re not talking artwork here, folks…they’re donut holes! They’re meant to be eaten. In one bite…or maybe two.
I have an uncanny ability to find amazing donut shops. There’s The Donut Den in Nashville, Mary Lee Doughnuts in Baton Rouge, Sublime Doughnuts in Atlanta…need I continue? Here in upstate New York, apple cider donuts are all the rage, and nearly every apple orchard also makes apple cider donuts. Hmmm, I just realized I’ve never seen apple cider donut holes. That’s a problem that needs addressing…and quickly. But for now, I’m perfectly content with these Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes! (For more doughnut shop awesomeness, check out these Glazed Apple Fritters that I posted a couple of weeks ago.)
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
Ingredients
For the Donut Holes
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- ½ Tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ Tbsp baking powder
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour
For the Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk
- ½ Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except for the flour (oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and baking powder).
- Add the flour and stir until just absorbed. (Tip: Take care not to overmix the batter.)
- Spray a mini-muffin pan with baking spray. Fill each cup approximately ½ full with batter. Bake at 425°F for 9-10 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Transfer donut holes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the Glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Dip each donut hole into the Glaze and return it to the cooling rack. Let Glaze dry before serving (~10-15 minutes).
Oh my ~ these look amazing!!!
Thanks, Phronsie! And the best part is they are super easy to make. Can’t go wrong with an easy donut! 🙂
Really – who cares about looks when pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon are involved!!!! I just checked out Sublime Donuts online and their burger donuts look unreal! What a fantastic idea to stuff a donut! We live a stone’s throw from a Krispy Kreme and when my daughter was little, she loved to look at the donuts on the conveyor belt – but she never developed a taste for donuts – though if they were flavored with pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon – like yours – it might have been a different story!
Now how in the heck was your daughter able to stand there and watch the hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts come off the conveyor belt and NOT develop a taste for them?? We don’t have Krispy Kreme up here which kinda makes me sad. But we do have the local farms for apple cider donuts every Fall. Laura and I actually just drove out last Saturday to get a donut from one of the better farms…it was a great chance to see the leaves turning up here. And yes, you must check out Sublime Donuts. I’m not familiar with their burger, but the donuts themselves rock!
Haha – guess she must have gotten that bit from me – I could eat myself out of a small pool of Krispy Kreme glaze, but I never was a fan of their donuts – never had a pumpkin spiced donut though – I know I am so so deprived! Now, donuts from a farm might have a different appeal all together! I bet it’s gorgeous up there in y’alls neck of the woods now – leaves have haven’t quite changed colors over here – not yet anyway.
The “burger donuts” I saw on the Sublime Donuts website was a donut stuffed with ice cream – I think that donut would be equal to 3 shots of espresso!
Rule #1… never, EVER, under ANY circumstances should you judge a book (or a doughnut) by its cover 🙂 #PassTheDoughnutsPlease!
Haha! And what is Rule #2, Becca? Eat as many doughnuts as possible? Because I’m pretty sure that’s my Rule #1a. 🙂 #DoughnutsIncoming
Oh my gah… what was I thinking?! Of COURSE rule #1 should be “indulge in doughnuts whenever possible!” #SillyMe #PassTheDoughnutsPlease 😀
I’ve never had donut holes before, but this seems like an amazing way to try them for the first time.
Oh man, Dannii! Donut holes are the best. Basically they’re donuts that are perfect for just popping into your mouth. And, of course, when pumpkin and cinnamon are involved…then everything is better!!
Soooo I know where I’m going to be later today…you can find me at Sublime Doughnuts. 😉
There is some serious glaze on these doughnuts! They look beyond delicious! And who cares if they aren’t round? That makes them easier and I say, the easier the better!! Pinned!
Haha…if I was anywhere close to Atlanta, I might just have to meet you there, Lindsey! I love me some Sublime. 🙂 They might be Franken-donuts, but they taste great…I should have put some mace in there, though!
As I can judge from their website, their donuts aren’t very pretty but, like Becca said, don’t judge a doughnut by its cover! And I am sure my visit there would be much better if you could join! Work on that will ya?
ps- next time…mace!
I know…I know! I should have used mace. I’m gonna have to get some next time I’m at the store…just because you’ve sold me on it! And I could go for a Sublime donut with you today…meet you there in oh, 14-16 hours (depending on traffic)? 🙂
I love glazed donut holes too. And when you make them with pumpkin, it’s a double win in my book!! 🙂
I couldn’t agree more, Renee! Doughnut holes are already amazing enough…and then you throw in some Fall flavors? I think I’m in heaven. 🙂
Just going to say a big and quick YEAH YEAH YEAH to these donuts. I’m in love!
YEAH! Donut lovers unite, Pamela! 🙂
Wilton makes a donut hole pan?! I had no idea! But you’re right- the mini muffin pan worked just fine and these look great! going to check out your Glazed Apple Fritters now!
Yeah I know…go figure about the donut hole pan. Seems kinda cool, but then again it’s a uni-tasker. At least I can make mini-muffins with the muffin pan, too. 🙂
No yeast! Yay! 🙂 What a great idea to use a mini muffin pan for doughnut holes. I like the way you think!
I knew you’d love these non-yeasted donut holes, Tamara! 🙂
Love donut holes! But pumpkin spice donut holes are even more amazing! Can’t wait to try the recipe out!
Thanks, Jess! 🙂
Found these sweet little gems on Pinterest. I live in N.E. TN and the leaves are beginning to change…..as are my taste buds ! Thoughts of pumpkin, hot cider and big steaming pots of soup are on my fall menu. I had everything to make these and I christened my new mini muffin pan. Delish !
I absolutely love northeastern TN! I went to summer camp in Boone, NC for several summers when I was a kid, and I’d love nothing more than to move back to that part of the country!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this donut holes, Angela…and thank you so much for leaving a comment! Happy Fall!