This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Make fried Pumpkin Donuts glazed with an easy cinnamon glaze. These cake donuts are made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice! I’ll show you how to fry these pumpkin cake donuts to perfection so they are tender and moist every time.

pumpkin cake donuts stacked on black plate.

After a disappointing bite of Dunkin Donut’s pumpkin donut, I vowed to make a cake donut that tasted like pumpkin and spice. I tested and retested to achieve the perfect consistency and flavor! These delicious donuts have pumpkin puree and homemade pumpkin spice in the dough, then they are fried and coated in a cinnamon version of my classic donut glaze.

Serve alongside coffee or maybe an easy pumpkin spice cocktail! Perhaps even top them with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple caramel sauce for a decadent desert. These donuts join the ranks of the 25 Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall!

Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Donuts

  • Pumpkin & spice flavor. Using pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice mix in the dough means these pumpkin donuts will actually taste like pumpkin pie not just spice.
  • The perfect cake donut texture. I carefully balanced the amount of pumpkin puree in the dough to ensure that they have the perfect sour cream donut texture you have come to expect. Too much and the texture will be gummy not tender, and too little would mean you could taste it!
  • These donuts are fried! Not only do you get the flavor and texture of the perfect fried donut shop doughnut, but I will give you all my professional tips for frying safely and easily!
pumpkin donut interior against blue background.
Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts interior texture
FREE! My Best Fall Dessert Recipes!
Subscribe for a pastry chef’s best Fall recipes straight to your inbox!

Professional Tips for Pumpkin Donuts

  • If you control the gluten formation, you will control the texture. Gluten (those key proteins in wheat flour) forms most rapidly with agitation and heat, and it will make your donuts tough and flatter. Roll and cut it quickly to keep the dough cold. You also don’t want to overwork the dough. Alternate wet and dry ingredients quickly and only mix just until combined just like in my glazed chocolate donuts.
  • Pick the right oil and limit the amount of oil that ends up in your donut. Use canola oil or another other neutral tasting oil that has a high smoke point; you don’t want the frier oil to impart a flavor in the donut. Once they are done frying, place your fried donuts on a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch the extra oil. Lastly control the oil temperature, because when it is too low oil will absorb into the donut more readily.
  • Pre-cook the pumpkin puree. While you could skip this step and the resulting donuts would still be fabulous, taking the extra time to cook the pumpkin puree to reduce the moisture will make more tender donuts with an old-fashioned donut texture.
glazed donut whole.

Ingredients

  • All Purpose Flour: I prefer to use all-purpose flour in the majority of my donut recipes because it has the perfect amount of gluten for developing a strong network but remaining tender and soft.
  • Granulated Sugar: Sugar is here for sweetness but also to add leavening when beating with the eggs. It helps create a soft, tender, light texture.
  • Kosher Salt: Kosher salt heightens the flavor of the donuts.
  • Egg Yolks: The egg yolks are here to add fat, moisture and leavening. The fat from the yolk adds richness and shortens some of the gluten strands to keep the donuts cakey and tender.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to control the flavor of the dough while still adding all the buttery goodness!
  • Pumpkin Puree: I use Libby’s pumpkin puree because it is what I use to develop all my recipes. Use whichever brand you prefer but just be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix!
  • Sour Cream: This should go without saying here but sour cream is essential in sour cream cake donuts. This is all the moisture in the donuts and is what will hold the dough together without making it too wet (read: tough)
  • Baking Powder: Double acting baking powder reacts instantly when it is mixed with an acid and again when heated. Baking soda will not leaven these donuts as well especially if making the dough a day or two in advance. It will react once and then it won’t have much left once it hits the oil.
  • Spices: Use spices within one year of purchase. They will be most potent and true to their original flavor.  
  • Canola Oil: I use canola oil for frying but another neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point will do like crisco.

Possible Substitutions

  • Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix: You can substitute 6 teaspoons of my pumpkin spice recipe for all the individual spices listed. Then make some pumpkin bran muffins for tomorrow while the donut dough rests. You are a Fall Breakfast Champion.
  • Sour Cream: The fat in full-fat sour cream helps keep these donuts soft and tender. You cannot decrease the fat and expect the same results. Will it work with low fat or Greek yogurt? Yes.
  • Baking Powder: Double acting baking powder will react instantly when it is mixed with an acid, which is sour cream here, and then again when it is heated. Baking soda will not leaven these as well especially if making the dough a day or two in advance. It will react once and then it won’t have much left once it hits the oil. Dense donuts anyone?
  • Egg Yolks: I do not suggest using whole eggs instead of the egg yolks, because the texture of the donuts will be impacted. You are adding moisture from the whites without fat and that is just going to make a tougher donut. Take the moment to separate them and then make a pavlova cake for dessert.

Variations

  • Change the glaze: Roll them in cinnamon sugar, or make a simple maple glaze instead by using maple syrup instead of milk in my classic donut glaze recipe. I suggest adding an extra pinch of kosher salt as well because you’ve just made a glaze of 100% sugar. hehe
  • Make all donut holes: Cut all the dough into donut holes instead! They will fry in no time!  
fried pumpkin donuts glazed on wire rack.

How to Make Pumpkin Donuts

Use these instructions to make the perfect pumpkin donut every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Make the donut dough:

Step 1: In a small sauce pot cook the pumpkin over low heat to remove excess moisture, about 20 minutes. Cool completely and drain off any moisture that separates.

Cool the reduced puree quickly on a plastic lined, rimmed baking sheet placed in the refrigerator.

Step 2: In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and all spices. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and pumpkin. Set aside.

Step 3: Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray or generously flour a piece of plastic wrap like I do in the Youtube video.  

Step 4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the granulated sugar, butter, and yolks on high speed until the mixture lightens and the volume increases, about 2 minutes.

Step 5: With the stand mixer on low, gradually alternate the dry ingredients and the pumpkin mixture a large spoonful at a time. Stop the mixer when the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.

You want to add the wet and dry ingredients as quickly as possible so that not too much gluten develops, which will make tunnels in your cake and it will be tough.

Step 6: Transfer the dough to the plastic wrap lined bowl, spray the top of the dough with nonstick spray and then fold the edges of the plastic over the top to cover. You can also scrape the dough on top the floured plastic wrap, sprinkle with more flour and then wrap well. Refrigerate for 60 minutes.

At this point the dough can be held in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cut the donuts:

Step 7: Line a baking half-sheet pan with parchment paper and spray the paper with nonstick spray and set aside.

Step 8: Generously dust a work surface with flour – this dough is stickier than other donuts. While the dough is still in the bowl dust the top of the dough with flour. Turn the dough out onto your floured work surface, floured side down. Dust the top with more flour.

Working quickly to keep the dough cool, roll out the dough to ½ inch thick.

The donuts expand a lot in the hot oil, so you want to be sure they aren’t too thick. If they are too thick, they will cook on the outside but the insides will be raw. If they are too thin, you won’t get that nice contrast between the crispy outside and cakey inside.

Step 9: Brush any excess flour from the top of the dough. Use a 3-inch and 1 ¼ – inch ring cutters to cut the donuts and holes. Tap the rings in flour before cutting each donut. Place the donuts and donut holes on the prepared sheet pan.

After I cut all my donuts, I went back and cut more “holes” with the small cutter from the scraps of dough. Waste not, want not!

Step 10: Cover sheet pan with plastic wrap, but be sure not to let the plastic touch the top of the donuts. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. I let mine chill overnight at this step.

You can also wrap and refrigerate the cut donuts for 3 days or freeze for 1 month at this point. Thaw in the refrigerator prior to frying.

Step 11: While your donuts chill, make the glaze. In a medium bowl whisk together the milk, powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cover the glaze with plastic wrap directly on the surface. You can heat up the glaze over a pot of simmering water on the stove if you want it thinner. I dipped my donuts while they were still very hot, so I didn’t need to do this.

How to fry pumpkin donuts:

Step 12: Pour oil into a fryer or a Dutch oven, making sure the oil is at least 2 inches deep. Heat your oil to 350° F. Adjust your heat to keep the temperature between 350° – 360° F while frying.

You will need a clip-on fry/candy thermometer for this. I heat my oil up to 360° F before adding a batch of donuts because the cold dough will lower the temperature of the fryer oil.

Step 13: Gently place 3 donuts in the fryer, keep the remaining donuts in the fridge. Once they rise to the surface, cook for 30 seconds and then flip them with a slotted spoon. Fry until the bottom develops a nice golden brown color, about 65 seconds. Flip it again and then fry for another 40 seconds or until the color is a nice even golden brown.

To test for doneness, pull one donut out of the oil using the slotted spoon and test with a cake tester as you would cake. You can also break one open but the cake tester is a more reliable way to test each donut.

Donut holes fry for 30 seconds then flip, then another 40 seconds, then flip, then another 20-30 seconds. They will puff up and be golden brown all over.

Step 14: Transfer fried to a wire rack set over a sheet pan or paper towels. 

Step 15: Once the donut is just barely cool enough to handle, dip the donut in the glaze and place back on the wire rack. Dipping a hot donut will give you a nice, even glaze that isn’t too thick or too thin! Alternatively, you can heat your glaze and dip slighter cooler donuts.

Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip

If no other tips from this post stick, just remember this one. Stay calm and just keep going! If the dough feels too sticky when rolling, add more bench flour and persevere. If your first doughnut comes out doughy yet dark, lower that temperature and test it with a cake tester. You’ve got this!

three pumpkin donuts stacked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts?

It would be best not to bake this donut recipe. If this recipe as written is baked, then the donuts will be dense. Baked donuts are actually cake and the batter will be more like a cake batter and less like a dough.

How to store Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts?

Donuts are best eaten the day they are fried. Ideally you are serving them within a day of frying, so you can store them uncovered at room temperature. This will preserve the texture and flavor. When stored in an air-tight container then will soften and slowly take on an oily flavor and texture. Glazed donuts maintain their moisture longer than those tossed in sugar. They can be stored for 3 days at room temperature.

Can I make pumpkin donuts ahead of time?

You can make pumpkin donuts ahead, but since they are best the day they are fried, I suggest making and storing the dough. The preparation can be stopped at any stage before frying and be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month. Be sure to thaw pre-cut and frozen donuts in the refrigerator prior to frying.

If you tried this recipe and loved it please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!

Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts details
5 from 48 ratings

Pumpkin Donuts

Make fried Pumpkin Donuts glazed with an easy cinnamon glaze. These cake donuts are made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice! I’ll show you how to fry these pumpkin cake donuts to perfection so they are tender and moist every time.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Chill: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total: 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 people

Ingredients 
 

For the Donuts:

For the Glaze:

Instructions 

To Make the Donut Dough:

  • In a small saucepot cook the pumpkin over low heat to remove excess moisture, about 20 minutes. Cool completely and drain off any moisture that separates.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and all spices. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and pumpkin. Set aside.
  • Line a large mixing bowl with plastic wrap and then spray the surface of the plastic wrap or generously flour a piece of plastic wrap like I do in the Youtube video. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the granulated sugar, butter, and yolks on high speed until the mixture lightens and the volume increases, about 2 minutes.
  • With the stand mixer on low, gradually alternate the dry ingredients and the pumpkin mixture a large spoonful at a time. Stop the mixer when the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. You want to do this as quickly as possible so that not too much gluten develops, which will make tunnels in your cake and it will be tough.
  • Transfer the dough to the plastic wrap lined bowl, spray the top of the dough with nonstick spray and then fold the edges of the plastic over the top to cover. You can also scrape the dough ontop the floured plastic wrap, sprinkle with more flour and then wrap well.
  • Refrigerate for 60 minutes. At this point the dough can be held in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cut the donuts:

  • Line a baking half-sheet pan with parchment paper and spray the paper with nonstick spray and set aside.
  • Generously dust a work surface with flour – this dough is stickier than other donuts. While the dough is still in the bowl dust the top of the dough with flour. Turn the dough out onto your floured work surface, floured side down. Dust the top with more flour.
  • Working quickly to keep the dough cool, roll out the dough to ½ inch thick.
  • Brush any excess flour from the top of the dough. Use a 3-inch and 1 ¼ – inch ring cutters to cut the donuts and holes. Tap the rings in flour before cutting each donut. Place the donuts and donut holes on the prepared sheet pan. [After I cut all my donuts, I went back and cut more “holes” with the small cutter from the scraps of dough. Waste not, want not!]
  • Cover sheet pan with plastic wrap, but be sure not to let the plastic touch the top of the donuts. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. I let mine chill overnight at this step.
  • While your donuts chill, make the glaze. In a medium bowl whisk together the milk, powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cover the glaze with plastic wrap directly on the surface. You can heat up the glaze over a pot of simmering water on the stove if you want it thinner. I dipped my donuts while they were still very hot, so I didn’t need to do this.

How to fry pumpkin donuts:

  • Pour oil into a fryer or a Dutch oven, making sure the oil is at least 2 inches deep. Heat your oil to 350° F. Adjust your heat to keep the temperature between 350° – 360° F while frying. You will need a clip-on fry/candy thermometer for this. I heat my oil up to 360° F before adding a batch of donuts because the cold dough will lower the temperature of the fryer oil.
  • Gently place 3 donuts in the fryer, keep the remaining donuts in the fridge. Once they rise to the surface, cook for 30 seconds and then flip them with a slotted spoon. Fry until the bottom develops a nice golden brown color, about 65 seconds. Flip it again and then fry for another 40 seconds or until the color is a nice even golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan or paper towels.
  • Donut holes fry for 30 seconds then flip, then another 40 seconds. They will puff up and be golden brown all over. You can also poke them with the cake tester to be sure.
  • Once the donut is just barely cool enough to handle (I only waited about 20 seconds but I have no feeling left in my fingertips…), dip the donut in the glaze and place back on the wire rack. Dipping a hot donut will give you a nice, even glaze that isn’t too thick or too thin!

Video

Notes

Yield: 12 donuts
Presentation – Glaze while hot with classic donut glaze, cinnamon sugar or a maple donut glaze.
Substitutions – Homemade pumpkin puree can be substituted for canned and low fat sour cream or Greek yogurt can be substituted for the full-fat sour cream if desired. There will be a slight change to the texture.
Storage – Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, I prefer to cut the dough and then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for a month.

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 3408IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 497
Like this? Leave a comment below!

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed donut recipes!

These Pumpkin Spice Cake Donuts are packed with real pumpkin and warming spices then fried to perfection and glazed with a sweet cinnamon sugar. Pretty much Pumpkin Breakfast Perfection.

Hi, I’m Chef Lindsey!

I am the baker, recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Chef Lindsey Farr. I believe in delicious homemade food and the power of dessert!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




3 Comments

  1. Donut say “doughnuts” and “pumpkin spice” in the same sentence. I’m warning you. If you do – IM COMING OVER! :-). Love these donuts Lindsey! Me love me some pumpkin and doughnuts!

  2. Oh, I think I could eat my weight in these donuts, Lindsey! Much credit to you for frying these up. In fact, I’d be willing to trade some bourbon pecan pralines for pumpkin cake donuts. Do we have a deal? 😉

    1. I think we do, my friend. I think we do!
      I certainly tried to eat my weight in them but then thought better of it and brought them to work instead! lol!