Pumpkin Streusel Donuts

This pumpkin donut recipe will put you in an autumnal mood immediately. When the days start getting cooler, the foliage starts flourishing, and a Gilmore Girls marathon is in order, these donuts will put the finishing touches on your fall oasis. They are perfect for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving dessert, or even just on a crisp September or October morning for breakfast.

The shorter, printable version of this recipe can be found below; but read on if you prefer a more detailed step-by-step.

Baked donuts are actually not very difficult to make. They’re as easy as baking a banana bread or a bundt cake. However, you will need a donut pan (or two.) I bought mine at HomeGoods, but I’ve also seen them at craft stores such as JOANN Fabric and Michael’s. This recipe yields 12 donuts, so I use two 6-count pans.

The first thing you will want to do is grease your pans with cooking spray and set your oven to 350 degrees. You’ll then want to gather the following ingredients for the pumpkin batter:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar
• 1 can of pumpkin (such as One Pie or Libby’s)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt

In a Kitchen Aid mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed. Once incorporated, add in the pumpkin and eggs and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are combined. You might notice chunks of butter in the mixture, which is perfectly fine.

In a separate large mixing bowl (I prefer Rae Dunn bowls), add dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt. Whisk together until combined (about 30 seconds.)

Next, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat in the Kitchen Aid mixer on medium speed until everything is incorporated. The batter will look smooth but thick and will be a light orange color.

Now, it’s time to transfer the batter to the donut pans. I prefer to use a cookie dough scoop to fill the pan—using about 4-5 scoops per donut. You can then smooth the batter out for each donut using a frosting spatula, so as to not have the batter sit like individual dollops.

Then, put the donut pans aside (not in the oven quite yet.) It’s now time to make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine, with a fork, the following streusel ingredients:

• 5 Tbsp cold butter
• ⅓ cup flour
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

You will find it difficult to incorporate the butter. What you’ll want to do is use your fork or your hands to break the cold butter up into small chunks as you mix it with the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.

You’ll then want to sprinkle the top of the unbaked donuts with the streusel. Using a spoon, gently shake the streusel onto each donut until all parts are covered. Once complete, it will be time to put the donuts in the oven!

Now that your oven is heated to 350 degrees, place the donut pans in the middle racks of your oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. It should take between 15 and 19 minutes for the donuts to be done baking. After 15 minutes, I found that I had to switch the position of my pans, as the one on the top middle rack was baking more quickly than the one below it. After 19 minutes, my donuts were complete, though it can vary based on what kind of oven you have.

You’ll know when they’re done if you use the old toothpick trick. Stick a toothpick inside one donut from each pan. When the toothpick comes up clear of any batter, then the donuts are done!

Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, begin gathering the icing ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp milk
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

In a small mixing bowl, melt 1 Tbsp of butter (about 10-15 seconds in the microwave.) Remove and add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk together all ingredients. In about 15 seconds, you’ll have a delicious bowl of icing. Set aside.

Using a butter knife, slowly loosen the donuts from the pans and move them onto a plate. Take the bowl that the icing is in and pop it in the microwave for about 7-10 seconds (to get it gooey), then stir it with a spoon. Using that same spoon, scoop up small amount of the icing and drip it back and forth over the tops of the donuts.

Once you’re done pouring the icing, your baked pumpkin streusel donuts will be ready to serve and eat!

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin streusel donuts

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 53 minutes

Servings: 12 Donuts

This baked pumpkin streusel donut recipe will put you in an autumnal mood immediately.

Print

Ingredients

Pumpkin Donut Batter

• 1 stick butter softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 can pumpkin such as One Pie or Libby's
• 3 Lg eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt

Streusel Topping

• 5 Tbsp cold butter
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Icing

• 1 Tbsp butter melted
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease donut pans.

2. In a Kitchen Aid mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed. Once incorporated, add in the pumpkin and eggs and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are combined.

3. In a separate large mixing bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt. Whisk together until combined (about 30 seconds.)

4. Next, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat in the Kitchen Aid mixer on medium speed until everything is incorporated. The batter will look smooth but thick and will be a light orange color.

   Transfer the batter to the donut pans using a spoon or cookie dough scoop. You can then smooth the batter out for each donut using a frosting spatula. Put aside.

5. In a medium bowl, use a fork and your hands to combine the streusel ingredients: cold butter, flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

   Using a spoon, gently shake the streusel onto each donut until all parts are covered.

6. Place the donut pans in the middle racks of your oven and bake for 15-19 minutes.

   Remove pans from the oven and let cool.

7. In a small mixing bowl, melt 1 tbsp of butter (about 10-15 seconds in the microwave.) Remove and add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk together all ingredients.

8. Using a butter knife, slowly loosen the donuts from the pans and move them onto a plate. Take the bowl that the icing is in and pop it in the microwave for about 7-10 seconds (to get it gooey), then stir it with a spoon. Using that same spoon, scoop up small amount of the icing and drip it back and forth over the tops of the donuts.

9. Serve and enjoy!

If you like this recipe, be sure to pin it!