Helllloooo official pumpkin season! I’m running behind this year and didn’t crack open my first can of pumpkin until just this weekend, so I really need to get with the fall baking already. I’m happy that my first pumpkin recipes of the season is coming just in time for the 3rd Annual Virtual Pumpkin Party! My blog bestie Sara always puts together this fun virtual party every year and every year everyone hits it out of the park. I went more for vegan pumpkin doughnuts this year, straying from my years past of cookies and sticky buns. I actually have a version of these vegan pumpkin doughnuts on my site already, buried deep in the archives when I thought it was acceptable to photograph underneath my yellow dining room light and didn’t know how to make food look good whatsoever, but we will let that one lie where it is and go with this updated recipe.
Vegan pumpkin doughnuts are one of those recipes that have been on my long-standing ‘I should make that’ list but haven’t gotten around to them until this year. I loved a good fried doughnut as much as the next person, but for these, I decided to give my doughnut pan a workout. Baked doughnuts are SO much easier (and less messy) than fried and it makes me feel like I can eat two and not feel bad about it, right?
One of the key things with this vegan pumpkin doughnuts recipe is to not skip the olive oil! In years past I’ve tried making doughnuts oil free and they just did not turn out well. I will say that the combo of olive and oil and pumpkin works well together, giving them a deeper taste than just sweet pumpkin and frosting (not that there’s anything wrong with that at all). These doughnuts are great without the frosting too, AJ ate one without it and seemed to not be bothered by the lack of frosting at all. Meanwhile, I was trying to shoot the pictures of these and not eat all of the ones that were topped with the cinnamon maple frosting before I was done. Also, a quick note on frosting, don’t get impatient and try to frost them while they are still warm! I know it sounds tempting, but the frosting will just seep right into the doughnuts and disappear. They will still taste great, but you will lose that crunchy frosting layer on the outside that is so important to a perfect vegan pumpkin doughnut.
Happy Pumpkin Party-ing! If you have a bit of extra time today, check out all of the pumpkin goodness over on Sara’s site. Big thanks to her for always putting together a super fun fall party and it always makes me wish we could get together in person to share all these lovely treats!
Vegan Pumpkin Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Frosting
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Description
Vegan Pumpkin Doughnuts are perfect for the cozy fall season! Topped with a cinnamon maple vegan frosting and ready for your next breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 6 tablespoon almond milk
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Dash of nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup spelt flour
For the frosting:
- 1 tablespoon almond milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a doughnut pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, milk, pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, and olive oil until smooth. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, AP flour, and spelt flour, until no clumps remain. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Stiring until no flour streaks remain.
- Spoon the batter into the doughnut pan, using a spoon to spread around the batter into the doughnut shapes evenly.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until doughnuts spring back with lightly touched. Frost when completely cool.
To make the frosting:
- Combine all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together until smooth. Dip each doughnut into the frosting or pour over the doughnuts while placed on a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath.
- Doughnuts are best eaten immediately or within the day, but can keep for up to 3 days stored at room temperature.
Notes
Adapted from Oh She Glows
Kelsey @ Appeasing a Food Geek says
I’m not a baked doughnut convert yet…but maybe these will change my mind. Because they look and sound sooo yummy. Also that would be very convenient as frying is the biggest pain in the butt. Happy #virtualpumpkinparty Abby! xoxo
Heart of a Baker says
Yes! I mean don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good fried doughnut, but these are juuuust slightly healthy-er (ish). xoxo
Sarah | Well and Full says
These look AMAZING, girl!! If only I could find my dang donut pan! But I lol’ed at the “yellow dining room light” thing, because sometimes I’ll look back on my old photos too and think, “What was I thinking?!” Well, that’s how we learn and grow, right? 😉 Cheers!
Heart of a Baker says
Yes! I’m sure in a few years I’ll look back and grow even more 🙂 I hope you find your doughnut pan, that sounds like a travesty! haha!
Tessa | Salted Plains says
I love having new doughnut recipes for my donut pan! I feel like I can already taste these!! So good, Abby! xoxo
Heart of a Baker says
Ah I hope you love them Tessa! xo
Anna says
These pumpkin doughnuts look soooo delicious! I really need to get a doughnut pan too! Almost licked my screen over here! 😉
Heart of a Baker says
You do you do!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
Looks like you nailed the first pumpkin recipe of the season! Also, I really need to get a donut pan. It’s one of those “single use” kitchen things that I haven’t been able to bite the bullet on buying. But I feel like I really need one. Homemade donuts would be epic! These photos are great, Abby! XOXO!
Heart of a Baker says
Thank you sweet Liz! I’m super opposed to the single use pans too, but this one is SO worth it! xoxo
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
These look fantastic!! I’m such a horrible person I bought a donut pan a couple years ago and I don’t think I’ve used it ONCE yet. Ugh. Gotta remedy that soon. Thanks for participating, bestie!! xoxo
Heart of a Baker says
Girl, you gotta get on that! Love the party every year! xoxo
Elizabeth Fife says
I came over here from The Full Helping site and I am glad I did! I don’t own a doughnut pan so made these as muffins instead (dark non stick pan). I got 8 servings as suggested and just ate them plain. Very good!
Heart of a Baker says
I’m so glad they worked at muffins, what a great idea!
meleakuabeth says
my icing turned out more like dough than something dippble- are the measurements correct? i’m just going to add way more almond milk. they smell delicious!!
Heart of a Baker says
The measurements are correct, but can depend on your powdered sugar! I would recommend adding more almond milk, like you mentioned. 🙂
Kbubs says
I have everything on hand except the spelt flour 🙁 Do you think another flour substitute would work? These sound and look so delish! I’ve wanted a donut pan for so long and finally bought one like 5 months ago and haven’t even used it yet!