Our family’s favorite recipe for cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts – these are a must make treat for autumn! These are pillowy soft and so flavorful. Bake these today and enjoy with a cup of hot cider for a perfect fall breakfast or dessert.
Fall is the season for donuts, isn’t it?
We love to visit the cider mill a few times each fall. It used to be torture to smell the fried donuts and not be able to enjoy any!
When my son had an egg allergy, we couldn’t eat the spiced donuts sold at the cider mill. I had to get creative! I realized that I could make my own vegan pumpkin donuts at home with the help of my trusty donut pan.
These are so delicious, and really easy to make. My family loves these even more than the ones you can get a the cider mill.
These are baked in a donut pan, so they are definitely lighter than a typical fried donut. The texture is so soft and light, and they are perfectly seasoned with cinnamon and ginger.
Once you get started making your own donuts, you will probably want to make more!
More allergy friendly donut recipes
Which egg replacer to use
You can make delicious, fluffy donuts without eggs. This recipe has two ingredients that help replace the eggs.
The pumpkin puree acts as a binder, and the baking powder allows the batter to rise and get light and fluffy. Read my guide to egg replacers to learn more.
Allergy friendly ingredients
- flour
- sugar
- vegan buttery spread or oil
- water
- cinnamon and ginger
- salt
- baking powder
- pumpkin puree
- vanilla extract
Variations
- Try adding chocolate chips to the batter.
- Frost these with dairy free buttercream frosting.
- Make these in a mini muffin pan for a cute treat that you can pack in lunches.
Where to find a donut pan
You can buy these pans on Amazon, or at craft stores like Michael’s or JoAnn’s. If you don’t have a donut pan, you can make this batter into muffins – either regular sized muffins or mini muffins.
Tips for success
- Even if your pan is non-stick, I still recommend greasing it with vegan buttery spread so that you don’t have trouble releasing the donuts from the pan.
- Allow the donuts to cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan before removing them.
- To remove, simply turn the pan upside down over some waxed paper and tap the pan firmly against the table or counter. The donuts should fall out of the pan.
Can these be made with gluten free flour?
You can try to make these donuts with a lighter gluten free flour blend, like my homemade gluten free flour. Don’t use heavier gluten free flours like coconut flour or almond flour as they won’t work well.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts.
Soft, delicious, and easy to make, these baked vegan pumpkin donuts are sure to become a fall staple! Enjoy these treats for an easy breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegan buttery spread melted
- 3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup spelt flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
For the coating:
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a bit of vegan buttery spread or oil to grease the wells in a donut pan.
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Mix the buttery spread, pumpkin, water, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix together. The dough will be soft, and not too wet.
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Allow the batter to sit for about 5 minutes so that it can rise a little bit.
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Spoon the dough into the prepared donut pan. Each well will be full almost to the top. Smooth out the dough with the back of a spoon.
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Pour the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then turn the pan over a piece of waxed paper or a cookie sheet and tap firmly to release the donuts.
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Place the bottom of each donut in the cinnamon sugar mix, and twist around to coat. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for about 3 days.
Even if your pan is non-stick, make sure you grease it with some vegan buttery spread or oil so that the donuts come out easily.
Inspired by this recipe from PETA
Enjoy these cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts with hot cider or cold dairy free milk! Try not to eat them all…it’s hard.
This post was originally published in November 2013.
Darryl
These are our absolute favorite donuts! So tasty.
texagander12
Chloe Coscarelli has a chocolate-chocolate glazed donut in one of her books and a plain-chocolate glazed donut in her other book (can’t remember which is which). I double the chocolate glaze because I want good coverage. Honestly, the plain-chocolate glazed ones are even better than the chocolate-chocolate! For the plain I use freshly grated nutmeg (packed) and they taste just like those tiny chocolate glazed donuts you find at the convenience store…only not fake. and, bonus: they actually taste much better if you make them a day ahead!
Meeling
I love pumpkin donuts!!
Kelly
I love pumpkin everything!
Melissa @ Hilltop Hausfrau
OMG. So if I got a donut pan, for sure the diet would be off. But now I have to have one!! These look amazing, Kelly…post your new donut creations as they come out of your kitchen!
Megan Lane
yumm! i have yet to see any of these in portland :( i need my fix! i think it’s time i get a donut pan! and spelt flour.
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
I have a few cans of pumpkin puree at home just waiting to be turned in to these donuts. They sound delicious Kelly! And I’m sure I won’t be able to eat just one : )