Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

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 A delightful combination of pumpkin and spices make these Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes the perfect fall breakfast.

Let’s talk about fall.   As soon as Pumpkin Spice Lattes hit the coffee shops I know that fall is on its way.  No more sweltering August heat.   It’s cooler temperatures, colored leaves, and jeans and hoodie weather for me.

While I can’t get enough of pumpkin spice lattes I also enjoy making pumpkin treats.   In the past I’ve made several pumpkin donuts but I’ve yet to make donut holes.   If you don’t want to fry donut holes the trick is to bake them in the oven in mini muffin tins.

These Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes have real pumpkin puree in them along with pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.  Just mixing the batter together had me thinking fall.

The trick to getting them to look like donut holes and not mini muffins is to not fill the muffin tins too full. You don’t want to batter to rise over top of the tin.  You want the donut holes to stay within the cup.

After baking the donut holes you aren’t done.  The best part is still coming.  Each donut hole is dipped into melted butter and rolled in sugar mixed with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. 

These donut holes are amazing.  There is a mild pumpkin flavor and plenty of spice.   The butter and extra spiced sugar really puts these over the edge and into a whole new category.  They are great for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.

While donut holes are best served the day they are made, you can keep them in an air tight container lined with paper towels for up to 3 days. 

Pro Tips and Substitutions:

• If you aren’t feeling the butter and spiced sugar on top of these donuts you can also make a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and dip the donut holes in that instead.
• If you want more pumpkin flavor increase the pumpkin to 1 cup and reduce the milk to 1/3 cup.
• You can mix and match the spices that you have in your cupboard to flavor these donut holes the way you’d like.  Use cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom, or even all spice.

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Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

Yield: 36 donut holes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

 A delightful combination of pumpkin and spices make these Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes the perfect fall breakfast.

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Ingredients

For the donuts:

• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 3/4 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 6 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 c. milk

For the coating:

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 mini muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
3. In a large bowl cream together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and butter. Mix well.
4. Stir in the vanilla and egg and well combined.
5. Add the milk and mix until smooth.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
7. Scoop the batter into as many muffin cups as possible filling each abotu 2/3 of the way full. I used one whole mini muffin tin and half of a second one.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove the donut holes to a wire rack and cool just enough so they are easy to handle.
10. Put melted butter in one bowl and combine the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in another bowl.
11. Dip the donut holes first into the butter and then roll in the sugar mixture.
12. Serve warm.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cakes Cottage

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 77Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 106mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

Pumpkin season is here, and we are celebrating our love of pumpkin with #PumpkinWeek hosted by Terri from Love and Confections and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. All week-long 26 bloggers will be sharing over 80 pumpkin-filled recipes for all your Autumn celebrations, including breakfasts, baked goods, savory pumpkin recipes, desserts, and drinks.

Drink Recipes

• Disney Pumpkin Milkshakes by Simply Inspired Meals
• Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte by April Golightly
• Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Smoothies by Our Good Life
• Pumpkin Spice Syrup by Caroline’s Cooking

Breakfast and Baked Goods

• Spiced Pumpkin Donut Holes by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Crockpot Pumpkin Oatmeal by Veggies First Then Dessert
• Keto Pumpkin Muffins by Keto Basic AF

Savory Recipes

• Healthy Harvest Pumpkin Mac and Cheese by Our Sutton Place
• Fresh Pumpkin Pizza by Palatable Pastime
• Pumpkin Stufffed Shells by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Dessert Recipes

• Easy Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls by Blogghetti
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip by The Freshman Cook
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars by Making Miracles
• Pumpkin Empanadas by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Pumpkin Impossible Pie by Shockingly Delicious
• Pumpkin Marshmallows by The Redhead Baker