These baked pumpkin donuts are extra moist and tender, finished with a warm Biscoff (cookie butter) glaze for a truly irresistible fall flavor. This easy recipe is perfect when you want fresh, fast, and satisfying baked treats.
Every autumn I find myself baking with pumpkin for a few glorious weeks. Over the years I’ve mentally paired toppings with each pumpkin dessert — cream cheese frosting for pumpkin cake, whipped cream for pumpkin pie — and for these baked pumpkin donuts the topping is warm Biscoff butter. The combination of pumpkin’s natural sweetness and the spiced, caramelized flavor of cookie butter is pure fall comfort.
I’ve refined this recipe to produce consistently moist, tender donuts that are baked, not fried. Below you’ll find ingredient notes, clear step-by-step instructions, and storage tips so you get the best results every time.
Key ingredients
The full recipe with measurements is included in the recipe card below. Here’s a short overview of the main ingredients and suggested substitutions.
- Pumpkin puree. This is the central ingredient and provides moisture and flavor. Use a smooth pumpkin puree rather than a thick one; overly dense puree can make the donuts heavy.
- Spices. Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon are classic here. You can add small amounts of nutmeg, cardamom, or clove if you like; use sparingly (for example, clove should be very limited) to avoid overpowering the pumpkin.
- Vegetable oil. Neutral oils like canola or light vegetable oil work best because they keep the flavor focused on the pumpkin and maintain moisture and softness. I tested alternatives like melted butter and coconut oil, but a neutral oil gives the lightest, freshest crumb.
- Biscoff (cookie) butter for glazing. This glaze gives a warm, spiced, caramel-like finish. If you prefer, substitute chocolate ganache, a simple vanilla glaze, or cream cheese frosting.
Make it: method and tips
This is an easy two-stage method: mix the wet ingredients in one bowl, the dry in another, then combine briefly and bake. Follow the tips below for the best texture and rise.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. A kitchen scale gives the most consistent results for flour and dry ingredients. If using measuring cups, aerate the flour before scooping and level it off with a knife.
- After whisking together the wet ingredients (oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin), let the mixture rest for 10–15 minutes. This helps the sugar dissolve and bind with the liquids, retaining moisture during baking and producing softer donuts.
- Do not overmix the batter. Stir just until no streaks of dry flour remain; a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and yields dense donuts instead of tender ones.
- Fill donut pans using a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Fill each cavity about three-quarters full for a full, rounded top (roughly 1/4 cup per cavity for a standard pan).
- Let the filled, unbaked pans rest while the oven preheats. This allows the flour to absorb some liquid so the batter puffs and bakes into a plump, tender donut.
- Cookie butter glaze will not fully set like a sugar glaze. Dip the tops while the cookie butter is warm and liquid, then sprinkle with crushed Biscoff cookies for texture.
Yields
This recipe makes 15 standard-size donuts or about 36 mini donuts. Mini donuts will bake faster—typically 12–15 minutes—so watch them closely and test with a toothpick for doneness.
Storing
Store glazed donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. To freeze, it’s best to freeze unglazed donuts: wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to four months. Thaw at room temperature before glazing.
Moist Baked Pumpkin Donuts (easy recipe)
Easy two-step recipe for moist, tender baked pumpkin donuts dipped in warm cookie butter.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar
- 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cookie butter (for glazing)
Instructions
- Grease two 12-cavity donut pans or enough pans to hold the batter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree until smooth. Set aside for 10–15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
- Using a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped, pipe the batter into the greased pans about 3/4 full (about 1/4 cup per cavity).
- While the oven preheats to 350°F (175°C), let the filled pans rest on the counter away from direct heat. This helps the batter settle and produce a rounded top.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes for standard donuts, or 12–15 minutes for minis, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then loosen the edges and transfer donuts to a cooling rack to reach room temperature.
- Gently warm the cookie butter in the microwave until pourable (about 45–60 seconds), dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the warm cookie butter, shake off excess, and sprinkle with crushed cookies if desired.
Notes
- Donuts are ready when puffed and a toothpick from the center is clean or has a few moist crumbs.
- Room-temperature ingredients and a short resting time for the wet mix improve texture and moisture retention.
- Store at room temperature up to three days or freeze unglazed for longer storage.