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Pumpkin Donut Holes

Pumpkin donut holes with spiced cinnamon-sugar coating—either fried until golden or baked in a mini muffin tin for a similar tender bite. Made with pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice for that classic fall flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 30 donut holes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 0.25 cup whole milk
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For frying or baking
  • 1 Vegetable oil for frying (or bake at 375F in a mini muffin tin) Use oil for frying, or bake in the mini muffin tin as directed.
For coating
  • 4 tbsp melted butter
  • 0.33 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 mini muffin tin

Method
 

Mix the batter
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined and no dry clumps remain.
  2. Whisk pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg, whole milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
  3. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture just until combined, leaving the batter thick with no visible streaks of flour.
Fry (option)
  1. Heat vegetable oil to 350F, then drop teaspoon-sized balls of batter into the oil.
  2. Fry the donut holes for 2-3 minutes at 350F until golden, then remove to drain briefly.
Bake (option)
  1. Grease a mini muffin tin and fill each cup about 3/4 full with batter.
  2. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes until the donut holes spring back lightly when touched.
Coat while warm
  1. Mix the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice to make a cinnamon-spice sugar coating.
  2. Brush the warm donut holes with melted butter (as needed) and roll in the cinnamon-spice sugar until evenly coated.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the batter thick and avoid over-mixing so the donut holes stay tender. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 1-2 days or refrigerate up to 3 days; rewarm in the oven at 300F for 3-5 minutes. Freezing is yes—freeze coated or uncoated donut holes up to 2 months and thaw, then re-roll in cinnamon sugar for best texture. For a dairy-light swap, use low-fat milk and a plant-butter substitute in the batter and coating.