The fluffiest vegan pumpkin donuts that are baked, not fried. Coated in an irresistible cinnamon maple glaze, these easy donuts are ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes!
Treat yourself to more fluffy vegan fall baked goods, like these Vegan Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Coffee Cake, and Apple Fritter Bread.
Vegan or not, everyone will love these Vegan Pumpkin Donuts! They’re fluffy, sweet, and loaded with warm spices and plenty of pumpkin. And feast your eyes on the shimmering cinnamon maple glaze… it’s the perfect finishing touch to these bakery-style donuts.
What I really love about these pumpkin donuts is that they’re baked, not fried. Just like my Vegan Apple Cider Donuts, there’s no messy deep fryer oil to worry about or fancy tools needed. Simply pipe the batter into a donut pan, then bake until fluffy!
Why these baked pumpkin donuts are the best
- Big and fluffy baked donuts – The simple batter bakes into huge, fluffy, and bountiful donuts, just like what you’d find at a bakery!
- Cinnamon maple goodness – The donuts only get better with a shiny, inviting layer of cinnamon maple glaze.
- They’re surprisingly easy to make – Simply mix the batter in one bowl, bake the donuts, then dip them in the 4-ingredient glaze. That’s all there is to it!
How to make vegan pumpkin donuts
Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a large bowl. Next, pour the melted vegan butter, pumpkin puree, oat milk, and vanilla into the bowl. Stir to combine.
Use a piping bag or a spoon to fill the donut pan with the batter. Bake until the donuts are fluffy and the edges are slightly browned.
Checking for doneness: You’ll know the donuts are baked perfectly when they’ve puffed up, the edges are golden brown, and they spring back when touched. Keep in mind that these results may vary depending on the donut pan ( <– the ones I use) you’re using.
Meanwhile, make the maple glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and oat milk together in a bowl.
Making perfect donut glaze: I think that the perfect consistency of the donut glaze is runny, just like corn syrup. For a thicker consistency, only use 2 tablespoons of oat milk, then spoon the glaze over top of the donuts.
After baking, dip the slightly cooled donuts in the glaze, then transfer them to a wire rack. Enjoy right away or let the glaze harden for 15 minutes or so.
Frequently asked questions
First of all, I highly recommend investing in a donut pan! It’s the only tool you need to make baked fluffy donuts, like Vegan Chocolate Donuts, at home.
But if you don’t have one, you can make a DIY donut pan using a muffin tin and aluminum foil. Check out this tutorial from Bigger Bolder Baking to help you make your own.
Not if you don’t want to. The donuts are delicious even without the maple glaze or with other decorations. Try coating them in the vanilla glaze from my Chocolate Glazed Donuts instead or swap it for a cinnamon sugar coating, just like in my Cinnamon Sugar Vegan Donuts.
Yes! Instead of all purpose flour, use a quality gluten free flour instead.
You can easily replace the melted butter in the recipe with the same amount of applesauce or vegan yogurt to make them oil free.
Transfer the baked and glazed donuts to an airtight container, keeping them in a single layer to avoid smushing the glaze. They’ll keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. They freeze well, too!
Vegan Pumpkin Donuts
Ingredients
Pumpkin donuts
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted vegan butter
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup oat milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon maple glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2-4 tablespoons oat milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a donut pan with non-stick spray.
- Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl.
- Pour in the melted vegan butter, pumpkin puree, oat milk and vanilla. Mix well with a large spoon until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the donut pan to the top of each cavity(or use a piping bag for less mess).
- Place into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned and the donuts spring back when touched. This will largely depend on the size of your donut pan.
- Make the maple glaze – In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients together until a glaze is formed. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of oat milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency. I think the perfect consistency is runny like corn syrup, but you can make it thicker and spoon it on top if desired.
- Dip the slightly cooled donuts in the glaze, then place on a wire rack (with parchment paper underneath to catch drippings). Enjoy right away or let the glaze harden for 15 minutes or so.
Video
Notes
- Gluten free – Substitute gluten free all purpose mix for the flour.
- May use any neutral flavored oil instead of vegan butter, or applesauce/plain vegan yogurt for oil free.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
Just made these for breakfast. I used half the sugar and made them in a muffin tin (couldn’t wait till I bought donut pans) and they turned out great! I cooked for approx. 20-22 mins. Now I’m ordering some donut pans so I can make all the other donut recipes! Yum! Thanks Nora!
Hi Jilna. I’m so glad that you loved the donut recipe! You will LOVE baking them in a donut pan! Thanks for your awesome review! It was great to read about your recipe experience! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!