Pumpkin Donuts

Sorry for the lousy instagram shot... it's all I could do with my time
Mmmm it is my most favorite time of the year!  Around August, I start craving soups, stews, and things made
of apples and pumpkins.  Luckily, last year I had the foresight to buy in bulk, and at the end of the holiday season, I bought canned pumpkin from Costco and it's been sitting in the back of my pantry, patiently awaiting this very event.

This is a two-part post, and the first is dedicated to a favorite from last year.  While browsing Pinterest for great holiday ideas, I found a recipe for pumpkin donuts.  We had all the ingredients, but we were missing the mini-muffin pan.  Well, I take any excuse to hit up TJ Maxx!  Heck yes.  So we found the pan (as well as many other things, of course) and began baking.

These have a sugary cinnamony coating that just totally makes these little bites of heaven.  The only thing is, I haven't yet perfected a technique for creating this coating.  It's made from dipping the donut in melted butter, then rolling it in sugar.  However, the sugar starts clumping from the butter and it makes a big mess.  Not to mention, the donuts get slightly soggy.  Don't let this deter you from trying yourself!  They are delectable despite that and besides, if you find a genius, technique, you should share it with me!

Stay tuned for part two... pumpkin bread!

Pumpkin Donuts
Adapted from here

Donuts
1 3/4 cup flour
Smidge of salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice**
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
Coating
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 stick butter, melted

  1. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice.
  2. In another bowl, mix together vegetable oil, pumpkin, egg, vanilla, brown sugar, and milk.
  3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing in between.  Do not over mix.
  4. Grease the mini muffin pan and preheat oven to 350.  While the oven is heating, spoon batter into the muffin pan.  Fill almost to the top of each cup.
  5. Bake for 10-13 minutes.  Check with a toothpick until it comes out clean.  Allow to cool on a cooking rack.
  6. When they are cool enough to handle, melt the butter in a small bowl.  Mix sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a separate, small bowl.  Dip a donut into the butter, then roll into the sugar/pumpkin pie spice mixture.
  7. Devour

**You can create your own pumpkin pie spice by mixing cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and ginger.  To make one tablespoon, I mixed a healthy teaspoon of cinnamon and another of nutmeg, then half a teaspoon of all spice and just a pinch of ginger.

Comments

  1. Katie RoseNovember 4, 2013 at 11:10 AM

    The first thing I thought when you mentioned the butter/sugar conundrum was to use a pastry brush to swipe on some melted butter before rolling. Might make the doughnut less soggy and result in less clumping of the sugar. When I make these for myself I will try that and let you know!

    ReplyDelete

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