These mini pumpkin cinnamon sugar donuts are everything I love about fall mornings—they’re warm, cozy, and perfect with a cup of coffee.I f you’re looking for fall breakfast ideas that are easy, cute, and absolutely delicious, these donuts check all the boxes.
They’re made with real pumpkin puree, warm spices, and a hint of vanilla, then baked—not fried!—for a light and fluffy texture. Once they’re out of the oven, they get tossed in a buttery cinnamon sugar coating that makes them taste like a cross between a pumpkin muffin and a cinnamon sugar donut. Basically, fall in a bite.
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Ingredients for Mini Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Here’s what you’ll need to make these cozy little homemade baked donuts:
For the Donuts:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or mix of nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup neutral oil or melted butter
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (adjust to your preferences)
How to Make Mini Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a mini donut pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin purée, milk, yogurt, egg, vanilla, and melted butter/oil until smooth.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined—don’t overmix.
5. Put pumpkin donut batter in a piping bag with no tip (or a plain round tip) and pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Alternatively, you can spoon the batter in, but it gets pretty tricky with mini donuts.
6. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
8. While the donuts are still slightly warm, brush them with melted butter and immediately roll (or sprinkle) them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. For best results, do this one donut at a time so the sugar sticks well.
Pro Tips for Mini Pumpkin Donuts
- Don’t skip the piping bag: Piping the batter into the pan helps keep the shape neat and avoids overfilling.
- Make sure the donuts are still warm when you add the cinnamon sugar. If they cool too much, the sugar won’t stick as well.
- Make a half (or double) batch: These go fast. If you’re serving a crowd or doing a fun fall brunch idea, go ahead and make two batches. If you don’t need a ton (This recipe makes about 4 dozen mini donuts, but they are rather small), then you can make a half batch. The hardest part about halving this recipe is the 1 egg, but I’ve done it before. You can estimate about half the white and half the yolk. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Try a maple glaze twist: If you’re looking for a slightly fancier version, skip the cinnamon sugar and drizzle the cooled donuts with a simple maple glaze instead—powdered sugar, maple syrup, and a splash of milk.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container: These are best fresh, but you can store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in the microwave for 10 seconds to bring back that soft texture.
FAQs
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
I don’t recommend it—pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, which will throw off the flavor and texture. Stick to plain pumpkin puree for best results.
What can I use if I don’t have a mini donut pan?
You can use a mini muffin pan! Just bake the batter in greased mini muffin tins for 10–12 minutes to make adorable pumpkin donut holes.
Can I make these donuts ahead of time?
I will say, the batter does taste best day-of, but I think you can definitely get away with doing these a day ahead of time. You can bake the donuts the day before you need them and store them (uncoated) in an airtight container. Right before serving, warm them slightly and toss in the butter and cinnamon sugar coating for best results.
Do these freeze well?
They freeze okay, but the coating won’t be quite the same after thawing. If you want to freeze them, I recommend doing so before coating them, then rewarming and coating before serving.
How many donuts does this recipe make?
When making mini donuts, it makes quite a few! I have really mini donut pans and mid-sized small donut pans. This recipe made 4 dozen of the mini donuts. However, they were indeed mini and I would hardly consider just one mini donut a serving. If you’re concerned about having too many, you can either bake them all and freeze half for a rainy day, or you can cut the recipe in half. It’s a little tricky to divide one egg in half, but you can eye-ball it. It doesn’t have to be exact.
If you’re on the hunt for cozy fall breakfast ideas that are quick, easy, and filled with pumpkin spice goodness, these mini pumpkin cinnamon sugar donuts are a must-bake. They come together in under 30 minutes, use pantry staples, and make your kitchen smell like a fall dream.
Whether you’re baking up a batch for weekend fall brunch ideas, sending some in lunchboxes, or treating yourself on a chilly weekday morning, these homemade baked donuts are always a hit. Add them to your lineup of pumpkin recipes for breakfast this season—you’ll be glad you did!
Mini Pumpkin Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Ingredients
Mini Pumpkin Donuts
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pi spice or a mix of nutmeg, ginger and cloves
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk or dairy-free milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup neutral oil or melted butter
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 3 Tbsp melted butter approximately
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar approximately
- 2 tsp cinnamon approximately, adjust for your preferences
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a mini donut pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin purée, milk, yogurt, egg, vanilla, and melted butter/oil until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined—don’t overmix.
- Put pumpkin donut batter in a piping bag with no tip (or a plain round tip) and pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Alternatively, you can spoon the batter in, but it gets pretty tricky with mini donuts.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
- While the donuts are still slightly warm, brush them with melted butter and immediately roll (or sprinkle) them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. For best results, do this one donut at a time so the sugar sticks well.
