Easy Baked Pumpkin Donuts Recipe: How I Surprised My Husband With the “Best Doughnuts Ever” by Elisa Schmitz

My husband is a fan of fried donuts. Before the pandemic, he’d look forward to having a chocolate frosted donut for breakfast at the office every Friday morning. Because he was missing his chocolate donut habit, I decided to make him some donuts at home. I decided not to tell him I was making gluten-free baked donuts, to see if he could tell the difference!

To simplify, and because it’s so good (especially this time of year), I used Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Baking Mix as my starting point. Then I made my own cinnamon sugar topping and semisweet chocolate glaze. His reaction? “These are the best doughnuts I’ve ever had! Which bakery did you go to?” Tee-hee!

Now that he knows I can make these amazing donuts at home, there’s no need to go to the bakery for those yummy breakfast or dessert treats. But I’ll be the one heading to the kitchen in the early morning hours mumbling, “Time to make the doughnuts…”

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Servings: Makes 12 donuts

Ingredients

Donuts

• 1 box (17.5 ounces) Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Baking Mix (or your favorite bread or muffin baking mix prepared according to package directions)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil (I used canola oil)
• 2 large eggs

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter

Here’s how to make it:

1. In a large bowl, combine baking mix, water, oil and eggs. Stir to combine until smooth. Spoon batter into donut pans that you’ve sprayed with cooking spray. Each donut ring should be nearly full.
   
2. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then gently loosen to remove.
   
3. While donuts are cooling, prepare the cinnamon sugar topping by blending the sugars and cinnamon. Put the cinnamon sugar on a plate. Melt the butter in the microwave.
   
4. When ready, brush each donut with melted butter, then dip the donut in the brown sugar mixture.
   
5. To make chocolate glazed donuts, try my easy chocolate glaze recipe. So easy and delicious!
   

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