Vegan Pumpkin Donuts

Enjoy this fluffy Vegan Pumpkin Donuts recipe with cinnamon sugar. These healthy, tender donuts are baked, not fried, dunked in melted butter, and drizzled with cinnamon sugar giving each bite a spicy-sweet crunch. They’re what indulgent breakfast is all about!

If you love sweet, vegan breakfasts, check out this Vegan Coffee Cake or these easy Chocolate Croissants.

Vegan pumpkin cinnamon sugar donuts sit next to a bowl of cinnamon sugar.

When I was a kid, my neighbor’s mom, Sue, used to keep a tub of margarine sitting out on the counter with a bowl of cinnamon sugar beside it. The margarine was nice and soft and with a fresh piece of toast in hand, I slathered it with melted butter and then coated it with cinnamon sugar.

I was hooked!

The Best Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

I had to make this baked pumpkin donut recipe several times to get it right. Don’t you feel bad for me? Yeah, me neither. This recipe is vegan comfort food at its very best. I always have to forgo fried donuts because the grease upsets my stomach. So, these healthy pumpkin donuts are baked!

Once I discovered baked donuts, I never looked back. These vegan pumpkin donuts combine the best of so many worlds — that favorite cinnamon-sugar flavor from my childhood, the ease of baked donuts, and all the pumpkin goodness.

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • Brown sugar combined with pumpkin adds moisture and flavor that is undeniably delicious
  • These precise ingredients fill up one donut pan with 6 compartments
  • Dipping the baked donuts in butter helps seal the cinnamon crunch topping in place, giving each donut a sugary crunch with every bite!

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Flour — I recommend all-purpose flour, but you can also use whole wheat pastry flour (different than whole wheat flour).
  • Brown sugar — Use light, dark, or even homemade brown sugar.
  • Pumpkin pie spice — This combination of spices is perfect. If you don’t have any, make your own pumpkin pie spice.
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Baking powder
  • Vegan butter — If using storebought, I recommend Earth Balance or make homemade non-dairy butter.
  • Pumpkin puree — I use canned pumpkin, and it works great.
  • Plant-based milk — I prefer using soy milk, but any of your favorite plant-based milk will work here.
  • Granulated sugar — We’ll use a combination of granulated sugar and the spices listed above for the topping.

How to Make Pumpkin Donuts

The good news is you can make your own vegan pumpkin donuts in around 30 minutes. Here are the steps:

Step One: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Stir to combine.

A bowl of flour has spices on top of it.

Step Two: Combine Wet Ingredients

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the vegan butter for 20–30 seconds, until it’s melted. Add the pumpkin puree and plant-based milk and stir to combine.

Step Three: Make Donut Batter

Pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir until it’s combined.

Flour is being poured into a pumpkin batter mixture.

Step Four: Spoon & Bake

Use a spoon or carefully pour the batter into the donut compartments, filling them generously and equally. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the donuts are done and slightly golden on the edges.

Step Five: Cinnamon Sugar Topping

In the meantime, prepare your dipping stations, beginning with the melted vegan butter in one bowl. Then make the cinnamon sugar topping by combining the sugar and spices in another bowl.

Once the vegan pumpkin donuts are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Once they’re cool enough to handle, dip the top side of each donut in the melted vegan butter, followed by a dip in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with each donut.

If you have enough melted butter and cinnamon sugar, repeat this process with the bottom half of each donut.

Storage Tips

Store donuts in an airtight container. They’ll keep for 2–3 days at room temperature. Or store them in the fridge for up to 7 days. They can also be frozen in freezer-friendly containers or bags for up to 3 months.

Marly’s Tips

Use these expert tips to make these donuts perfect every time:

  • I like to add some extra dried ginger and dried chives from time-to-time
  • Use high-quality gluten-free baking flour to make gluten-free pumpkin donuts
  • You could use coconut oil in place of the vegan butter

Reader Reviews

★★★★★
Made this for thanksgiving, it was amazing.

David
A pumpkin donut with a bite taken out sits on brown paper. A bowl of cinnamon sugar sits behind it.

More Vegan Donuts

If you love these vegan pumpkin donuts, be sure to try these recipes:

Vegan pumpkin cinnamon sugar donuts sit next to a bowl of cinnamon sugar.

Vegan Pumpkin Donuts

Enjoy these fluffy Vegan Pumpkin Donuts that are baked, not fried, and coated with cinnamon and pumpkin-spiced sugar. They're sure to please!
5 from 7 votes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 9 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 276kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
  • ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree
  • ¾ cup plant-based milk soy, almond, etc

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Instructions

  • Heat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray a regular-size donut pan with vegetable spray.
  • In a bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Stir to combine.
  • In a microwaveable bowl, place the vegan butter. Heat for 20 to 30 seconds, until the butter is melted. Add the pumpkin puree and plant-based milk. Stir to combine.
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until just combined (don't over mix).
  • Use a spoon or carefully pour the batter into the donut compartments, filling them generously and equally. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the donuts are done and slightly golden on the edges.
  • In the meantime, prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Topping by melting the vegan butter in one bowl. In a second bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon spice.
  • Once the donuts are done, remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a minute or two. Once they're cool enough to handle, dip the top part of each donut in the melted vegan butter, followed by a dip in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with each donut. If you have enough melted butter and cinnamon sugar, repeat this process with the bottom half of each donut.

Recommended Equipment

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Video

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 1650IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1.8mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post was originally published in 2016 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2020.

8 Responses to Vegan Pumpkin Donuts

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyEmily Reply

    5 stars
    Didn’t quite look as good as the photos but the flavor/texture was great.

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyDavid O Reply

    5 stars
    Made this for thanksgiving it was amazing.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Glad you liked them!

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlySusan Reply

    5 stars
    Awesome recipe, I used monk fruit instead of sugar. I also made a glaze out of swerve confectioner’s sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and a splash of milk.

  4. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyDanica Reply

    5 stars
    Taste delicious! I made them with caputo flour

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Danica! I have used this flour before (00 flour), but only to make pizzas. I love the idea of using it with baked goods. I’m glad you like this vegan donuts recipe!

  5. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyTreya Reply

    5 stars
    Can these become mini loafs if you do not have a donut pan?

  6. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlySarah | Well and Full Reply

    5 stars
    Thanks for the shout-out, Marly! 🙂

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