Vegan Pumpkin Donuts (Baked, Fried, or Air-Fried)
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5
15 reviews
Excellent
Vegan Pumpkin Donuts (Baked, Fried, or Air-Fried)
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These Vegan Pumpkin Donuts offer versatile preparation methods including baking, frying, or air-frying, resulting in moist, spiced donuts with warming autumn flavors. A blend of pumpkin purée, apple cider vinegar, sugars, and spices such as cinnamon and cloves create a tender batter or dough. Whether rolled and cut or piped into pans, these donuts have a spice-forward profile and tender crumb suitable for various finishes like cinnamon sugar or maple glaze.
Description
The Vegan Pumpkin Donuts recipe begins with a wet mix of pumpkin purée, apple cider vinegar, sugars, oil, vanilla, and optionally plant-based milk for the batter. Dry ingredients include flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and a blend of spices—cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice—for distinct autumnal flavor. The mixture is gently combined to keep the donuts tender.
For fried donuts, the dough is rolled out and cut; for baking or air-frying, the batter can be piped or dropped into pans or molds, offering flexibility in cooking methods. Proper oil temperature monitoring ensures even cooking and golden exteriors. Optional finishes such as cinnamon sugar or maple glaze enhance the sweet and spiced qualities.
To store donuts, cool completely before icing. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature since refrigeration can stiffen the texture. Using a piping bag for batter application helps with uniform shapes and edges. Oven or frying thermometers help achieve accurate temperatures.
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Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling, puree
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ cup canola oil sunflower oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
If Baking Or Using a Donut Dropper
- ⅔ cup plant-based milk unsweetened
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cloves ground
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
If Air-Frying or Using a Donut Cutter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour additional
Optional Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Optional Maple Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Mixing The Donut Batter (or dough if you are following the roll-and-cut method)
- In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the pumpkin purée, apple cider vinegar, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. If you are baking the donuts or using a donut dropper, add the plant-based milk to this mixture and stir until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently until a smooth batter forms. For the roll-and-cut method, mix only until a tacky dough forms.
Cooking Options
Roll-and-Cut Donuts (Fried):
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it to roughly a ¾-inch (about 2 cm) thickness and cut out donut shapes with a donut cutter, re-rolling scraps as needed.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat (to approximately 350°F/175°C).
- Carefully lower the donuts into the hot oil, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack suspended over a baking pan that’s lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Roll-and-Cut Donuts (Air Fried):
- Follow the instructions for rolling and cutting.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Place donuts in a single layer in the basket and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden and cooked through.
- Transfer to a cooling rack.
Baked Donuts (Donut Pan): Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a donut pan.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
- Transfer to a cooling rack suspended over a baking pan that’s lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Drop Donuts (Using a Donut Dropper):
- Preheat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat to 350°F (175°C), using a frying thermometer to make sure you have reached that temperature range.
- Fill the hopper of the donut dropper with batter and drop one or two initial donuts back into the batter bowl to make sure the batter is coming out evenly. (You can put those initial test drops back into the hopper).
- Carefully drop the batter into the oil in rounds, making sure not to overcrowd the pot.
- Fry each donut for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack suspended over a baking pan that’s lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Finishing Options
- Cinnamon Sugar Coating While donuts are still warm, place them into a large bowl with the sugar and cinnamon, and toss until fully coated.
- Maple Glaze In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and salt until smooth. Dip the cooled donuts in the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off before returning them to a wire rack to set.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Mix wet and dry ingredients gently and avoid overmixing to maintain tender donuts.
- Use a piping bag or parchment cone to apply batter cleanly into donut pans.
- Employ an oven or frying thermometer to maintain correct cooking temperatures for even results.
- Allow donuts to cool fully before applying icing or storing to preserve texture.
- Store donuts in an airtight container at room temperature; avoid refrigeration to keep them from becoming stiff.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
449kcal
(22%)
Carbohydrates
88g
(29%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
10g
(15%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Trans Fat
0.04g
(2%)
Sodium
234mg
(10%)
Potassium
146mg
(3%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
63g
(126%)
Vitamin A
3209IU
(64%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
93mg
(9%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12donuts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 449 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 449kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 88g | 29% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0.04g | 2% |
| Sodium | 234mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 146mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 63g | 126% |
| Vitamin A | 3209IU | 64% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 93mg | 9% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
15 reviews
Excellent
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