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Warm Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Buttermilk Glaze – Perfect for Fall!

Warm Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Buttermilk Glaze – Perfect for Fall!

Just imagine yourself creating a batch of warm, homemade pumpkin spice donuts fresh from the fryer. Then, imagine dipping each one in a luscious vanilla buttermilk glaze. It’s a simple yet magical process perfect for welcoming sweater weather with a delicious fall treat. 

These homemade pumpkin spice donuts are fluffy and have a perfect hint of pumpkin pie spice, complemented perfectly by the sweet glaze. You can create this cozy, comforting treat in just 20 minutes, perfect for a chilly fall day. 

A Few Tips

✓ Wait to melt the butter until you are ready to start the recipe. It doesn’t take too terribly long for butter to start solidifying again, so make this the last thing you do before you start mixing ingredients.
✓ The dough for these pumpkin donuts will be soft. This means you want to be cautious when dipping the raw donuts into the oil. We recommend using a slotted spoon or spatula to gently lower it into the oil and then scoot it off. Don’t just drop the dough into the hot oil because it will splatter.
✓ Use tongs to carefully flip the donuts in the oil while cooking.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Ingredients:

Donuts:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Pumpkin pie spice
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Buttermilk
  • Eggs
  • Butter, melted
  • Vanilla extract
  • Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Glaze:

  • Powdered sugar
  • Buttermilk
  • Vanilla extract
Pumpkin spice donuts with vanilla glaze for cozy fall days.

Step-By-Step

Step 1: We want to mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and be sure that it is thoroughly mixed and lump free.

Pumpkin spice donuts with vanilla buttermilk glaze.

Step 2: In a separate medium mixing bowl we will mix together the wet ingredients. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree.

Easy pumpkin donuts with warm fall spices and a sweet glaze.

Step 3: Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until the dough is combined. (The dough will still be quite sticky.)

Warm pumpkin spice donuts with homemade vanilla glaze.

Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. (The donuts will puff up while frying.) Use a donut cutter to cut out donuts and donut holes.

Pumpkin donuts topped with vanilla buttermilk glaze.

Step 5: Cut the donuts and the donut holes and set aside.

Easy pumpkin donuts with vanilla glaze for autumn mornings.

Step 6: Create the glaze. In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the glaze until smooth.

Best pumpkin spice donuts with a creamy glaze for fall.

Step 7: Heat 3-inches of oil in a large skillet or pot over medium high heat. When the oil reaches 350F, carefully slide a few donuts into the oil, frying each side until lightly browned. Fry the donuts in small batches until they’re all cooked.

Pumpkin spice doughnuts for fall dessert inspiration.

Step 8: Cool the donuts slightly on a wire rack.

Step 9: Dip each warm donut into the glaze and place back on the wire cooling rack for excess glaze to drip off.

Homemade pumpkin donuts with a vanilla buttermilk glaze.
Pumpkin donuts with a cozy vanilla glaze.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Buttermilk Glaze

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Warm, fluffy pumpkin spice donuts dipped in a creamy vanilla buttermilk glaze – a perfect treat for autumn!

Ingredients

Donuts:

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Glaze:

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
  2. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. 
  3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until the dough is combined. (The dough will still be quite sticky.)
  4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. (The donuts will puff up while frying.) Use a donut cutter to cut out donuts and donut holes.
  5. In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the glaze until smooth.
  6. Heat 3-inches of oil in a large skillet or pot over medium high heat. When the oil reaches 350F, carefully slide a few donuts into the oil, frying each side until lightly browned. Fry the donuts in small batches until they’re all cooked.
  7. Cool the donuts slightly on a wire rack.
  8. Dip each warm donut into the glaze and place back on the wire cooling rack for excess glaze to drip off.

Notes

For best results, fry donuts in small batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature. Allow donuts to cool slightly before glazing for the perfect finish.

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