Our baked pumpkin spice doughnuts are so warm and delicious. They're easy to make and the chocolate cinnamon frosting takes them to another level. They're perfect for a Halloween or Thanksgiving breakfast treat.
Sweet mother of all things pumpkin, remove this tray before I eat every last one of these Vegan Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts with Chocolate Cinnamon Icing.
You guys, these bad boys are dangerously good. As someone who prides myself on not having a sweet tooth, I’m feeling like I don’t even know who I am anymore.
Maybe it’s the pumpkin and the spice in the moist and cake like baked doughnuts that are making me weak. Or it could be the dark chocolate and cinnamon icing?
Why am I even wondering out loud? It’s the pumpkin spice doughnut and the wickedly good frosting that’s brought me to my knees.
A doughnut literally brought me to my knees.
As I was shoving the last piece of a pumpkin spice doughnut into my mouth a large crumb fell to the floor and I went down.
My knees hit the marble and I found myself frantically sweeping my hand under the kitchen cabinet to retrieve it, as I wondered if the three second rule applied to crumbs that fall under the cabinet. Houston, I have a problem.
I’d like to think that I was just trying to prevent my sweet little Coco from eating the dark chocolate frosting--it’s bad for dogs in case you didn’t know—but that would be a lie. I wanted it for myself, my pumpkin spice loving, gluttonous self.
Don’t judge. When you taste these vegan baked pumpkin spice doughnuts you’ll understand.
First, the doughnut. It’s exactly what a doughnut should be. It’s firm, a little spongy, cake like, and moist. If I didn’t know that it was baked I’d swear it was fried. And the pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves…… Cue the trumpets and angels singing.
And if the pumpkin spice flavors aren’t enough to make you swoon, there’s the dark chocolate and cinnamon icing that covers the top and drips down the sides.
The pumpkin spice and the chocolate are a match made in doughnut heaven.
Anyway, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you’re going to want to make these doughnuts for yourself? Of course you do. How could you possibly resist these fabulously delicious treats of autumn?
HOW TO MAKE BAKED VEGAN PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS
You’ll love how easy they are to make, and they’ll make you the most popular kid on the block if you can stand to share them.
STEP ONE:
The first thing you’re going to need is a doughnut pan. You’ll also want a mixer or a heavy duty whisk.
Once you have those things you’ll need to gather some flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, pumpkin puree, applesauce, almond milk, light brown sugar, and finely ground sea salt.
STEP TWO:
Combine the dry ingredients, then the wet (instructions are at the bottom of this page), then both, and you’re ready to spoon the pumpkin batter into the doughnut pan and bake up these gorgeous pillow rings of yum.
STEP THREE:
While the doughnuts are cooling you can make the chocolate cinnamon icing. If you’re able to hold back from licking the spoon I’m going to crown you as the king or queen of self-control. You will rule the land of all things boring.
Don’t be the king or queen of self-control. At least when it comes to vegan baked pumpkin spice doughnuts with chocolate cinnamon icing.
Make these on a Saturday morning and enjoy them throughout the weekend. If they last that long.
HOW TO STORE BAKED DOUGHNUTS
Store the doughnuts in an air tight container in a cool dry place for up to three days. You don't have to put them in the refrigerator, but you don't want to store them in a warm area or they won't stay fresh.
We haven't tried freezing them because they don't last long enough to have to. If you do freeze them, make sure to put them in a freezer bag and take them out of the bag before you defrost them so the frosting doesn't stick to the bag.
Tell me:
Are you ready for the pumpkin spice season?
What is your favorite doughnut?
Have the leaves started changing color where you live?
If you don't have a doughnut pan, a mixer, or a good whisk, click on the photos below to purchase.
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Make this and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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BAKED VEGAN PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS WITH CHOCOLATE CINNAMON ICING
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 and ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder this is separate from the teaspoon used in the applesauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon of ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon of ground cloves
Wet ingredients
- ¼ cup of applesauce + 1 teaspoon of baking powder – combine in a bowl egg replacer
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ½ cup up pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup of almond milk
Icing
- 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar
- 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons of almond milk – add more or less to get the desired consistency
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and grease the doughnut pan if it’s not a non-stick pan
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
- In a small bowl add the applesauce and 1 teaspoon baking powder and whisk until it bubbles and becomes frothy. Add the brown sugar and mix until well combined. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, milk, and the maple syrup and mix until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Don't overwork it or you'll get a tough doughnut. Add more milk if the batter is too stiff. It should be firm but not difficult to stir.
- Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and place on the rack until completely cool
For the icing:
- In a medium bowl stir the confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and milk together until smooth and creamy. The texture should be between frosting and a glaze. Add more milk if needed.
- When the doughnuts are completely cool frost the doughnuts.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Debbie says
I made your pumpkin donuts yesterday and they turned out great! I cut back on the sugar a bit because my applesauce (the only kind I could find the day I was shopping) had sugar in it. Still, they weren't quite as sweet as I expected and I might add a bit more sugar next time. It's the first time I used applesauce plus baking powder as an egg replacer and it worked great! 🙂 My pumpkin donuts may also not have been as sweet as I didn't put the icing on - instead I used vegan chocolate chips and let them melt onto the hot donuts right after coming from the oven. I spread the melted chips around with a knife. Very nice, just not as sweet as the icing. A new vegan recipe to tempt my non-vegan family with, lol.
I made the apple cider donuts today and used the applesauce egg replacer in that one as well, and added finely chopped apple too. They are so good! Yum!
You have a lot of great recipes here for me to try yet. Thank you so much!
And Happy 2020!!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Debbie! Happy 2020! Thank you for your comment, we truly appreciate it. The doughnuts themselves aren't super sweet, as we wanted the warmth of the spices to shine. The sweetness comes from the glaze, so that's probably why yours weren't super sweet. Regardless, we're so happy you enjoyed them. 🙂
Chris says
Can you use skim milk instead of almond milk ?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Chris. We haven't tried it, but we're sure it would work just fine.
Karen says
These look heavenly! I just bought some darling autumn cupcake liners for a tea party, is there any reason I can't make cupcakes instead?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Karen, the batter is not as light and fluffy as cake so I can't guarantee that they'd turn out.
Nov Novman says
I clean carpets and tile floors for a — well, not for a living, but for my slave wages — and I’m here to warn you: There is no 5-second rule. Food that touches a surface people walk on is lost; no matter how delicious. Pick it up and throw it away. Never put it in your mouth. Trust me.
Linda Meyer says
Thanks for the advice, Nov.
Justine N says
Hi there, this looks yummy! Can I use an egg instead of the apple sauce? Would it alter the other recipe ingredients?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Justine! To be honest, I'm not sure. We don't cook with eggs so I don't know how an egg would change the texture or cooking time. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.
Nancy says
Your donuts all look yummy... can they be made with gluten free flour?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Nancy, Thank you! I haven't tried making them with GF flour. I'd suggest using a GF flour blend, like King Arthur's. They may not be quite as light and moist as GF flours tend to create a drier product. If you make them please let us know how they turned out.