Pumpkin Donuts

 Pumpkin Donuts are the perfect Fall treat made with pure pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice for the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor in every bite! If that wasnt enough flavor for you there is also a maple cinnamon glaze that goes on top. If you have had enough pumpkin spice at the moment I also have Glazed Cake Donuts you will love!
Pumpkin Donuts
These donuts are cake donuts as opposed to yeast donuts. This means that you can have freshly baked donuts without waiting for the dough to rise! And of course I had to add both pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the batter to keep up with the pumpkin spice trend! These donuts are fried in oil but I will also let you know how to make them in the air fryer and oven as well.

Ingredients Substitutions
Pumpkin Pie Spice If you dont have any on hand make your own homemade pumpkin spice for the recipe as well as all the other pumpkin spice recipes that are so popular this time of year.
Pure Pumpkin Look for a can of pure pumpkin which was formerly labeled pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling. There are no added spices to pure pumpkin.
Buttermilk Buttermilk helps the donuts fry up with a crispy outside and tender inside. I would not recommend substituting milk for buttermilk the donuts will not be the same consistency. If you dont have any on hand make your own buttermilk!
Glaze Look for pure maple syrup for the glaze. Its similar to the glaze we loved on my Pumpkin Streusel Muffins.
How Thick Should I Roll the Dough?
After testing different thicknesses of dough we found that 12 inch worked best for this recipe. Dont worry if they look a little thin they will puff up after being fried in oil.
Frying Donuts in Oil
When frying in oil it is important that you keep the oil at a consistent temperature of 350F. I recommend keeping a candy thermometer in the oil at all times. In addition the oil temperature will drop after each batch of donuts so be sure to let it heat up again before adding the next batch. If you have any leftover oil dont throw it out first check out How to Clarify Used Cooking Oil so it doesnt go to waste.
What Kind of Pan is Best for Frying?
When it comes to a pan I like a large Dutch oven with 23 inches of oil in it. Make sure the pan is bigger than you would think you would need. If you dont have a Dutch oven look for a pot that retains heat well like a castiron kettle.
Tips Tricks for Making Donuts
Making donuts could be intimidating but I have a few tips to keep in mind
Roll out the dough on a heavily floured surface and remember to keep it as close to 12 inch in thickness as possible Use the donut holes round balls of dough that you remove from the center of the donuts to combine roll