baked pumpkin spice doughnuts.

/

ooooh no i've said the forbidden words.

"pumpkin spice."

i realize that pumpkin spice flavored everything has gotten incredibly out of control in the last few years. see my friend piper's visual collections of ridiculous pumpkin spice flavored items here:

#1

and

#2

.

...but these baked doughnuts are actually made with pumpkin and covered in sugary spice.  henceforth, they are indeed "pumpkin spice."  i stand by this title.

besides...these are just downright yummy.

and they're baked!  low maintenance, easy to make donuts.  wooooo!

and mayhaps, "better for you?"  hmm. sure.

 i've made a few different kinds of baked donuts and they've all been great.  i made these pumpkin spice ones last year using a vegan/gluten-free recipe.  they were really tasty and had a good texture because of the rice flour and oat flour. 

i couldn't find that same recipe again, so i made up my own this time except gluten-full and with real eggs and milk and things i always have around.  i don't have any food allergies or eating restrictions, so i'm just working with what i know here, folks.  there is a fabulous gluten-free and vegan pumpkin spice donut recipe out there, just have to find it if you're interested :)

i found that the sugary topping on the pumpkin donuts was the most believable as a homemade, baked not fried, donut.  i once (twice or three times) tried to make my own maple glaze because i loooooooooooooooove [with 100 o's] maple bars...but i just couldn't get it down.  the powdered sugar just somehow tastes bad to me in a homemade (by me) glaze.  how doooo they do it???!

i'm glad i made these in september and now have a festive october recipe to share already!  i suppose the

montana mules

from the other day are fall-festive as well.

it's also my best friend in the whole world's birthday today!!!

hi katie my lady!  i wish i could stuff these in your face today.  mwah mwah mwah i love ya so much.  october must be a fab time to have a birthday.

check out these plump little cuties.

time for the toppings!

 i think maybe the sugary topping is the easy way out?  but i simply cannot figure out a powdered sugar based glaze without wanting to throw these all in the garbage.  i have made a successful chocolate glaze, but that's differn't.  i want maple, dammit.

 chomp chomp chomp.

oh and they smell fabulous, too.  my little neighbor girl came over to sling me some christmas wrapping paper for a school fundraiser just after i had made these donuts.  she took one whiff of the house and was in the kitchen eating a donut before i knew it.

which was nice, because i knew i could get some brutally honest feedback out of an 8 year old.  

she said it was "YUMMY!!"  phew!

Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

Makes 12 Doughnuts

Eat within 3 days after baking

Ingredients:

Donuts

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cake flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2/3 cup coconut sugar (or regular granulated white. i'm just into coconut sugar lately.)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted

Topping

  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup melted butter

Instructions-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and either grease or spray the donut baking pan with cooking oil or butter.  You can buy these at most kitchen gadget stores, like Bed Bath & Beyond for around $10.

Mix all dry ingredients together in medium bowl and set aside.  In large bowl, whisk the melted butter and eggs.  Add the coconut sugar and whisk until smooth.  Add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined. 

Slowly begin adding the dry ingredients, pouring some of the milk in as you continue to mix all the ingredients together.  Pour in the remainder of the measured milk and stir batter until combined.

Spoon the batter into the doughnut pan.  I filled mine up almost to the brim, but not quite.  I also tried to wipe out the center area to make sure there was a distinct hole in the donut after baking and not just a big chubby blob o' pumpkin dough.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Use the toothpick test if you're unsure about the dough being cooked all the way through.

Remove from oven and carefully flip the entire baking pan onto a cooling rack.  Donuts should fall right out.  Let cool about 5-10 minutes before adding the sugar topping.

For the topping, melt butter in a shallow, wide bowl (wide enough to dip part of the donut in).  In a similar, separate bowl, stir together the sugar and pumpkin pie spice with a spoon.

Dunk the top half of each donut (the prettier looking side) lightly into the butter bowl.  Let any excess butter drip off first, then immediately dip the donut into the topping and twist until butter-covered area is coated with sugar.  Place back onto cooling rack.  Repeat until all the donuts have a scrumptious sugary topping.

I recommend eating at least one while its still warm...that is where its at.

qp