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These baked pumpkin doughnuts whip up in just 30 minutes and are fluffy, moist, and full of pumpkin spice flavor for the ultimate fall treat.
I’ve mentioned Tim Hortons a couple times before, and it’s also the inspiration for today’s post.
Tim Hortons is a coffee shop chain in Canada and several (mostly northern) states in the U.S. that was started by the famous hockey player, Tim Horton.
Chain or not, Tim Hortons has the best coffee ever (as evidenced by the traffic-stopping lines leading into their parking lots on pretty much any given morning).
Not to mention their amazing baked goods.
This time of year my favorite Tim Hortons treat is a pumpkin spice coffee and doughnut, so of course I wanted to try my hand at making a homemade version of both.
The good thing about remaking restaurant favorites at home is you know exactly what’s going into your food. Not to mention it’s much cheaper!
Tim Hortons Pumpkin Spice Coffee
So, let’s talk about the coffee first.
You can add this pumpkin spice syrup to black coffee as a sweetener. And if you like, you can add milk or cream and froth it up a little if you prefer a latte.
This homemade pumpkin syrup is rich, sweet, and spicy. It’s not too sweet or overpowering, and the addition of maple is a really nice flavor accent.
The only thing I don’t like about it is that the pumpkin solids have a tendency to settle to the bottom of the cup.
That never happens with store-bought pumpkin spice coffee! (Hmmm, how do they do that? Which begs the question, what’s really in it if it’s not actual pumpkin?)
Oh well, just give it a little swirl with a spoon and problem solved, lol!
Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee (Tim Hortons Copycat Recipe)
This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin spice syrup for coffee.
Pumpkin Spice Syrup Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin puree is fine, but make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 pinch salt
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee:
- Whisk together all ingredients in a small to medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring up to a boil (stirring occasionally), and then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add warm syrup to taste (about 2 tablespoons per cup) to your favorite coffee; add milk or cream if desired.
The Best Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts Recipe
Now for the doughnuts! Just like the pumpkin spice syrup for coffee, these donuts were inspired by the pumpkin spice donuts at Tim Hortons.
I have to say these are the best doughnuts I’ve ever had and probably the only doughnut I’ll ever eat again. They’re tender and moist from pumpkin, with a delicious balance of sweet and spice flavors.
The complete gilding of the lily is vanilla bean glaze, which not only added great flavor, but also smells ahhhhmazingly divine.
After I glazed these babies up I got lost in their magical scent for at least a minute. (Close eyes, inhale deeply. who needs yoga with these around? Lol!)
I think these baked pumpkin doughnuts were about 50 times better than their store-bought counterparts. Even Mike (who of course doesn’t usually like pumpkin or doughnuts) couldn’t get enough of them.
The only caveat to their deliciousness is that like any doughnut, they are best eaten right away. Wait until the next morning, and yes, they’re still edible; however, you’ll have missed their mind-blowing effect.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Donuts:
- Butter – to grease the donut pan; or you can use coconut oil or nonstick cooking spray
- Light brown sugar – I love using brown sugar paired with pumpkin because the molasses notes pair beautifully
- Egg – acts as a binder and helps create the perfect fluffy, moist texture
- Canned pumpkin puree – not pumpkin pie filling
- Whole milk – or any kind of milk you like
- Vegetable oil – or another mild or neutral-flavored oil
- All-purpose flour – or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- Baking powder – the leavening agent
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger – the spice blend for our pumpkin doughnuts
- Salt – a natural flavor enhancer
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- Powdered sugar – the base of our glaze
- Vanilla bean paste – this adds vanilla flavor and aroma, as well as pretty flecks of vanilla bean; you can substitute with regular vanilla extract if you don’t have this on hand
- Water – to give the glaze a pour-able consistency
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts
- Add the brown sugar, egg, pumpkin puree, and milk to a large bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
- Whisk just until combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Transfer the batter to a buttered donut pan, and smooth it out.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 8 to 10 minutes at 350F. Cool to room temperature.
- Once the donuts are cool, whisk together all ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl, adding more water 1/2 teaspoon at a time if necessary to achieve the right pour-able consistency. Dip the top of each donut in glaze, and place the glazed donuts on a wire rack set on top of a baking tray. Let the glaze set before serving.
Storage
Like most donuts, these are best eaten the same day they’re made. However, you can store them wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Pumpkin Donuts FAQs
What Pan Should I Use to Make Baked Donuts?
The donut pan I use is smaller than a standard size donut pan, but bigger than a mini donut pan. (The cavity for each donut measures 3 1/4 inches in diameter.) Using this pan, I get 8 donuts out of this recipe.
You can use a smaller or a larger donut pan, just make sure to adjust your bake time up or down accordingly.
Can I Make This Into Muffins Instead?
Yes! You can bake this donut batter as muffins if you don’t have a doughnut pan.
You should get about 6 regular-sized muffins from this recipe. Don’t forget, you’ll need to increase the cooking time a bit (you can use the toothpick test to see if they’re done).
What’s the Best Way to Fill a Donut Pan?
Once the batter is made, transfer it to a pastry bag or a large zip-top plastic bag that you can cut a corner off of.
Now you can easily pipe it into the prepared donut pan!
Smooth out the batter on top, and you’re ready to bake the doughnuts.
What Are Cake Donuts?
Cake doughnuts are usually leavened with baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast. Instead of being chewy, they have a much more cake-like texture than regular doughnuts.
These are a type of cake donuts!
More Pumpkin Treats to Make
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Baked Pumpkin Donuts Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Donuts:
- Butter to grease the donut pan
- 6 tablespoons light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 tablespoons whole milk or any kind of milk you like
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or other mild or neutral-flavored oil
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water or more as necessary
Instructions
For the Donuts:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a donut pan with butter.
- Add the brown sugar, egg, pumpkin puree, and milk to a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, and whisk just until combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Transfer the batter to the donut pan, and smooth it out. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
For the Glaze:
- Once the donuts are cool, whisk together all ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl, adding more water 1/2 teaspoon at a time if necessary to achieve the right pour-able consistency.
- Dip the top of each donut in glaze, and place the glazed donuts on a wire rack set on top of a baking tray. Let the glaze set before serving.
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: I get 8 donuts out of this recipe, for a total of 4 servings (with 2 donuts per serving).
- Storage: Like most donuts, these are best eaten the same day they’re made. However, you can store them wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on November 7, 2010 and updated on September 19, 2023.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
If I double this recipe, would it be enough to fit a mini muffin pan?
Debbie, This recipe as-is will yield 6 regular-sized muffins or about 18 mini muffins.
Ok, I know this may seem like a crime to some people, but I hate maple, and it’s really expensive down here in SE Louisiana anyway. What could I use in place of it in the coffee syrup?? Honey? Simple syrup? Thanks in advance!
Jenny, I haven’t tried it with anything other than maple so I don’t know for sure, but I think both of your ideas (honey or simple syrup) may work. I’d start with simple syrup, because depending on the kind of honey, it’s flavor can sometimes be very strong. Hope it works well…if you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
I made these yesterday and they were absolutely amazing, thank you for sharing :D
Absolutely stunning… the donuts and the dipping syrup. Love the idea and the beauty of this post.
:)
I love that syrup and these donuts look and sound fantastic… Love pumpkin sweats :)
Wow, thanks for demystifying the donut for me! I love them so much but rarely eat them and figured they’d have a lot worse ingredients in them than these do. Yum!
Wow, these look absolutely gorgeous! I wish I had some :)
We don’t have Tim Horton’s down South, but who needs it, with your great recipes? Those moist cakey doughnuts look stupendous, wow! And, I don’t know that I would put the pumpkin spice syrup in my coffee–but it would be amazing drizzled over any number of sweets—ice cream, or pie, or even toast!
This sounds a great innovation from the traditional fried doughnut recipe. Love the soft and moist texture of it.
Pumpkin spice donuts, where are you when I want you for breakfast??? This are so sweet in the mini size, I have to find one of those cute pans for the mini donuts. They look so good, great job, really wish I could taste one!
I love Tim Horton’s and this may help feed my fix since I will be too pregnant to return to Montreal for Christmas this year… and they don’t know what Tim Horton’s is in God forsaken Nebraska…. might you have a recipe for smoked meat and poutine to make the Christmas experience complete ;)
Ok, I don’t eat donuts for the obvious reasons, but I would make an exception for these! They actually look wholesome and with the pumpkin puree and whole wheat flour – even a little healthy! Love the cute blue baking pan :)
I always buy that Torino’s pumpkin spice (made for Italian sodas) and put it in my coffee but this syrup looks soooo much better and I could put it on almost everything! A “gotta try”!
Donuts look pretty phenomenal too! ;)
Stumbled!
Your doughnuts look heavenly Faith! I think it\’s great that you are recreating all your restaurant favorites. They look perfect! I don\’t drink coffee but if I did it would be with your delicious pumpkin syrup!
Oh yesss!!! The syrup on its own looks good enough to dive into, but this little bit of baked goodyness is my type of cake. Wonderful.
I was actually trying to figure out the other day just how pumpkin spice coffee ends up tasting like pumpkin spice. Not sure but I do know that this syrup and these doughnuts sound absolutely fabulous!
You baked them??? Wow they are perfect and I agree, an awesome recipe with so many great things in them. I’ve never seen a Tim Hortons … you are a great salesperson for them!
Oh wow! These donuts look amazing. I have to get one of those pans so I can try them. Your coffee sounds wonderful too. This would be great with dessert after dinner on Thanksgiving:)
I’ve seen those doughnut pans at Sur La Table, but was always afraid that the resulting doughnuts wouldn’t be ‘authentic’ or taste doughnut-like. But I can see (as you said) that those are seriously moist, and look perfectly delicious! And way to go on making them seasonal.
OH MY these donuts look fabulous!!!
At Wegmans this fall season I’ve been getting pumpkin doughnuts every week and they are good, but yours look even better homemade and all! I need to get a pan like that! My daughter would so love to make doughnuts at home!
Faith, these pumpkin donuts look awesome, specially because they are baked. The pumpkin syrup for coffee sounds amazing :-)
I’ve seen Krista (Krista’s Kravings) talk about this place before- sounds awesome!! The donuts look fantastic. I love the little mold you used. These would be perfect for thanksgiving morning
These are the most delicious looking doughnuts I have ever seen. You are KILLING me with their deliciousness. I am a pumpkin FIEND. Thanks for the recipes. The coffee syrup is a must try as well. :)
Now I don’t have to waste 300 calories on the Krispy Kreme one! Hot damn!
Faith,
The doughnuts looks and sound wonderful. No surprise that they were a big hit at home. No we just need to make the “other” ones.
Bravo!
Yep, that’ll work. Those doughnuts look to die for! I love your coffee syrup too. I’ve always wondered about the pumpkin as well. Now that I’ve seen it in action though, I think I’ll try my hand at making my own syrup as well!
What a delicious Fall inspired post…yum! I love the syrup and I’m loving those donuts! I’m off to find myself a donut pan!
You are my fiancee’s new favorite. At least, that’s my prediction after I make this for her on a Saturday morning.
First I thought these doughnuts were bought somewhere; they look amazing! I would buy a dozen in a heartbeat; plus looking at the ingredients they are made with such delicious ingredients, including the pumpkin purée. Lovely job Faith.
Wow, those look amazing. Back when I used to go to Dunkin Donuts every morning I looked forward to their fall flavored coffee and muffin every year!
Imaging have a couple of doughnuts with a freshly brewed black coffee…life couldn’t be better, could it?
Angie
oh you just made my favorite doughtnuts in the world!!! I wish I can find it somewhere! would you deliver? ;)
I love Tim Hortons! I discovered them in New York and again in Niarga Falls.
Pumpkin & Spice – I couldn’t think of anything better!
Oh me oh my, this yet again affirms our long lost twin status Faith! I love pumpkin and pumpkin spices. It gives baked good such an out of this world moistness! :D
Wow! These doughnuts look and sound so good I’m tempted to go out to buy a doughnut pan just to make it!! I don’t usually like pumpkin either, but these look so good I’m sure I’d love them!
Mmm these would be perfect for breakfast this morning!
Drooling! Those pumpkin doughnuts look divine…and I love that they are baked and not fried. I would be so content with a donut and a cup of tea tonight! Thanks for sharing, and I hope your week is full of love!
Your baked donuts are fantastic! I just have to get one of those pans! I love the delicious vanilla glaze on top! Oh and your pumpkin spice syrup rocks as well! Happy Autumn! :)
Looks wonderful, how long can you keep the syrup? I wonder if you could can it if it goes bad quickly… ideas? Thoughts?
Wendy, The syrup keeps in the fridge 2 weeks; just be sure to shake it before each use, as the pumpkin has a tendency to settle to the bottom. I haven’t tried canning it, so I can’t say for sure, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. If you try it, let me know how it works out!
Hmmmm…I think I’ll be asking for one of these doughnut pans. I want to make these so bad! My hubby used to work for Krispy Kreme and would bring home tons of free doughnuts. I quickly got sick of the original doughnuts but the one that I loved most and probably could still stomach was the pumpkin spice one. I was lucky enough to get one hot out of the fryer once. Ohhhhh, yes. yum. I’m thinking I would like this even more b/c it’s so much healthier and I wouldn’t feel so guilty about eating it.
I need a doughnut pan- Those are some fabulous looking doughnuts! I want some tomorrow morning for breakfast. :) Along with the pumpkin spice coffee, of course.
Believe it or not, it is the syrup that has gotten to me. I would love that in coffee and on ice cream.
You have another winner, Faith.
Do you deliver? Because I could sure wake up to a dozen of these on my doorstep tomorrow morning. LOL
Faith…I had not seen one of those pans before…now Hubby won’t be happy about me having to add one more pan to my kitchen…see what you’ve started. LOL However, once a great donut gets baked for him…his tummy will be praising you ;o)
I haven’t been to Timmy in ages…hence, never had this donut either…must try to have a visit soon ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
Oh my, I think you’ve hit the jackpot, here. :O The doughnuts look SO good. I’m not sure if I have a doughnut pan or a MINI doughnut pan, but chances are I’ll be making these regardless of which it is. :) Ooh, do you think they freeze well? We travel for Thanksgiving, and I think these would be an appreciated breakfast. :)
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
PS – I have nooo idea what coffee places put in their pumpkin coffee, but it’s probably not pretty. :S
I don’t like coffee but I love pumpkin spice doughnuts! Those look so good and it’s fabulous that they are baked!
Tim Horton’s rocks! Interesting that doughnut shops have a bad reputation in the Lower 48, but up north, Tim Horton’s can sponsor the elite Canadian road and mountain bike national championships without an iota of irony. Cheers!
Mmmm, donuts….Oh my goodness, Faith, that is one delicious plate of donuts. And the coffee! Would love both right now.
Oh both recipes look divine. I don’t put sugar in my coffee but that syrup could have so many other uses….yumm.
BTW the original recipe of the tarte tatin was only tomatoes, I just did it with some eggplants too. So totally do the same recipe without the hated veggie by hubby ;-)
These look great! It’s never occurred to me to purchase a donut pan before. It’s also never occurred to me to make my own donuts! What a fun idea, and they look great!
I miss so much american donuts. It’s one thing I enjoyed a lot while being in the States. Yours look fantastic.
I love that these muffins are baked and that they are the best you have ever had! Congrats & I must try them over here. Desperately need a doughnut pan. The glaze sounds like the perfect topper. Did you know we are both on Foodgawker today?? Cool huh!
Donut pan. I just wrote it on my Christmas list! :) These look amazing! I am obviously new to Ohio and there are Tim Hortons everywhere around here. People rave about the coffee, I’ll have to try it out. There’s one within 2 miles of our house. :) And good to know he was a hockey player…I like the place already!
Faith,
I was thinking of making cake donuts for long time. Your post has given another boost to try them soon. Looks delicious.
I love that spice combination, sounds delicious!
Just made the syrup Faith! I’m sipping a coffee as I type and it’s amazing! Once the coffee is gone I’ll be making the donuts! YUM!
Krista, Yay, I’m so glad you like the syrup!!! Hope you enjoy the doughnuts too! :)
Healthy doughnuts? Amazing! I want one!
We have Tim Horton’s in RI too! I know some people who go there, but in RI it’s mostly a Dunkin Donuts crowd, haha. I love that you created your own pumpkin syrup! Much easier than paying for their coffee every time. And baking donuts seems so much healthier than frying, this pan is so convenient. Glad Mike approved :)
I’m having a cup of coffee now and what’s missing is one of those donuts! They look fantastic! WOW! I need to buy a donut pan! We don’t have Tim Horton’s!
Omg, I am drooling! What wonderful baked doughnuts and delicioghtful syrup!
Cheers,
Rosa
I have a donut pan i bought to make donuts almost a year ago, and still haven’t used it. I must try making my own, these look fabulous.
HOpe you are having a great weekend.
*kisses* HH