Published: October 11, 2026

These Pumpkin Shaped Pumpkin Spice Donuts are soft, fluffy and made with real pumpkin purée plus warm pumpkin spices throughout the dough. Shaped into cute little pumpkins, they’re the perfect homemade treat for fall. Enjoy them as they are or fill them with your favorite filling, such as Nutella, caramel or vanilla pastry cream.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

🧡Adorable pumpkin shape - These donuts are shaped into little pumpkins, making them such a fun and festive treat for fall.

🧡Full of pumpkin spice flavor - A combination of warm spices gives these donuts that classic cozy fall flavor.

🧡Perfect for fall baking: These pumpkin shaped donuts are a wonderful treat to make throughout autumn, especially around Halloween and Thanksgiving.

🧡Customizable fillings - Fill them with Nutella, caramel, vanilla pastry cream or any other filling you love.

🧡Delicious without filling - These donuts are just as delicious on their own, especially when they're freshly made.

Tips & Tricks

→ Don't skip either of the proofing times - Both proofing stages are essential for achieving soft, light and fluffy donuts. The first rise allows the yeast to develop the dough's structure and flavor, while the second rise gives the shaped donuts time to become airy before frying. Rushing either step can result in dense, heavy donuts, so make sure the dough has enough time to rise properly. Keep in mind that proofing times may vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

→ Make sure the butter is softened before incorporating it into the dough - The butter should be soft and pliable, but not melted. Using softened butter makes it easier to incorporate gradually into the dough, allowing it to distribute evenly without leaving large pieces behind. I recommend taking the butter out of the refrigerator ahead of time so it can come to room temperature before you begin making the dough.

→ Be patient when incorporating the butter - When you first add the softened butter, the dough may look greasy, sticky or as though it's falling apart. This is completely normal. Continue kneading on low speed and give the dough enough time to absorb the butter. The dough will gradually come together into a smooth, elastic, slightly tacky consistency. Avoid adding extra flour too quickly, as this can make the finished donuts denser.

→ Use food safe butcher's twine to create the pumpkin shape - To achieve the little pumpkin shape, I recommend using food safe cotton butcher's twine that can withstand frying temperatures. The twine helps create the individual pumpkin segments as the dough rises and expands. Make sure not to wrap it too tightly around the dough, as the donuts still need room to expand during the second proofing and while frying. Avoid synthetic or decorative string, as these materials may not be suitable for contact with hot oil.

→ Fill the donuts with your favorite fillings - These pumpkin spice donuts are delicious on their own, but you can also fill them with Nutella, caramel, vanilla pastry cream or another filling of your choice. Make sure the donuts have cooled before filling them, especially if you're using pastry cream or another temperature sensitive filling. I recommend using a piping bag fitted with a filling tip to make the process easier.

→ Use a kitchen thermometer when frying - Maintaining the correct oil temperature is one of the most important steps when making homemade donuts. If the oil is too hot, the outside can brown too quickly while the center remains undercooked. If the oil is too cool, the donuts may absorb excess oil and become greasy. Aim for an oil temperature of around 165–170°C and monitor it throughout the frying process, adjusting the heat as needed. The temperature will naturally drop slightly when you add the donuts to the oil.

→ Use a kitchen scale for accurate measurements - I always recommend weighing your ingredients when working with yeast dough, especially the flour and liquids. Even small differences in measurements can affect the consistency of the dough and the final texture of the donuts. A kitchen scale also makes it easier to divide the dough into 12 equal portions, helping the donuts proof and fry more evenly.

→ Use a thick pumpkin purée - For this recipe, I used a very thick pumpkin purée, which is important for achieving the correct dough consistency. Pumpkin purée naturally contains moisture, so using a very watery purée can make the dough overly sticky and difficult to handle. If your pumpkin purée seems particularly watery, you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to remove some of the excess liquid before adding it to the dough. I recommend using plain pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling, which contains additional sugar and spices.

→ You can also make these with a classic donut dough - If you love the pumpkin shape but would prefer a traditional donut flavor, you can leave out the pumpkin purée and pumpkin spices. Since the pumpkin purée contributes moisture to the original dough, you'll need to increase the milk to compensate. I recommend starting with approximately 30g of additional milk, then gradually adding a little more if needed until the dough reaches a soft, slightly tacky consistency. Keep in mind that the exact amount of milk may vary depending on your flour, so it's best to adjust gradually rather than adding too much at once.

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Ingredients You Will Need For This Recipe

For the Donuts

All-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Instant dry yeast: You can also use active dry yeast, but make sure to activate it in warm milk with a little bit of sugar.
Fine sea salt: Any fine salt works.
Vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean powder: You can use either vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean powder, depending on what you have available.
Spices: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger
Whole milk
Pumpkin purée: For this recipe, I used a very thick pumpkin purée, which is important for maintaining the correct dough consistency. Avoid using watery pumpkin purée, as the extra moisture can make the dough difficult to work with. Make sure you're using plain pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling.
Medium egg
Unsalted butter: Salted butter also works, just make sure to reduce the added salt slightly.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

Granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon

Extras

Neutral oil: You'll need approximately 1 liter of neutral oil for frying, depending on the size of your pot. I recommend using an oil with a neutral flavor and a suitable smoke point, such as sunflower, canola or vegetable oil.
Nutella or Caramel: Both make delicious fillings for these pumpkin spice donuts.

Step By Step Instructions With Photos

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, vanilla bean powder, instant dry yeast and spices. Whisk everything together until evenly combined.

2. Next, add the egg, milk and pumpkin purée to the dry ingredients.

3. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until the ingredients come together and a dough begins to form.

4. Add the softened butter and continue kneading on low speed for about 10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth, elastic and slightly tacky to the touch.

5. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for approximately 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

6. Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air. Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal portions, approximately 60 g each. Shape each portion into a smooth, round ball.

7. To create the pumpkin shape, you will need food safe butcher’s twine. Cut one long piece of twine for each dough ball, making sure it is long enough to wrap around the dough several times.

8. Place the twine on your work surface and position one dough ball in the middle. Bring both ends of the twine up around the dough and cross them over the center. Turn the dough slightly and wrap the twine around it again, creating another division. Continue wrapping and crossing the twine in different directions until the dough is divided into 8 evenly spaced sections, resembling the shape of a pumpkin.

9. Once you’re happy with the shape, loosely tie the ends together to secure the twine. Be careful not to pull too tightly, as the dough still needs room to expand during the second rise.

10. Transfer the shaped donuts onto a small square of parchment paper and repeat with the remaining dough balls.

11. Arrange the pumpkin-shaped donuts on a large baking tray, keeping each one on its individual square of parchment paper. Leave enough space between them to rise without touching. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let them proof for another hour.

12. Once the doughnuts have finished their second rise, pour enough neutral oil into a deep pot. Heat the oil to 165—170°C (329–338°F). Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor the temperature throughout the frying process.

13. Carefully lower 2s3 donuts into the hot oil, depending on the size of your pot. You can use the parchment squares to transfer them without disturbing their shape, removing the paper with kitchen tongs as soon as it releases from the dough.

14. Fry for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, turning gently, until the donuts are golden brown and cooked through.

15. Once golden brown, carefully remove the donuts from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper towel lined tray to drain for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, carefully cut and remove all the pieces of twine using kitchen scissors. While the donuts are still warm, roll them in cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.

16. Once the donuts have cooled, fill a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip with your preferred filling. Nutella, caramel and vanilla pastry cream are all delicious options!

17. Enjoy!

Yield: 12

Author: Angie