Pumpkin Donut Holes – Made In A Mini Muffin Pan

With Halloween just around the corner and cooler weather creeping in, there is no better time to make Pumpkin Donut Holes. All the flavors of a pumpkin flavor cake donut made into a small bite size version.

It is the perfect breakfast or brunch treat to serve with a cup of milk, hot coffee or apple cider. Or pop one in your mouth after dinner for a quick dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Although you might also call these sweet treats mini muffins. That is because to make this recipe easier, they are cooked in a mini muffin pan rather than individually cut out of the center of a donut.

However, because the batter doesn’t rise as much as standard muffins, they tend to keep their round shape when baked. Therefore, they look very similar to donut holes.

Then to make them even better after they come out of the oven they are coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture or a sweet glaze. They are so good that it is early impossible to eat just one.

Luckily, this recipe will make at least 12 donut holes so you have enough to last for a few days. However, they never last that long in my house!

What You Need

Equipment Required

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large, medium, & small bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Mini Muffin Pan
• Pan to melt butter

Mini muffin pans come in various sizes. You can purchase a 12 hole mini muffin pan, 24 hole or even a 48 hole mini muffin pan.

To make things even more tricky, each pan holds a different capacity of batter in each hole. I have a 24 hole mini muffin pan and had enough batter to make 16 donut holes.

However, a deeper hole mini muffin pan may yield a dozen. Therefore, depending on the type of pan that you have, the amount that you make will vary.

Equipment Recommended But Not Required

• Small Cookie Scoop
• Cooling Rack
• Microwave to melt butter

During the baking season, I would be lost without my cookie scoops and cooling racks. I use them when I make Carrot Cupcakes, Peanut Butter Cookies, No Bake Monster Bites and more.

Although you could use a tablespoon to scoop out the batter or dough, a cookie scoop ensures the size of each one is uniform for even baking.

And the cooling rack allows the bottom of each donut hole or muffin to cool adequately, so they don’t turn out soggy.

As for the melting of the butter, I find it easiest to melt it in a small bowl in the microwave. However, you can always melt it on the stove in a skillet or pan as well.

Pumpkin Donut Holes Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, minus 1 tablespoon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
• 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or all natural applesauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk**
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree***
• 1/4 cup milk

*Pumpkin Pie Spice

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice substitute 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of two of the following spices: ginger, nutmeg, allspice, or ground cloves.

**Egg Yolk

Because the majority of us purchase a dozen large eggs when we are the grocery, an entire large egg would be too much to use in this recipe. Therefore, we only need the yolk of a large egg.

Or you could whisk an entire large egg and use only half of it and save the other half for scrambled eggs.

However, if you happen to have access to fresh chicken eggs, a whole small egg would be fine to use in this recipe.

***Pumpkin Puree

Be sure to purchase pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The two products are not interchangeable. Pumpkin puree is cooked and pureed winter squash.

Pumpkin pie filling on the other hand has sugar and spices added to the mixture. To make Pumpkin Donut Holes be sure to look for a can of pure pumpkin puree which is located next to the cans of pumpkin pie filling at the grocery.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Then prepare the mini muffin pan by spraying the holes with non stick cooking spray.

If you are using a 24 hole mini muffin pan, spray the center 16 holes, leaving the two end rows empty. After spraying the holes, wipe the top of the pan clean to remove the non stick spray off the top surface.

Removing the spray will help make it easier to clean the top of the pan after it has been put in the oven. Set the prepared pan aside and begin making the pumpkin donut hole batter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the oil, brown sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, pumpkin puree and milk until smooth.

Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.

Using a small cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Be sure to keep the batter below the top surface of the mini muffin pan.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and set aside while you prepare the topping mixture.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

In a small bowl melt the butter. Then in another bowl whisk together the cinnamon and sugar until well incorporated.

When they are safe enough to handle, dip each pumpkin donut hole in the melted butter. Then roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat all sides.

Set it on a cooling rack and complete the topping process for each one.

Alternative Glaze Topping

If you prefer, you could make a glaze topping instead. Mix together 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar with 1 1/4 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Then dip the donut holes in the glaze until they are completely covered. Set on the cooling rack until the glaze sets.

Enjoy! Mary

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