These Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze are moist and tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, and coated in a sweet glaze sprinkled with toasted pecans. Hello, donut addiction!

Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze

Donuts are my kryptonite.

I try my best to keep a healthy distance between me and donuts for the very reason that I lose any and all self control after the first bite. One bite leads to two, which leads to the disappearance of an entire donut, which then leads to demolishing an entire baker’s dozen. It’s as if they’re laced with crack cocaine–one is never enough.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze

And fried is always, always better. It just is. Yes, I’ve baked a few donuts in my time. These Healthy Mocha Donuts are great, but they’re no fried donut. If you’re like me and can’t control your donut-eating habits, then I suggest making the healthier version, if only for your heart’s sake.

However, the holidays are quickly approaching and we all deserve to live a little, so I say splurge on a donut or two (or six, which is how many this recipe makes). Your self control can be easily tamed with the addition of guests. Invite a few family members or friends over to help you eat these Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze.

I kid you not, my dad ate the entire batch, minus the donut I ate for quality control purposes, of these donuts. He, too, knows no limits when it comes to donuts. I get weekly text messages asking for another batch of donuts, “Hey, you promised me more donuts. I don’t see more donuts. When am I getting my donuts?” His texts were getting a bit excessive, so I had no choice but to start ignoring him. That method was short lived and ended the moment I showed up at his house to visit. I was then badgered in person. In order to shut him up, I was forced to make him another batch. He’s quiet…for now.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze

After the first bite, I knew I’d be gifting these donuts to someone other than myself, so I totally understand the fact that my dad was able to take down the entire batch (minus one) on his own. If I would have kept these to myself, the same thing would have happened to me as well. They’re that good!

Surprisingly, these big, fluffy, crunchy-on-the-outside donuts are easy to make. The dough comes together in one bowl with a few turns of a wooden spoon. After the dough chills for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, it’s ready to fry.

No donut is complete–in my opinion–without some sort of sticky glaze drizzled over the top, so I made a maple glaze to dunk the donuts in and, as if that weren’t enough, I sprinkled the donuts with finely chopped Diamond of California Pecans that I toasted to nutty perfection. Prepare yourself for a major donut addiction!

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Maple Glaze

These donuts are moist and tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, and coated in a sweet glaze sprinkled with toasted pecans.

Yield: 6-7 donuts

Total Time: 44 minutes

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Ingredients:

Donuts

  • 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup Diamond of California Pecans, finely chopped

Glaze

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk

 

Directions:

Donuts

  1. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pot to 365 degrees F. 
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (including sugar). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add butter, buttermilk, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract; whisk until just combined. Fold in the pumpkin puree. The dough should be slightly sticky but not too sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. 
  3. Lightly flour your work surface. Using your hands, gently press the dough out until it’s 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough using a donut cutter. 
  4. Gently drop the dough into the hot oil, frying 3 donuts at a time. Fry on each side for 1 minute. Remove the donuts using a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel lined plate to soak up the grease. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until warm. Dip the warm donuts into the glaze. Top with chopped pecans. Best served the same day or slightly warmed in the microwave. 

Glaze

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk until smooth. 
All images and text ©.
Whipping up one of my recipes? I wanna know about it! Snap a photo and tag your post with #onesweetmess on Twitter or Instagram. Seeing your creations come to life makes my day!

Disclosure: This recipe was developed for the lovely folks at Diamond of California. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting my recipes and site while I work with brands I adore.