Soft, pillowy yeasted pumpkin donuts with a vanilla bean maple glaze that is genuinely one of the best things I’ve made this fall. The pumpkin puree goes right into the dough along with pumpkin pie spice so the flavor is actually in the bread itself. And the glaze has real maple syrup, vanilla bean seeds, melted butter, and sifted powdered sugar so it’s completely smooth and sets into a glossy coating that clings to the warm donut perfectly.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Pumpkin in the dough — pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice right in the dough so every single bite has that warm spiced flavor
• That vanilla bean maple glaze — real maple syrup, real vanilla bean seeds, melted butter, and sifted powdered sugar for a glaze that’s smooth, glossy, and deeply fragrant
• Yeasted donut dough — light and pillowy in a way cake donuts just aren’t

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Donuts: Best Fall Bake

There’s something about a freshly fried yeasted donut that’s hard to beat and the pumpkin version might actually be better than the original. The pumpkin puree keeps the inside incredibly moist and tender while the pumpkin pie spice gives the whole dough a warmth that pairs with the maple glaze in the most perfect way. The vanilla bean seeds in the glaze are so good, you can see the little black specks and the flavor is more floral and complex than anything you’d get from extract. Make these on a fall weekend morning and eat them warm!

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Donut Ingredients

PUMPKIN DONUT DOUGH

• 400 g bread flour
• 115 g whole milk
• 100 g pumpkin puree
• 8 g instant dry yeast
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 8 g salt
• 57 g egg, beaten (about 1 large egg)
• 46 g unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

VANILLA BEAN MAPLE GLAZE

• 240 g powdered sugar, sifted
• 40 g pure maple syrup
• 25 to 40 g whole milk, adjust to consistency
• Seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod
• 10 g unsalted butter, melted

FOR FRYING

• Neutral frying oil

The Pumpkin Dough

This is an enriched yeasted dough with pumpkin puree to bring both moisture and that distinctive pumpkin flavor into every layer. I use all cold ingredients, cold milk, cold egg, cold pumpkin puree, cold butter, to control the dough temperature throughout mixing but adjust based on your environment temperature. Enriched doughs generate heat during kneading and starting cold gives you a buffer so you can properly develop the gluten without the dough getting too warm. The method is straightforward, mix everything except the butter first until the dough comes together, then knead the butter in gradually until fully incorporated and smooth.

The Vanilla Bean Maple Glaze

The glaze is simple to make. Just sift the powdered sugar first because unsifted powdered sugar has lumps that won’t fully dissolve no matter how much you whisk and you’ll end up with a grainy glaze that doesn’t set smoothly. Sift it, then whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla bean seeds, and melted butter before adding the milk a little at a time until you reach a smooth dippable consistency.

Cold Ingredients and Dough Temperature

I use all cold ingredients for this dough, cold milk, cold pumpkin puree, cold egg, cold butter. This is the same principle I talk about in my Salt Bread post because enriched doughs generate friction heat during kneading and starting cold gives you the buffer you need to hit the right final dough temperature. This is dependent on your environment temperature so adjust based on that!

How To Make Maple Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

MAKE THE DOUGH

1. Mix the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook combine bread flour, cold milk, cold pumpkin puree, instant yeast, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cold beaten egg. Mix on low speed until everything comes together into a shaggy dough with no dry spots.
2. Knead in the butter: Increase to medium speed and add the cold butter. Continue kneading until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test.
3. First rise: Shape into a smooth ball and place in a bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

SHAPE AND PROOF

4. Roll and cut: Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll to about ¾ inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a donut cutter or two round cutters. Re-roll scraps and cut again and don’t forget the donut holes!
5. Cut parchment squares: Cut 12 squares of parchment paper, each one the size of your donuts.
6. Final proof: Place cut donuts on parchment-lined trays with space between each. Cover loosely and proof until noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

FRY

6. Heat the oil: Heat neutral frying oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep pot.
7. Fry: Working in small batches carefully lower donuts into the oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes per side until deeply golden brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.

GLAZE

8. Make the glaze: Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Add pure maple syrup, vanilla bean seeds, and melted butter and whisk together. Add milk a little at a time, starting with 25 g, until the glaze is smooth and at a dippable consistency. Add more milk if needed.
9. Glaze: While the donuts are still warm dip each one into the glaze and let any excess drip off. Place back on the wire rack and let the glaze set. Repeat with remaining donuts. Serve warm.

Storage

Yeasted donuts are best eaten the day they’re made, ideally within a few hours of frying while the glaze is set and the donut is still at its lightest. Store at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Make ahead: Make the dough and let it do its first rise in the fridge overnight. The next morning let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, roll, cut, proof, and fry. The overnight cold ferment actually deepens the flavor of the dough and makes a morning donut situation completely achievable.