Fluffy pumpkin donuts that take only a few minutes to make. The donut dough is just 2 ingredients and doesn’t require any yeast, kneading or proofing. It also doesn’t contain any eggs or butter. These donuts taste just like the hot, fresh donuts you can get from a concession stand.
I can never resist purchasing a bag of freshly fried donut holes when I’m at the fair, farmers market or pumpkin patch. These pumpkin donuts remind me a lot of those donut holes, except they are pumpkin flavored. They are so incredibly easy to make, you can have fresh, hot donuts whenever the mood strikes.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree
- Self-Rising Flour
The only ingredients you need to make the donut dough are pumpkin puree and self-rising flour.
If you plan on frying the donuts (my recommended cooking method) you will need oil for frying. And if you like your donuts with toppings, you will need additional ingredients for toppings. I coated mine with a simple cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Pumpkin Puree: This recipe is made with pure pumpkin puree. I used canned pumpkin puree but you can also use homemade pumpkin puree. Looking to substitute the pumpkin? You can check out my banana donuts or apple donuts.
Self-Rising Flour: If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own with all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. I share the exact quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Can these donuts be baked or air-fried?
Yes and no. You can cook the donuts in the oven or an air fryer, but the results won’t be the same. If you fry the donut dough, these donuts will be soft and fluffy, just like traditional yeast donuts. If you bake or air fry them, they will be more dense and bready. Still tasty, but they no longer remind me of a donut.
I found the oven baked ones to be the most dense and bready. The air-fried ones were slightly lighter but tasted like a healthier baked version of a donut.
Donut Toppings
I rolled my donuts in a simple cinnamon-sugar mixture. Other topping ideas:
- drizzle with vanilla or cinnamon glaze
- roll in powdered sugar
More Easy Pumpkin Recipes
- 2 Ingredient Fudgy Pumpkin Brownies
- 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- Pumpkin Cake (No Eggs, Butter, or Milk)
2 Ingredient Pumpkin Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (140 g) self-rising flour
- 2/3 cup (150 g) pumpkin puree
- canola or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Add flour and pumpkin to a large mixing bowl. Mix with a spoon until flour is completely incorporated with the pumpkin and a sticky dough forms.
- To fry the donuts: Add about 1 1/2 inches of cooking oil to a medium saucepan or other pot that can be used for frying. Bring to medium heat (about 350°F)
- Once oil has reached desired temperature, scoop dough using a 2 tsp cookie scoop. Release the donut dough directly into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining dough. I recommend doing this in two batches if you are using a medium saucepan so that the donuts don't get overcrowded. Cook donuts until both sides are golden brown (you will need to flip the donuts halfway through to get both sides evenly cooked). Remove donuts, shaking off excess oil. Place onto a plate lined with paper towel.
- When donuts are cool enough to touch, add toppings if desired. I rolled mine in cinnamon sugar. Donuts are best consumed within a few hours after they are fried. If you have leftovers, I recommend reheating them in the air fryer or oven.
Notes
- To make your own self-rising flour, add 2 cups all purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Measure out the amount needed for the recipe.
- The donut dough is not sweetened, much like regular donuts. The sweetness comes from the toppings. If you don't want any toppings but want some sweetness in the dough, you can add a few tbsp of granular sugar to the donut dough.
- For the coating, I mixed 2 (heaping) tbsp sugar + 1/2 tsp cinnamon and put it into a Ziploc bag. I then put the donut holes in the bag and shook them until they were coated in cinnamon sugar.
- The donut dough is very sticky so it is best to use a cookie scoop to release the dough directly into the oil. I used this 2 tsp cookie scoop.* This is the smaller cookie scoop (not the 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop usually used for standard cookies). The dough expands when fried so these donuts will end up the size of regular donut holes after they are fried. You can use a bigger cookie scoop but your donut holes will be much bigger.
- *This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
- While these donuts can be baked or air fried, the texture is not the same. Fried donuts will come out fluffy and soft, just like regular donuts. Baked or air fried donuts will come out more bready. See post for more details.
- To air fry the donuts, set your air fryer to 375°F, no preheat. Cook donuts for about 6 minutes or until cooked through. Cooking time can vary depending on the size of your donuts and your air fryer, so I recommend testing one out before adding the remaining. To bake the donuts, preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for about 9-12 minutes or until done.
- Nutrition estimate is for the dough only and does not include toppings or oil absorbed by the donuts during frying. It is very difficult to determine the amount of oil absorbed during frying so I am unable to provide that information.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Can you freeze leftovers? I have a bunch of pumpkin puree I’m trying to use up but I don’t think I’d eat 6 batches of this quick enough ?
Technically, you can freeze fried donuts, but they may not be as good after they’ve been frozen. Fried donuts always taste best not long after they’re made. Another idea would be to freeze your pumpkin puree – it will keep for several months as long as it’s in an airtight container. You could freeze it in the amounts you need to make the donuts – then just thaw it out and make a fresh batch. Hope that helps!
They are so interesting to make and easy and would like to try pumpkin and yoghurt doughnuts
We hope you try the recipe soon!
I can only have gluten-free 🙁 not sure how to substitute. Would love to try this and the pumpkin one as well
Sorry, but we haven’t tested the recipe with GF flour.
I’m in love with the whole atmosphere here
I’m a pinch and have no self-rising flour then mix your own.
? 1 cup all-purpose flour
? 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
? 1/4 teaspoon salt
We include the instructions for making self-rising flour in the recipe card notes.
I made these for my husband and teenagers. They loved these. We tried it both rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dipped in cream cheese glaze. They loved it both ways. This recipe is a winner.
The cream cheese glaze sounds so good! We’re so glad your family loved them.
I like homemade food with simple ingredient
We hope you try them!
sounds delicious
We hope you give it a try!
Hi looking to make these in my air fryer. What would you put the dough into in order to keep it the shape of a donut hole? Also could you use olive oil or avocado oil for a healthier alternative? Or will it change the flavor of the dough?
Thanks
We recommend looking for a donut hole mold that’s made for your air fryer model. As far as oil, olive oil does have a distinctive flavor so we don’t recommend that. Avocado oil has a mild flavor so it could work.
Amazing! Reminds me of funnel cake. A little powdered sugar after they cook would add just enough sweetness. Thank you!
you are welcome!
The
donut holes sound real good.well try soon.
I have used can biscuits and fried them. I just put a hole in the middle of the biscuit. You may won’t to try it yourself so
Etime
I’ve made donuts with biscuit dough as well.
Wow another deliciously simple 2 ingredient recipe.
I hope you enjoy
Hi can these donuts be baked instead of fried?
We would love these but we can’t eat fried foods.
Thank you kindly
You can cook the donuts in the oven, but the results won’t be the same. They will be more dense and bready.
Looks good