
Tis the season for everything pumpkin. But these buttermilk pumpkin donuts are great any time of the year. Not just in the fall. They are a great change up for breakfast. And even better if you need a quick grab and go. We love them for parties or dessert too.
You will be surprised at how easy they are to make, and they are common ingredients found in your pantry or fridge. We topped them off with a crushed Heath bar and that gave it a little toffee crunch that went so well with the maple glaze.
These donuts are baked, so they are similar to a cake donut. They only bake for about 10-12 minutes. Let them cool and add the frosting and candy bits on top. You have a great breakfast or dessert that is sure to impress.
Do you have to use buttermilk in this Buttermilk Pumpkin Donuts recipe?
We love to use buttermilk in these buttermilk pumpkin donuts. Buttermilk helps keep baked good moist and tender by breaking down strands of gluten and giving it more body. The tartness of buttermilk adds a delicious tang to your baked goodies.
If you don’t have buttermilk, the closest substitute would be milk with a little acidity added to it. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of buttermilk. You could use 1/4 cup milk with 1/4 Tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in place of the buttermilk.
Do you need a donut pan for this recipe?
If you want to make donuts, then you will need a donut pan for this recipe. You could make these into tiny mini muffins. Watch them closely because they may not need as much cooking time.
If you make this batter into mini muffins, you can frost them with the same maple glaze that you would use with the buttermilk pumpkin donuts. These donuts are not raised donuts, making them similar to a cake donut.
Looking for more donut recipes?! Try our Lemon Donuts with Blueberry Frosting!
Love cooking as much as we do? Join our FREE private Facebook Group: Six Sisters’ Dinner Club!
How to make buttermilk pumpkin donuts with maple glaze:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray your donut pan with non stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

- In another medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla.

- Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Then add in pumpkin and melted butter. Mix until combined. The batter is very thick.

- Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared donut pan. Our pan makes 6 donuts. I used a very small spoon and carefully added the batter into each donut cavity. Divide the batter evenly between all 6 donuts. I carefully smoothed the tops with my little spoon.

- Place in the oven and cook for 10 – 12 minutes or until the tops bounce back after being touched with finger. Let the donuts sit in the pan for about 5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.
- While the donuts are cooling, make the maple glaze. In a small sauce pan add the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar and milk. Stir over med/low heat until the butter is melted.
- Pour the heated mixture into a mixing bowl and add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.

- Dip the cooled donuts halfway into the maple glaze. Place on a cooling rack that is sitting in a cookie sheet. This will catch any frosting that drips off of the bottom. (You could also place them on parchment paper while the frosting glaze sets up.) Sprinkle with crushed Heath bar pieces.

Have you heard about our newest cookbook, Copycat Cooking? We took over 100 of our favorite restaurant recipes and simplified them so that you can make them right at home!
Every recipe has a beautiful mouth-watering photo and has been picky-eater approved. The directions are simple, easy to follow, and do not require any strange ingredients.
This cookbook includes copycat recipes from Wingers, Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, Panera, Cheesecake Factory, Kneaders, and so much more. We have you covered from drinks, to dessert and everything in-between.
We are so excited to share these recipes with you. Order your copy today!
SIX SISTERS’ STUFF COPYCAT COOKING <—– CLICK HERE TO ORDER!
Check out these delicious pumpkin recipes for all of you pumpkin lovers!
- Pumpkin Muffin Bites
- Pumpkin Spice Oreos
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Sheet cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

Buttermilk Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 Tablespoons butter melted
Glaze
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ Tablespoons milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 2.8 ounces heath bar 2 (1.4 ounce bars), crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray donut pan with non stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk together well.
- Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture and stir until moistened.
- Then add in pumpkin and melted butter. Mix just until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared donut pan.(I used a small spoon to spoon out the batter into the donut pan). Dividing the batter evenly between all 6 donuts.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the donut tops spring back after being touched.
- Let set in pan for about 5 minutes and then remove from pan and place on a cooling rack.
Glaze
- While the donuts are cooling, prepare the maple glaze.
- In a small saucepan add the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and milk. Stir over medium/low heat until the butter is melted.
- Pour into a mixing bowl and add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Dip the tops of the donuts halfway into the maple glaze.
- Place on the cooling racks that is sitting in a cookie sheet. This will catch the excess frosting/glaze that drips off.
- Sprinkle with chopped Heath bar.
Notes
-
Since we are HUGE frosting lovers, and you will have a little frosting left over; we like to frost the donuts twice. Dip them for the first frosting dip, wait for about 3 minutes and add a little more frosting. The second layer of frosting sticks to the first layer. Then add the Heath bits on top.
Nutrition
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Donut Pan
- Small Saucepan
Recipe Details
Be sure to not miss another recipe! Follow Six Sisters’ Stuff Instagram|Facebook|Pinterest|YouTube
Have you seen our YouTube channel?
Watch how easy it is to make Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.
