Looking for a simple fall treat that your kids can help make? Try these cake mix pumpkin spice donuts that are made with just 4 ingredients for a delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert.
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Nothing is better on a crisp fall day than a cozy pumpkin spice treat. Which is why I have decided to share our recipe for cake mix pumpkin spice donuts. These moist and delicious donuts were inspired by the 2-ingredient pumpkin muffins, as they are made with a simple spice cake mix and pumpkin puree, with the addition of vanilla and a splash of milk.
They are the perfect afternoon treat, breakfast, or dessert on a chilly autumn day. Plus, you can enjoy them with a cinnamon cream cheese glaze or a rolled in cinnamon sugar for the ultimate fall snack that everyone will love.
Why You Will Love These Cake Mix Pumpkin Spice Donuts:
- Quick and easy to make- Using a cake mix will save time and effort in the kitchen when you are craving a cozy fall treat.
- Minimal ingredients, all it takes is just a few simple pantry staples, and you can have a delicious and budget-friendly breakfast, snack, or dessert.
- Baked instead of fried, so they are moist, soft, flavorful, and better for you.
- Kid-friendly and picky eater approved, making it the perfect after-school snack idea that kids love.
- Easy to customize, as you can enjoy them plain, with a cinnamon cream cheese glaze, or rolled in cinnamon sugar.
Looking for more fall dessert ideas?
- Easy and Delicious Fall Desserts
- 55 Cozy Apple Dessert Recipes
- 19 Air Fryer Pumpkin and Apple Recipes for Fall
- Caramel Apple Crisp Muffins
Cake Mix Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Fall baking doesn’t have to be complicated or use a lot of fancy ingredients. You can enjoy a simple fall-inspired breakfast, snack, or dessert full of cozy pumpkin spice flavor in less than 25 minutes.
You will need:
- Spice Cake Mix
- Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- Milk
- Vanilla
Optional Toppings:
- Cinnamon Sugar Coating– cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter.
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze– cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, milk, vanilla.
Note:
- This recipe uses a donut pan, but if you don’t have one, you can use a muffin pan instead.
- Keep in mind that the donuts come out very soft because of the addition of milk, which thins the batter as it’s very thick without it. You can omit the milk if you would prefer your donuts to be a little denser.
- Also, we have found that the cinnamon sugar topping gives them more of a regular donut-type texture, and the cream cheese glaze on top makes them more muffin-like. Both are equally delicious, but since the cream cheese-glazed donuts are refrigerated (see storage notes), they stay very moist.
How to Make 4-ingredient Pumpkin Donuts
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Combine the spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and milk in a large bowl.
- Add to piping bag (or gallon-size storage bag with one corner cut off). Pipe into greased donut pans about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy plain or with a cinnamon sugar topping or cream cheese glaze.
Variations:
- Try making a maple glaze by adding 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and a couple of tablespoons of milk, and mix until smooth.
- You can stir in some chocolate chips for some extra sweetness.
- Add some extra pumpkin pie spice seasoning for even more fall flavor.
- Swap out the milk with some almond milk or oatmilk and enjoy plain if you want the donuts to be healthier.
Helpful Tips:
- Although not necessary, use a piping bag or a gallon-sized storage bag so you can pipe the batter into the donut pan, so they come out better.
- To keep the donuts soft and fluffy, don’t overmix the batter; just stir until combined.
- Baking times can vary, so start checking at the lowest time.
- Let the donuts cool completely before adding your cinnamon cream cheese glaze.
Storage and Leftovers:
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you decide to frost or glaze them, store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Cake Mix Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Celebrate pumpkin season with these easy cake mix pumpkin spice donuts! Grab a box of spice cake mix, add some pumpkin puree, vanilla, and a splash of milk, for a deliciously cozy fall treat to enjoy all season long.
Equipment
- Donut Pan
- Piping Bag or a gallon-sized storage bag with the corner cut off
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp milk
Brown Sugar Coating
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon add more if desired
- 2 tbsp melted butter
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and grease your donut pans.
- Combine spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
- Add to piping bag (or gallon-size storage bag with one corner cut off). Pipe into greased donut pans about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- After the donuts have cooled a bit, brush them with melted butter.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl, and then roll the donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure to coat all sides.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Glaze
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth with a mixer.
- Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk. Continue mixing until smooth.
- Dip the donuts in the glaze, or you can drizzle on top.
Notes
Variations:
- Try making a maple glaze for your donuts by adding 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and a couple of tablespoons of milk. Mix until smooth.
- You can stir in some chocolate chips for some extra sweetness.
- Add some extra pumpkin pie spice seasoning for even more fall flavor.
- Swap out the milk with some almond milk or oatmilk and enjoy plain if you want the donuts to be healthier.
Helpful Tips:
- Although not necessary, use a piping bag or a gallon-sized storage bag so you can pipe the batter into the donut pan, so they look nice and round.
- If you don't have a donut pan, you can make them into muffins instead by just adding them to a muffin pan.
- The addition of the milk makes them very soft; you can omit the milk if you want them to be a little denser.
- To keep the donuts light and fluffy, don't overmix the batter; just stir until combined.
- Baking times can vary, so start checking at the lowest time.
- Let the donuts cool completely before adding your cinnamon cream cheese glaze.
Storage and Leftovers:
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you decide to frost or glaze them, they should be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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