Glazed Pumpkin Donut Muffins

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Dream with me about Glazed Pumpkin Donut Muffins with irresistible pumpkin spice packed with melt-in-your-mouth fall flavors and smothered in a sweet donut glaze. Now run to the kitchen!

Serve these little bites of glazed warm fall spices as grab-and-go breakfast muffins, for after-school snacks, or take them to the next church meeting to share. Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins are perfect for Thanksgiving morning, Christmas morning, or even as a side roll for Halloween night.

Glazed pumpkin donut muffins on a wire cooling rack stacked three high with muffins surrounding them and a glass of milk in the background.

Table of Contents

Why We Love This Recipe!
Ingredients
Variations and Substitutions
How To Make Glazed Donut Muffins with Pumpkin Spice
Tips
Recipe FAQ's
Storage
More Pumpkin Recipes
Glazed Pumpkin Donut Muffins
Comments

Why We Love This Recipe!

Bite-Sized: These Mini glazed muffins are easy to grab and go!
2-in-One: A muffin and a donut recipe in one? Perfection!
Pumpkin Spice: Let's face it, we all need one more way to enjoy pumpkin spice in pumpkin season!

Do you crave the flavors of fall when the weather begins to turn? I know I do. In fact, each season seems to bring out a new palette of gorgeous colors and flavors to experiment with. Muffins are just one of the warm and comforting pleasures of the fall season.

Banana Nut Muffins are a staple around here, and now I have this Glazed Pumpkin Donut Muffin to add to the recipe box. -YUM!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

All-Purpose Flour | Use all-purpose in this recipe or try the gluten-free equivalent.
Baking Ingredients | Salt, baking powder, and baking soda are the trifecta of baking ingredients; they are a must-have to balance the flavors and allow the cake to rise.
Pumpkin Pie Spice | Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger are the aromatic spices that make up this seasonal favorite. Try making your own batch of homemade pumpkin pie spice to last the season.
Sugars | This muffin recipe calls for both brown sugar and white sugar.
Eggs | Use large eggs here and be sure they are at room temperature.
Pumpkin Puree | Pure pumpkin puree is canned pumpkin instead of pie filling. You do not need all the extra in canned pie filling.

Glaze

Powdered Sugar | Powdered sugar makes the sweet glaze silky smooth.
Milk | Whole milk is the consistency that works best for this glaze.
Pumpkin Pie Spice | Just a pinch adds pumpkin spice flavor to the glaze.

Variations and Substitutions

Sugar Topping: Instead of using a glaze, you can do a sugar topping. After the muffins have cooled a bit, brush with butter and then roll in sugar. You can even add a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the sugar.
Glaze Substitutions: Change up the glaze by adding a few drops of maple syrup or honey. Try a recipe for cinnamon maple glaze, or add a bit of corn syrup for a shiny glaze.
Brown Sugar: If you are out of brown sugar, try adding molasses to granulated white sugar, and you have a great alternative!

How To Make Glazed Donut Muffins with Pumpkin Spice

The best part is the small size of Pumpkin Spice Mini Donut Muffins allows you to cook even more deliciousness to share while getting the maximum coverage of sticky sweet glaze in each decadent bite. Guaranteed, you'll fall for them every time!

✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and instructions!

Step 1 | Batter

Let's get started by preheating the oven and spraying the muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
Then take out a large mixing bowl and measure the dry ingredients into the bowl. Whisk those until combined.
Now grab your melted butter, eggs, and pumpkin puree, measure, and mix those into the large bowl.

Collage image showing steps to make pumpkin donut batter.

Step 2 | Bake

Use a mini-ice cream scoop or batter scoop to perfectly portion the muffin batter to the mini muffin pan one by one. Pop them into the preheated oven and cook as directed in the recipe card.

Now is the time to take out your wire cooling rack and some parchment paper. Place a large sheet of parchment on the counter and set the rack on top.

Then, when a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, remove the golden donut muffins from the oven. Stop and enjoy the fall aroma of the mini muffins, then allow them to cool completely.

Pumpkin donut muffin batter in mini muffin pan.

While impatiently waiting, get your sticky sweet glaze ready.

Step 3 | Glaze

Measure and whisk the confectioners' sugar together and just a pinch of the pumpkin spice into a medium bowl. This spice is optional, but I think it really ties all the flavors together!

Add the milk slowly while you stir the glaze until the desired consistency is reached. It should be smooth and silky while runny enough to dip the muffins in.

Collage image showing steps to make pumpkin donut glaze and glazing a muffin.

Are the mini pumpkin donuts cool? When they are, get ready for the fun part… the dip. Using a fork, dip each mini muffin into the glaze mixture and place them on the wire rack until the glaze sets.

-Yes, you can run your finger through the drips of pumpkin pie spice glaze. After all, someone has to be the taste tester, right?

In a hurry? Go ahead and pop them into the fridge to speed up the setting of the glaze.

Tips

Regular-Sized Muffins: These donut muffins are about the same size as a donut hole. Perfectly bite-sized! To make a full-sized muffin, you only need a regular-sized muffin tin. Fill the cups about ¾ of the way and increase to bake time to about 25-30 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness.

Adjust Glaze Consistency: If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk until it's the right consistency. A really thin glaze will drip right off the tops of the cooled muffins. If you put too much milk in, add extra powdered sugar to thicken.

Glazed pumpkin donut muffins setting on a cooling rack after being glazed.

Recipe FAQ's

Can I make these homemade donuts Gluten-Free?

Of course, you can. Use Measure-to-Measure or Cup-for-Cup for a gluten-free alternative to flour for best results. The rest of the ingredients should all naturally be gluten-free.

Can I use a donut pan to make these donut muffins?

Great idea! Use a donut pan to shape these donuts into the homemade mini pumpkin muffins version of Krispy Kreme Pumpkin Donuts. You can even make these into glazed pumpkin muffin tops.

Does this recipe make good donut holes too?

Absolutely. Use a donut hole pan and the same directions as for the mini muffin tin to make homemade pumpkin donuts and donut holes, too.

Okay-- go grab an ice-cold glass of milk and take a bite! Welcome to all things pumpkin this fall season!

A stack of pumpkin muffins on a wooden table set beside a full glass of milk.

Storage

Storage: Cover with foil or plastic wrap and store the mini muffin pumpkin doughnuts covered at room temperature or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Freeze: You can also freeze the pumpkin spice donut muffins-- unglazed for about 2 months. Flash freeze them first by placing them on a baking sheet and putting them in the freezer for a few hours. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe container.

More Pumpkin Recipes

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Glazed Pumpkin Donut Muffins

Why We Love This Recipe!