When the weather turns chilly and the leaves start to turn, so do the seasonal menus become inundated with pumpkin concoctions of every kind – soups, cakes, lattes, beers, even ravioli gets a delightful new twist with the addition of everyone’s favorite gourd. I secretly believe that no one actually is that nuts over actual pumpkin flavor, but rather the almost-synonymous pumpkin spice bouquet: a sumptuous blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sometimes clove or allspice that conjures up fall scenes, no matter how warm the weather.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not knocking the pumpkin craze. In fact, I’m taking it one step further. Why limit this fantastic vegetable and its associated flavors to one season? Pumpkin is actually a wonderfully versatile ingredient, adding moisture and color to any baked good, often resulting in less fat/butter/oil. The flavor (combined with pumpkin pie spice) is also bold enough to hold its own against whole wheat flour, once again upping the healthy factor.
I came across this recipe on the King Arthur Flour blog (a solid test kitchen, by the way). It seems kinda fancy but it turns out even donut newbies like me can tackle it. Show up one Saturday morning with a box full of these puppies and your coworkers will love you forever. By the way, this donut pan is my favorite new baking tool. No sticking, no mess, and only $10.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not knocking the pumpkin craze. In fact, I’m taking it one step further. Why limit this fantastic vegetable and its associated flavors to one season? Pumpkin is actually a wonderfully versatile ingredient, adding moisture and color to any baked good, often resulting in less fat/butter/oil. The flavor (combined with pumpkin pie spice) is also bold enough to hold its own against whole wheat flour, once again upping the healthy factor.
I came across this recipe on the King Arthur Flour blog (a solid test kitchen, by the way). It seems kinda fancy but it turns out even donut newbies like me can tackle it. Show up one Saturday morning with a box full of these puppies and your coworkers will love you forever. By the way, this donut pan is my favorite new baking tool. No sticking, no mess, and only $10.
Pumpkin Spice Donuts
1/2 c. Vegetable or corn oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1 3/4 c. + 2 T flour (white or wheat)
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
Additional cinnamon sugar for dusting
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1 3/4 c. + 2 T flour (white or wheat)
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
Additional cinnamon sugar for dusting
*pumpkin pie spice = roughly 2 parts cinnamon : 1 part ground ginger : 1 nutmeg : 1/2 allspice (optional), I often err on the side of more cinnamon
1. Mix wet (first four) ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. My mom always saves on time (and dishes) by using a large measuring cup:
3. Fold dry ingredients into wet.
4. Pour into greased donut pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
5. Let cool for 5 min, then shake in a plastic bag (or dip onto a plate) filled with cinnamon sugar. NOTE: the sugar tends to get absorbed and makes the donuts sticky, so I recommend dusting the day of and covering only lightly until ready to serve.
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