Perfect for fall baking.
These Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes are soft, fluffy, and coated in a sweet pumpkin glaze with warm fall spices. Made with a simple homemade yeast dough and fried until golden, they’re the perfect bite-sized fall treat.
Ingredients
These homemade donut holes come together with simple baking staples like flour, yeast, whole milk, butter, and egg. The pumpkin spice glaze is made with real pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, and pumpkin pie spice for a sweet, flavorful finish.
Donut Holes Ingredients
- whole milk
- instant dry yeast
- white granulated sugar
- egg
- kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal in all my recipes
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- neutral oil – such as avocado, vegetable or canola for frying
Pumpkin Spice Glaze Ingredients
- powdered sugar
- pumpkin puree – not pie filling!
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
- pumpkin pie spice
- kosher salt
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes
Make the Dough: Combine the dry ingredients in a stand mixer. Add the warm milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix until a sticky dough forms, then knead with the dough hook until smooth and elastic.
Let the Dough Rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.
Shape the Donut Holes: Gently portion the dough into small pieces and roll into smooth balls. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise again until noticeably puffy.
Fry until Golden: Heat the oil to 350°F. Fry the donut holes in small batches, turning until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.
Prepare the Pumpkin Spice Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Glaze the Donut Holes: Dip each slightly warm donut hole completely into the glaze, allowing the excess to drip off. Transfer to a wire rack and let the glaze set before serving.
When to Serve Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes
These donut holes are perfect for cozy fall mornings, weekend brunches, Halloween parties, and Thanksgiving breakfast. Serve them with a hot cup of coffee for an afternoon treat, or add them to a fall dessert spread for an easy, bite-sized sweet everyone will enjoy!
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes Ahead of Time
These donut holes are best enjoyed fresh, preferably the same day they’re made. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days, allowing the glaze to set completely before storing.
Looking for more pumpkin ideas? This Pumpkin Roll is on our Thanksgiving dessert table every year.
Equipment I Use to Make Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes
- Oil Temperature Thermometer – a must have when frying!
- Loaf Pan – perfect to serve the donut holes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my donut holes dense?
Dense donut holes can result from adding too much flour, insufficient kneading, or not allowing the dough to rise fully. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, and the shaped donut holes should look noticeably puffy before frying.
How do I know when the donut holes are done frying?
The donut holes should be evenly golden brown and cooked through in the center. If they’re browning too quickly while remaining doughy inside, the oil may be too hot.
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Yes. Mix the dough by hand and knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. The dough will be sticky, so use a light hand when deciding if you need an extra tablespoon of flour.
Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: About 36 donut holes 1x
Description
Soft and fluffy Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes made from scratch and dipped in a sweet pumpkin glaze.
Ingredients
For the Donut Holes
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
- 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast, 1 packet
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- Neutral oil, for frying
For the Pumpkin Spice Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups all purpose flour, 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Add ½ cup warm whole milk, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix on low until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
- Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be very soft and tacky and may still slightly stick to your fingers. If it is extremely wet and isn’t beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl after kneading, add additional all purpose flour 1 tablespoon at a time, using no more than 2 tablespoons if possible.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1-1½ hours, or until doubled in size and noticeably airy.
- Gently turn the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Portion the dough into 12 gram pieces (slightly less than 1 tablespoon) and gently roll each piece into a smooth ball without tightly compressing the dough. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Loosely cover and let rise for 30-60 minutes, until the donut holes are noticeably puffy and light. Don’t rely solely on the time. When gently pressed with a fingertip, the indentation should slowly spring back.
- Add 2-3 inches of neutral oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350°F.
- Working in small batches, carefully lower the donut holes into the oil without overcrowding the pot. Fry for about 45-60 seconds per side, or until puffed and evenly golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
- To make the pumpkin spice glaze, whisk together 1½ cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons whole milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and a ¼ teaspoon kosher salt until completely smooth. Add additional whole milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed. The glaze should be thin and pourable but still coat the donut holes.
- While the donut holes are still slightly warm, completely dip each donut hole into the pumpkin spice glaze. Lift with a fork and allow the excess glaze to drip off before transferring to a wire rack.
- Let the donut holes sit for 15 minutes, or until the glaze has set.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Sweet Tooth
- Method: Stovetop
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