Gooey Pumpkin Pie Filling Doughnuts

This recipe is for someone who loves pumpkin pie filling and has a serious sweet tooth. These doughnuts are dense and mimic a creamy pumpkin pie filling with a bit more structure. Eaten plain or with maple vanilla buttercream frosting, this treat is a fun spin on classic pumpkin pie filling. These are best enjoyed on the day you make them. This recipe makes 6 doughnuts.

This recipe first appeared in The Westfield Leader, Page 14 on November 12, 2020.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Filling Doughnuts:

  • 1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz. can)

  • ⅛ cup lactose-free evaporated milk (or evaporated milk of your choosing)

  • 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 2 teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • Pinch of salt

Directions for Pumpkin Pie Filling Doughnuts:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

  2. Grease a doughnut tin (I find canola spray works best for this)

  3. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth

  4. Fill a piping bag with your wet mixture

  5. Generously pipe the pumpkin filling into each donut tin, making sure to fill each one close to the top (If you don’t have a piping bag, feel free to just use a spoon to evenly fill each doughnut tin)

  6. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, until slightly risen and a toothpick comes out clean

  7. Once they’re done, take them out and let cool for about 10 minutes before carefully removing them from their tin and onto a cooling rack. When they cool, they will collapse a bit and that’s okay! I recommend putting a cooling rack flush with the doughnut pan and then flipping it over so they all come out at the same time. Enjoy plain or with maple vanilla buttercream.

Ingredients for Maple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) softened unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions for Maple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  1. Using a hand mixer, blend all ingredients in a medium bowl until fluffy

  2. Once your doughnuts are fully cool, use a small knife to spread a generous amount of icing on top of each doughnut