Pumpkin Doughnuts

40 mins Prep Time

30 mins Cook Time

Written By

Tara Omidvar

These doughnuts are soft and pillowy, filled with pumpkin pastry cream, and more importantly, they are shaped like a mini pumpkin!

The recipe is easy to follow and perfect for fall days. Tying each doughnut with twine surely takes some time but the result is so cute and delicious, and worth it. The pumpkin pastry cream is rich and creamy, packed with spices and not overly sweet.

These donuts are best served warm and enjoyed the same day, but you can also refrigerate them for up to two days.

Ingredients

Dough

450 grams all-purpose flour
100 grams whole wheat flour
300 grams warm milk (divided)
60 grams granulated sugar
60 grams unsalted butter (cold, cut in cubes)
1 egg, plus 2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Pastry Cream

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup pumpkin pure
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt

Coating

1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

Dough

3 Steps

Step 1

In a small bowl, mix together 50 grams of warm milk with active dry yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, egg and yolks, rest of the warm milk and yeast mixture. With a dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and salt and knead for 5 minutes until dough forms. Add the butter cubes slowly one at a time into the dough and keep the mixer running. Knead for 6-8 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic.
Step 3

Cover the bowl with a towel. Let it rise in a slightly warm place for 1 hour until double in size.

Pastry Cream

5 Steps

Step 1

In the meantime, make the pastry cream. Heat up the milk, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer.
Step 2

In a bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks together until the colour turns light.
Step 3

Add the hot milk mixture to the yolk mixture very slowly and whisk at the same time. Do it very slowly or the yolks will turn to scramble.
Step 4

Pass the mixture through a sifter back to the saucepan. Keep whisking it over medium heat until it starts bubbling and thickens. Take it off the heat and whisk in the butter.
Step 5

Cover the custard with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly against the surface of the custard to avoid a skin forming. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until completely cooled.

Doughnut

11 Steps

Step 1

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to about 1/2 thick.
Step 2

Use a round cookie cutter and cut the dough with it.
Step 3

Cut three 15 cm long pieces of kitchen twine and lay them on a clean work surface, crisscrossing at the center to create a star-shaped pattern.
Step 4

Place a round cut doughnut in the centre, then tie the ends of the twine up over the dough and secure in a knot, leaving about 1 cm of space between the dough and knot so it has room to proof and expand.
Step 5

Repeat this process with all of the doughnuts. Cover them with a towel and let proof for another 30 minutes.
Step 6

Heat the oil in a skillet or large pot to 350°F. Carefully place the doughnuts into the hot oil, working in batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until gold brown.
Step 7

Remove the doughnuts and place them on a paper towel.
Step 8

In a small bowl, combine together the sugar and cinnamon. Roll the fried doughnut in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Step 9

Use a small scissor and cut the twine, carefully remove them from all of the doughnuts.
Step 10

Poke a hole in the middle of the doughnut and fill a piping bag with pumpkin pastry cream.
Step 11

Fill each doughnut with pastry cream and enjoy!