My Softest Pumpkin Donuts 

These pumpkin donuts are, quite literally, some of the softest donuts I have ever made. And I don’t say that lightly.

I have tested hundreds of bread and pastry recipes over the years, including many, many different donut doughs. I’ve changed hydration, flour combinations, fermentation schedules, amounts of butter and eggs, and just about every other variable you can imagine. But every fall, when I come back to this pumpkin donut recipe, I have exactly the same thought:

Why don’t I make these all year round?

They are that good.

The texture is unbelievably soft and fluffy, but at the same time the dough has enough strength to hold its shape beautifully during proofing and frying. The pumpkin gives the crumb a gorgeous golden-orange color and extra tenderness without making the donuts heavy or cakey. Butter, milk, and eggs make the dough rich, while an overnight fermentation develops much more flavor than you could ever get from a quick same-day donut dough.

This is hands down one of the best donut recipes I have created and tested.

And while pumpkin automatically makes us think of fall, there really is no reason to save these for October. If you have a can of pumpkin purée in your pantry, make them.

You’ll understand what I mean.

Why Pumpkin Makes These Donuts So Soft

Pumpkin isn’t here just for color or seasonal flavor. It also changes the texture of the dough.

Pumpkin purée contains a significant amount of water, but unlike simply adding more milk, it also brings fiber and natural solids into the dough. This helps create a crumb that feels especially moist and tender.

Because this is an enriched dough containing pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, and a generous amount of butter, gluten development is especially important. We need enough gluten strength to support all of those enriching ingredients and still create a donut that expands beautifully during proofing and frying.

That is also why I don’t simply throw everything into the mixer at once.

I begin developing the dough without the butter. Once the dough has started building gluten, I gradually incorporate the softened butter and continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and strong.

That order makes a big difference.

Fat coats flour proteins and can interfere with gluten development if it is introduced too early. Giving the flour and liquids time to begin developing structure first makes it much easier to create the strong, extensible dough we’re looking for.

My Favorite Way to Mix Enriched Dough

For this dough I use my Ooni Halo Pro spiral mixer, and this is exactly the kind of dough where I notice a huge difference.

A rich dough with pumpkin, eggs, milk, and a lot of butter needs substantial gluten development. The Halo Pro develops the dough much faster than a traditional planetary stand mixer, and one of the things I especially love is that it can do that without overheating the dough as quickly.

Temperature matters when mixing enriched dough.

As dough is mixed, friction generates heat. With a long mixing time, the dough can become warmer than we want, which can soften or melt the butter and make the dough greasy rather than smooth and elastic.

The spiral mixer develops gluten very efficiently, so I can get a beautiful, strong dough relatively quickly while maintaining better control over the dough temperature.

Whatever mixer you use, though, don’t rely only on the clock.

Watch the dough.

At the end of mixing, it should look smooth and glossy and should pull away from the sides of the bowl. Most importantly, it should pass a good windowpane test. When you gently stretch a small piece between your fingers, you should be able to stretch it into a very thin, translucent membrane before it tears.

That’s the structure that will later hold all those tiny gas bubbles and give you incredibly light, fluffy donuts.

Why I Make the Dough the Night Before

My favorite schedule for these donuts is to make the dough in the evening.

After mixing, I round the dough, cover it, and leave it at room temperature for about 30–40 minutes. This short room-temperature rest gives the yeast a chance to become active and gets fermentation started.

Then the dough goes straight into the refrigerator overnight.

I love this method for two reasons.

First, the slow cold fermentation develops much more flavor. Even though this is a yeasted dough, time is still one of our best ingredients.

Second—and this is especially important with a buttery dough—the cold dough is so much easier to work with the next morning.

Instead of trying to roll and cut a very soft, freshly mixed brioche dough, you are working with dough in which the butter has firmed up. It rolls beautifully, cuts cleanly, and is much easier to shape.

So don’t think of the overnight fermentation as an inconvenience. It actually makes the recipe easier.

Pumpkin Donut Ingredients

Pumpkin Donut Dough

• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 500 g bread flour
• 130 g pastry flour
• 150 g pumpkin purée
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 80 g active sourdough starter, optional
• 7.5 g instant dry yeast
• 345 g whole milk
• 1½ large eggs (1 whole egg + half of another egg, lightly whisked)
• 15 g baking salt
• 165 g unsalted butter, softened

For Frying

• Avocado oil, or any oil for frying

Important: Use 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices and will change the formula.

The sourdough starter in this recipe is optional. The donuts are primarily leavened with yeast, so you do not need starter to make them. When I add starter, I use it for another layer of fermented flavor rather than relying on it as the primary leavening.

Day 1: Mix the Pumpkin Dough

Add the all-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour, pumpkin purée, sugar, optional sourdough starter, yeast, milk, eggs, and salt to the bowl of your mixer.

Hold back the butter.

Begin mixing on low speed until all the ingredients come together and there are no dry patches of flour remaining.

Continue mixing until you can see the dough beginning to develop strength. It should become more cohesive and start pulling together around the mixer.

Now begin adding the softened butter gradually.

Don’t add all 165 grams at once. Add it in several additions, allowing each portion to become incorporated before adding more.

At first, the dough may look like it is falling apart. This is normal. Keep mixing.

Once all the butter has been incorporated, continue kneading until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, shiny, and strong.

With Ooni Halo Pro or Ooni Halo Core, this happens much more quickly than with a traditional stand mixer. That’s one of the reasons I love using a spiral mixer for enriched doughs—the gluten develops quickly and efficiently without overheating the dough.

The exact mixing time will depend on your mixer, speed, flour, and dough temperature, so don’t use time as your only guide.

Instead, check for a windowpane.

Take a small piece of dough and slowly stretch it between your fingers. It should stretch very thin without immediately tearing. You should almost be able to see light through it.

If it tears quickly and looks rough, continue mixing.

Start the Fermentation

Once the dough is fully developed, shape it into a smooth ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl or container.

Cover it.

Leave the dough at room temperature for approximately 30–40 minutes.

We’re not trying to double the dough here. This is simply a short fermentation period to let the yeast get started before chilling.

After 30–40 minutes, place the covered dough directly into the refrigerator and leave it there overnight.

By morning, the dough should be cold, firm, and much easier to handle.

Day 2: Shape the Donuts

The next morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator.

You have two great options for shaping.

Option 1: Bismarck-Style Round Donuts

For beautiful round donuts that can be filled after frying, divide the cold dough into approximately 70 g portions.

Shape each piece into a tight, smooth ball.

Place the shaped donuts seam-side down onto individual squares of parchment paper.

These are perfect for filling later with pastry cream, pumpkin cream, jam, chocolate cream, or any other filling you love.

Option 3: Pumpkin-Shaped Donuts

For an extra-cute fall version, you can shape the donuts to look like little pumpkins. Divide the dough into 70 g portions and shape each piece into a smooth, tight ball. Cut four pieces of food-safe kitchen twine long enough to wrap around each donut. Arrange the strings so they cross underneath and come up around the dough, creating eight sections, then gently tie them together at the top. Keep the strings slightly loose—the dough needs room to expand as it proofs. As the donuts rise, the dough will puff between the strings, naturally creating those adorable rounded pumpkin ridges. After frying, let the donuts cool slightly, carefully snip and remove the strings, and you’ll have beautiful little pumpkin-shaped donuts ready to glaze, coat in sugar, or fill.

Final Proof

Cover the shaped donuts so their surfaces don’t dry out.

Let them proof at room temperature for approximately 1½–2 hours.

As always, fermentation time is a guideline, not a guarantee.

Your kitchen temperature, dough temperature, yeast activity, and size of the donuts can all change the proofing time.

Instead of watching only the clock, watch the donuts.

They should become visibly larger, soft, light, and puffy. When you gently touch the dough, it should feel aerated rather than dense.

Don’t rush this stage.

Underproofed donuts can have a tight interior and may expand too aggressively in the fryer. Properly proofed donuts will fry up beautifully light and fluffy.

Frying the Pumpkin Donuts

Heat avocado oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to 320°F (160°C).

I love using avocado oil for frying because of its neutral flavor and suitability for high-temperature cooking.

A thermometer is extremely helpful here. Oil temperature can change quickly, especially when you add several pieces of cold or room-temperature dough.

Carefully lower the proofed donuts into the oil. If you’ve proofed them on individual parchment squares, you can use the parchment to help transfer the delicate donuts without squeezing or deflating them.

Don’t overcrowd the pot. Fry only a few at a time so the oil temperature doesn’t drop dramatically.

Fry until the first side is beautifully golden, then flip and fry the second side.

Depending on the size and thickness of your donuts, this will generally take approximately 1–2 minutes per side.

For thicker Bismarck-style donuts, pay especially close attention to your oil temperature. You want the exterior to brown gradually while giving the center enough time to cook completely.

Transfer the finished donuts to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined tray and let the excess oil drain.

Then glaze, coat, or fill them however you like.

And please eat at least one while it’s still slightly warm.

That’s when you’ll understand why I keep calling these the softest donuts.

Why 320°F?

You may notice that 320°F is lower than the frying temperature used in many traditional donut recipes.

These donuts are very rich, and the pumpkin also adds moisture. A slightly lower frying temperature gives the heat more time to reach the center before the outside becomes too dark.

If the oil is too hot, the donuts can look perfectly cooked—or even overly brown—while the center is still underdone.

If your oil is far too cool, however, the opposite problem occurs. The donuts spend too much time in the oil and can absorb more fat.

This is why I strongly recommend using a thermometer and checking the temperature between batches.

My Best Tips for Extra-Soft Pumpkin Donuts

Develop the gluten before adding the butter.

Don’t rush the initial mixing stage. Building structure before introducing all that fat gives the final dough much more strength.

Add the butter gradually.

Let each addition become incorporated before adding more.

Don’t add extra flour just because the dough initially feels sticky.

An enriched dough can look messy during mixing before the gluten develops. Give the mixer time to do its work.

Use the windowpane test.

The appearance and strength of the dough tell you much more than an exact mixing time.

Don’t skip the overnight fermentation.

The refrigerator does a lot of the work for you. It improves flavor and makes the buttery dough significantly easier to shape.

Proof until the donuts feel light.

The clock is only a guideline. A donut that has proofed for 90 minutes in one kitchen may need two hours or longer in another.

Control your frying temperature.

Keep the oil around 320°F and allow it to recover between batches.

Don’t overcrowd the pot.

Adding too many donuts at once can drop the oil temperature considerably.

Can I Make These Without Sourdough Starter?

Absolutely.

The 80 g sourdough starter is optional in this recipe.

This is a yeasted pumpkin donut recipe, so the instant yeast provides the primary leavening. I sometimes like adding starter because it contributes additional fermented flavor, but you can leave it out.

If what you’re looking for is a truly sourdough-focused version, I already have a separate Pumpkin Sourdough Doughnuts recipe on my website. That recipe uses a sweet stiff sourdough starter and a different fermentation process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the dough and fry the donuts the same day?

You can, but the overnight method is my favorite.

Cold fermentation develops more flavor and makes this very soft, buttery dough much easier to roll, cut, and shape. If you have the time, I highly recommend mixing in the evening and shaping the following morning.

Why do you use three different flours?

The combination allows us to balance strength and tenderness.

Bread flour provides the strong gluten structure we need to support this rich dough. All-purpose flour provides a balance between strength and softness, while cake(pastry) flour helps make the finished crumb especially delicate and tender.

Together, they give us a donut that is extremely soft without becoming weak or collapsing.

Can I use only all-purpose flour?

You can experiment with it, but the texture will not be exactly the same. This particular flour combination is intentional and is part of what creates the texture I love about this recipe.

Different flours also absorb different amounts of liquid, so changing the flour blend may change how the dough feels during mixing.

Why do you add the butter later?

Butter can interfere with gluten development because fat coats the flour proteins.

By beginning the mixing process without the butter, we allow the dough to start developing its gluten network first. Then the butter is gradually incorporated into an already-developing dough.

This is particularly useful for rich brioche-style doughs.

How do I know when I’ve mixed the dough enough?

Look for a smooth, elastic, slightly glossy dough and perform the windowpane test.

Stretch a small piece gently between your fingers. If it stretches into a very thin membrane without immediately tearing, you have developed a strong gluten network.

Why refrigerate the dough overnight?

For two big reasons: flavor and handling.

Slow fermentation gives the dough time to develop more complexity. Refrigeration also firms the butter, transforming a very soft enriched dough into something much easier to roll and shape.

How do I know when my donuts are fully proofed?

They should look noticeably larger and puffy and feel very light and aerated.

Don’t rely exclusively on the suggested 1½–2 hour proofing time. Dough ferments according to temperature and yeast activity, not according to our schedules.

What oil do you use for frying?

I prefer avocado oil.

It has a neutral flavor and works very well for frying. Whatever oil you choose, use a neutral oil suitable for frying and monitor its temperature carefully.

What temperature should I fry pumpkin donuts?

For this recipe, I like to fry them at approximately 320°F (160°C).

Because these donuts are thick, rich, and contain pumpkin purée, the lower temperature allows the center to cook while the outside develops a beautiful golden color without browning too quickly.

Can I make filled donuts instead of rings?

Yes! In fact, this is one of my favorite ways to make them.

Divide the cold dough into approximately 70 g portions, round each piece tightly, proof until very light and puffy, and fry.

Once cooled enough to handle, fill them with your favorite cream, custard, jam, or other filling.

Can I freeze pumpkin donuts?

You can freeze the fried, unglazed donuts, although nothing compares to eating them freshly fried.

Allow them to cool completely, wrap them well, and freeze. Thaw at room temperature and gently refresh them before serving.

Do I need a spiral mixer?

No.

A good stand mixer can make this recipe. Just remember that a traditional mixer may need more time to develop the dough, and longer mixing creates more friction and therefore more heat.

Watch the dough rather than simply copying a mixing time.

I personally love using my Halo Pro for this recipe because it develops strong gluten very quickly without overheating the dough, which is particularly useful when working with a rich, butter-heavy dough.

Sourdough Pumpkin Donut Version

If you’d rather skip commercial yeast and make a sourdough version, I have another recipe dedicated entirely to Pumpkin Sourdough Doughnuts.

That recipe uses a sweet stiff starter and a much longer fermentation schedule to produce soft, moist sourdough donuts without an overly acidic flavor.

The Donut Recipe I Come Back to Every Fall

Every year, I make these when pumpkin season arrives.

And every year, I ask myself the same question:

Why did I wait until fall?

I’ve made and tested hundreds of recipes over the years, and I don’t use the words “the best” very easily. But these pumpkin donuts deserve it.

They’re incredibly soft. They’re buttery without feeling heavy. The pumpkin makes the crumb tender and moist, the overnight fermentation gives the dough wonderful flavor, and that combination of bread flour, all-purpose flour, and cake flour gives them exactly the texture I want.

Mix the dough tonight. Give it those first 30–40 minutes at room temperature, then put it in the refrigerator and forget about it.

Tomorrow morning, all that’s left is the fun part: shape, proof, fry.

And once you tear open that first warm pumpkin donut and see that unbelievably soft, fluffy golden crumb, you may start wondering the same thing I do every year:

Why aren’t we making these all year round?

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