Spiced Pumpkin Donuts
Spiced Pumpkin Donuts are packed with the flavors of Fall while sneaking in extra nutrition for the little ones and all topped with a heavenly cinnamon spiked ganache. They are fluffy, flavorful and will make your pumpkin dreams come true.
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Parents and care givers the world over all have one thing in common when it comes to feeding little ones, trying to find healthy foods that the kiddos will actually eat. It can be so tiring and frustrating coming up with what you think is a great food choice just to have them wrinkle their little noses and as my niece says, “I can’t like it.” Interestingly enough, it is amazing how long a meal can take when it is something they don’t love but when it is something they love, the food is gone in 2.5 seconds. A constant goal of mine is to create food that taste’s phenomenal and has that healthy edge for both my family and my blog. You can imagine my delight when my sweet niece fell in love with my “healthified” Spiced Pumpkin Donuts. There were no wrinkled noses, no “I can’t like it” floating in the air. Only happy chocolate smiles. Little did she know that what was just a yummy treat to her had pumpkin, wheat germ and flax adding in an extra punch of nutrition.
Tips about Spiced Pumpkin Donuts:
- One great tip I learned from Baked by an Introvert is to beat the room temperature butter and sugar for a full 5 minutes. This one step can help in creating a moist cake.
- If any of the pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice and ground cloves) are a little too much for young taste buds, adjust accordingly. The same for the chocolate. If the 65% chocolate has too strong of a flavor, switch out for the 42% chocolate instead. (affiliate)
- Ground flax seed and wheat germ are added to increase nutritional density. To amp it up even more use whole wheat pastry flour. (affiliate)
- Bob’s red Mill has a great Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. Using pastry flour helps to create a more delicate & fluffy cake donut. (affiliate)
- The easiest way to fill donut pans is either with a pastry bag or a gallon sized ziplock bag. If using the ziplock bag, simply spoon batter into bag, cut tip off and squeeze batter into the holes. (affiliate)
- Depending on how full the pans are filled, baking times will range from 14-18 minutes. Be careful to not over bake as this will dry the donuts out. As soon as the donuts spring back to the touch, pull them out and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes remove them from the pan and fully cool before dipping into ganache.
Spiced Pumpkin Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 cups pastry flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp all-spice
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 2 tbsp ground flax seed
- 2 tbsp wheat germ
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar *packed, either light or dark
- 3/4 pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla
Ganache
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- For the Donuts
- Bring butter, buttermilk and cream to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and spray 2 donut pans containing 6 holes with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Stir in flax and wheat germ, mix well to fully incorporate.
- In a stand mixer cream together butter and sugar for a full 5 minutes, scraping down sides a few times. Whisk in pumpkin, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.
- Incorporate dry ingredients into wet until fully incorporated making sure to not over mix.
- Spoon batter into pastry bag or gallon sized ziplock bag. Cut tip off of bag and squeeze batter into donut holes filling almost to the top (a little more then 3/4 full).
- Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 14-18 mins or until donut springs back to the tough. Be careful to not over bake. Let cool in pan for 5 mins and then out of pan on a cooling rack until fully cool before dipping into ganache.
- For the Ganache
- Stir cinnamon into heavy cream.
- Melt chocolate in the top of double broiler over low heat and about 1 inch of water in the bottom of the pan. Once chocolate is almost melted stir in half of cream until incorporated. Add in last of cream and continue stirring until fully incorporated. Let ganache cool for about 5 mins before dipping.
- Once donuts are cooled carefully submerge top of donut into ganache. Repeat with all donuts. Sprinkle with nuts, chocolate shavings or coarse sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
For other sweet and savory inspirations follow along on Facebook and Pinterest.
This recipe is part of Food Networks’ Kid Friendly Fall Fest recipe roundup. For other kid friendly inspirational recipes check out the links below:
Devour: Embrace Your Inner Kid with 5 Fun Flips on Pizza
The Lemon Bowl: Skillet Mexican Street Corn
Homemade Delish: Healthy Back to School Lunches
Creative Culinary: Peanut Butter and Apple Oatmeal Cookies
A Mind “Full” Mom: 2-Ingredient Homemade Yogurts
The Mom 100: Tomato-Orzo Dill Soup
Healthy Eats: 7 Back-to-School Dishes That Kids Can Help Make
Taste with the Eyes: Black Bean Spaghetti Caterpillar for Kids
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Kale Sushi Rice Bowls
Swing Eats: Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Cookies (Gluten-Free & Flourless)
FN Dish: Our Favorite A+ Afterschool Snacks
If you love Holiday treats than check these out:
Frosted Pumpkin Oatmeal Squares
Cinnamon Kissed Cocoa Cup Cookies
Scrumptious Chocolate Peppermint Pie
Yum! So perfect for fall! I like when treats can be made a little healthier.
Thank you Laura! It definitely makes enjoying them guilt free a little easier.I am so glad you stopped by.