Sourdough Pumpkin Donut Holes
If you love donuts, especially the little donut holes that are way too easy to keep grabbing, you have to try these Sourdough Pumpkin Donut Holes. They’re soft, full of pumpkin and fall spice, then dipped in butter and finally tossed in cinnamon sugar. The best part is this recipe is baked not fried, so they’re easy enough to make whenever the donut craving hits and kid approved!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for snacking: Bite-sized, covered in cinnamon sugar, and way too easy to keep grabbing.
- No frying: These cozy donut holes are baked and don’t require a pot of hot oil.
- Great way to use discard: Have sourdough discard to use? This is a great way to put it to use.
- All the fall vibes: Pumpkin, warm spices, and cinnamon sugar make these perfect for your next fall movie night.
Tools You’ll Need:
- Large mixing bowl- for mixing your donut batter.
- Digital kitchen scale (optional)– for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
- Measuring cups and spoons– for measuring ingredients.
- Whisk- to combine the batter.
- Donut Hole Pan (or a mini muffin pan)- I used these donut hole pans to give the donuts more structure, but you can also use a mini muffin pan.
- Small bowls- for melted butter, and the cinnamon sugar.
- Cooling rack- to allow donut holes to cool.
Gather Your Ingredients:
- Pumpkin Puree– Brings natural sweetness, moisture, and tenderness to the donut holes. I like to use the brand Libby’s but any will work. Make sure you do not use pumpkin pie filling only use 100% pumpkin puree.
- Sourdough starter- (flat or past peak, can be cold or room temperature). Key for fermentation if you choose to rest the batter overnight. I list a swap for the starter on the recipe card if you want to skip this!
- Avocado Oil- Adds moisture and keeps the donuts soft and tender. You can substitute for any neutral cooking oil.
- Brown sugar– Helps to sweeten the donut holes and gives that fall flavor from the molasses.
- White sugar– Boosts sweetness and supports the rise and golden color. Used for the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Vanilla extract- Enhances the flavor and brings warmth.
- Egg + egg yolk– provide structure and lift with moisture, works as a binder for ingredients.
- All-purpose flour- Gives the donut holes structure while keeping it soft and cakey.
- Baking powder + Baking soda– Ensures the right rise and tenderness.
- Salt- Balances sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
- Salted Butter- used to coat the donut holes to keep the cinnamon sugar to coating on.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cardamom- Rounds out the pumpkin flavor and brings that classic pumpkin spice warmth. You can substitute these spices for a pumpkin spice blend of you prefer, but I like to mix my own to guarantee the flavor is the same each time.
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the Batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, sourdough discard, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin purée, and oil until smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and gently combine everything until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix or the batter will become tough.
Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8–12 hours for added fermentation benefits.
Step 2: Bake the DOnut Holes
Continued Overnight Fermentation: If you fermented the batter overnight, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for an hour to soften the batter.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray your donut hole pans or a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill the pans about 3/4ths of the way full (about 2 teaspoons of batter). Avoid overfilling the pans so the donut holes don’t get misshaped while they bake.
Bake the donut holes for 12-14 minutes, or until puffed and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the donut holes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the donut holes to cool before you coat them.
Step 3: Coat the Donut Holes
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Whisk it gently until it’s smooth and set it aside.
In another small bowl, add the white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix the cinnamon sugar until it’s well combined.
Dip each donut hole in the melted butter, then roll the donut hole in the cinnamon sugar mixture until it’s well coated.
Repeat this step with all of the donut holes until they’re all coated in the butter and cinnamon sugar mixture.
If you would like to add a chocolate dipping sauce, simply melt chocolate chips at 30 seconds intervals in the microwave in a heat safe bowl and add 1-2 Tablespoons of heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Serve on the side of the donuts.
Serve warm or allow the coating to set before storing.
Yields 24 donut holes
How to Store:
Room Temperature: For best texture these are enjoyed warm and fresh, but you can store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds before enjoying!
FAQ’s
Yes. A mini muffin pan works perfectly if you don’t have a donut hole pan. Just be careful not to overfill the cavities.
Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices and will change the balance of the recipe.
Yes! you can bake the same day, just mix the batter and bake!
If you loved this recipe, drop a comment and leave a star review and don’t forget to checkout more of my sourdough pumpkin recipes!
Sourdough Pumpkin Recipes:
- Sourdough Pumpkin Donuts (with brown sugar maple glaze)
- Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Sourdough Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (with oat crumble!)
- Sourdough Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sourdough Pumpkin Donut Holes
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl – for mixing your donut batter.
- Digital kitchen scale (optional) – for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
- Measuring cups and spoons – for measuring ingredients.
- Whisk – to combine the batter.
- Donut Hole Pan (or a mini muffin pan) – I used these donut hole pans to give the donuts more structure, but you can also use a mini muffin pan.
- Small bowls – for melted butter, and the cinnamon sugar.
- Cooling rack – to allow donut holes to cool.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- â…“ (80g) cup sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ (175g) cup 100% pumpkin purée
- ¼ (60g) cup avocado oil or neutral oil
- ½ (100g) cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ (50g) cup brown sugar
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 (250g) cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (you can substitute the ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom for 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- â…› teaspoon ground cardamom optional
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Sourdough Discard Swap:
- 1/4 (30g) cup all-purpose flour
- 3 (45g) Tbsp whole milk
For Dipping:
- ¼ (57g) cup salted butter melted
Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ½ (100g) cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg (you can substitute the ginger and nutmeg for 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend)
- â…› teaspoon ground ginger
Chocolate Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 (120g) cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1-2 (30g) Tbspns heavy cream
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, sourdough discard, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin purée, and oil until smooth.1 egg, 1 egg yolk, ⅓ (80g) cup sourdough discard, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ (175g) cup 100% pumpkin purée, ¼ (60g) cup avocado oil , ½ (100g) cup granulated white sugar, ¼ (50g) cup brown sugar
- Sourdough Discard Swap: If you don't want to use discard, add the additional milk to the wet ingredients above and the additional flour to the step below.1/4 (30g) cup all-purpose flour, 3 (45g) Tbsp whole milk
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.2 (250g) cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and gently combine everything until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix or the batter will become tough.
- Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8–12 hours for added fermentation benefits.
Step 2: Bake the Donut Holes
- Continued Overnight Fermentation: If you fermented the batter overnight, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for an hour to soften the batter.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray your donut hole pans or a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill the pans about 3/4ths of the way full (about 2 teaspoons of batter). Avoid overfilling the pans so the donut holes don’t get misshaped while they bake.
- Bake the donut holes for 12-14 minutes, or until puffed and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the donut holes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the donut holes to cool before you coat them.
Step 3: Coat the Donut Holes
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Whisk it gently until it’s smooth and set it aside.¼ (57g) cup salted butter
- In another small bowl, add the white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix the cinnamon sugar until it’s well combined.½ (100g) cup granulated white sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg, â…› teaspoon ground ginger
- Dip each donut hole in the melted butter, then roll the donut hole in the cinnamon sugar mixture until it’s well coated.
- Repeat this step with all of the donut holes until they’re all coated in the butter and cinnamon sugar mixture.
- If you would like to add a chocolate dipping sauce, simply melt chocolate chips at 30 seconds intervals in the microwave in a heat safe bowl and add 1-2 Tablespoons of heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Serve on the side of the donuts.1/2 (120g) cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1-2 (30g) Tbspns heavy cream
- Serve warm or allow the coating to set before storing.
- Yields 24 donut holes