Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prep the Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a donut pan with non-stick spray or butter, ensuring all the donut wells are fully coated to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. This ensures that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture, giving every bite of the donut a warm, spicy flavor.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and well combined. The pumpkin will give the batter a beautiful orange color and a deliciously moist texture.

Step 4: Add the Dry Ingredients to the Wet Ingredients

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can make the donuts tough. You want the batter to be smooth, but still light and fluffy.

Step 5: Fill the Donut Pan

Transfer the donut batter into a piping bag or a large ziplock bag with the tip cut off. Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut wells, filling each one about ¾ full. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can carefully spoon the batter into the wells, but piping makes it easier to get even, circular donuts.

Step 6: Bake the Donuts

Place the donut pan in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the donuts are set and spring back when lightly touched. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of one of the donuts—it should come out clean when they’re done.

Remove the donuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing or coating.

Step 7: Coat the Donuts (Optional)

For a classic cinnamon sugar coating, melt the butter in a small bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip each donut in the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.

Step 8: Make the Glaze (Optional)

If you prefer a glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze, allowing the excess to drip off, then place them back on the wire rack to set. The glaze will harden slightly as it sits, giving the donuts a sweet, glossy finish.

Step 9: Serve and Enjoy

Your pumpkin donuts are ready to be devoured! Serve them warm or at room temperature, and enjoy the soft, fluffy texture and perfect fall flavors. They pair wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or a cozy mug of apple cider.