PUMPKIN DOUGHNUTS
​FILLED WITH PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE

These Pumpkin Doughnuts are going to be your new fall favorite! Filled with sweet pumpkin cream cheese & coated with cinnamon sugar — you will love every bite! Pair it with your morning coffee & you will have everything you ever needed this fall!
PREP: 30 m • RISE: 2 h • FRY: 20 m • YIELDS: 25

IngredIents

THE DOUGHNUTS:
  • ​1 tbsp dry active yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 cup milk
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 7.5 oz pumpkin purée
  • 3-6 cups flour, plus more for surface
  • 1/3 cup sugar + 2 tbsp cinnamon

THE PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
  • 16 oz cream cheese​, softened
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 4 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS:
  1. ​In a small bowl, activate the yeast by mixing it with 1/2 cup warm water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes while you do the next couple steps.
  2. Microwave the milk for 2-3 minutes until hot. Place the butter in a large bowl and pour the milk on top. Gently whisk the butter into the milk until completely melted (do not use an electric mixer unless you want milk all over your kitchen).
  3. Whisk in the salt, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Then, whisk in the vanilla and eggs until fully combined.
  4. Mix the yeast into the batter, then whisk in the pumpkin purée. Whisk well — until the batter is smooth and without chunks.
  5. With a wooden spoon, mix in 5 cups of flour until fully incorporated. If the dough is still sticky, add another cup.
  6. Sprinkle flour on a clean, dry surface and knead the dough for only a minute, until it is smooth and not sticky at all. Do NOT over-knead!
  7. Place the dough in a greased bowl (with butter or nonstick spray) and place a towel over it in a warm place (e.g., the microwave). Let it rise for at least 1 hour.

SHAPE THE DOUGHNUTS:
  1. ​After one hour of rising, flour a clean surface, your rolling pin, and your hands. Roll the dough out into a large 1/2 inch thick circle — do not roll it out too thin! You want thick doughnuts.
  2. Use a large mug to cut out as many circles as you can in the first round of rolled out dough (the first is the best, so make the most of it). Start by being as close to the edges as possible!
  3. Once you used all the space, roll the excess dough into a ball and roll it out into another 1/2 inch thick circle, and repeat. Get as many doughnuts as you can out of it!
  4. Make tiny munchkins (doughnut holes) with any leftover dough by rolling them into tiny 1 inch balls (they’ll puff up while frying).
  5. Place all the donuts on a floured baking sheet and cover with a clean towel. Let the donuts rise again in a warm place for at least another hour (important). In the mean time, make your pumpkin cream cheese filling!

FRY THE DOUGHNUTS:
  1. ​In a wide and deep pan, heat 2 inches of cooking oil on medium heat (375° F). I found that my stove knob on 3/6 worked best! Wait until the oil is extremely hot to begin (give it at least 15 minute to hear).
  2. Start by frying only one munchkin or doughnut to test out the oil. Let it fry on the one side until it is lightly golden (maybe 30 seconds or so), then flip for another 10-20 seconds. Use your judgment with the color of the doughnut. Repeat for all of them!
  3. When taking the donuts out of the frying pan, set it on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil for just a couple minutes. Then, dip them in a bowl of cinnamon sugar (1/3 cup sugar mixed with 2 tbsp cinnamon) to coat fully on both sides, then set aside. You have to do this step while they’re still warm!

MAKE THE FILLING:
  1. ​In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
  2. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and half the powdered sugar. Beat until combined.
  3. Add the remaining half of powdered sugar and beat until combined!
  4. Transfer the filling into a piping bag with a long, circle tip or a ziplock bag. If you’re using a piping tip, just poke it through the side of the doughnut and pipe a good amount of filling into the center of the doughnut.
  5. If you’re using a ziplock bag, cut 1/3 inch off the bottom corner of the bag. Make a hole in the side of the doughnut that’ll reach the center (a thin knife may work). Make sure you move the knife side to side and up and down to create a hollow center for a nice amount of filling to be piped into.
  6. Then, pipe a good amount of filling into the doughnut! I would say move the piping bag around in there as you’re filling it to make sure you’re filling the center fully. Then slowly move up the piping bag as you’re filling it to the very top.

ENJOY!