Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Happy first day of Fall.  Here in Virginia, the weather has begun to turn chilly and I can't wait to start making all my favorite cold weather foods, beginning with these delicious Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze.  They're such a fun way to celebrate the change of season.  

I've baked mini donuts in pans like this, but I find I get much better results using an electric donut maker like this.  There really isn't anything wrong with donut pans that go in the oven, but the donuts they produce usually have one flat side, whereas the ones baked in the donut maker are domed on both sides. Also, you can crank out batch after batch pretty quickly.   

To prepare the donut maker, I use a silicone pastry brush to coat the indentations with a little vegetable oil or shortening.  The electric donut maker has a non-stick finish, but brushing with a little oil helps make donut removal a little easier.

The ingredients are mixed together easily.  No special techniques here, but I love using my BeaterBlade attachment so I don't have to stop to scrape down the sides of my mixer bowl.  If you don't have a BeaterBlade, you can use a standard flat beater, or feel free to mix everything together using a hand mixer if you don't own a stand mixer. 

To neatly dispense the batter into the donut indentations, I like to use a large disposable pastry bag.  It helps me fill the indentations quickly and easily.  Really cuts down on the mess too.  

No piping tip necessary, I just cut a small opening at the end of the bag.

I evenly pipe the batter, filling the indentations to the rim.  

Then I close the donut maker and wait 4-5 minutes until the mini donuts spring back when pressed slightly.   

Open the donut maker up and suddenly I have one dozen of the most perfectly shaped, evenly domed mini donuts.  Aren't they adorable? 

The mini donuts are removed from the donut maker and placed on a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing. 

Time to make the vanilla bean glaze.  Vanilla bean paste is full of those tiny little black vanilla bean seeds that look so nice on baked goods.  If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can substitute pure vanilla extract.  Be sure to use the good stuff! 

Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth - it should be about this thick to coat the donuts nicely.  If needed, add more confectioners sugar or half & half to adjust the consistency.  As soon as the glaze is ready, start dipping the donuts.

Dip the top half of the cooled donuts in the glaze and place them back onto the rack to rest for about 30 minutes so the glaze can set up. 

That's all there is to it.  Hope you give these tasty mini donuts a try.  Happy fall! 

Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze

makes 24 mini donuts

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

FOR THE DONUTS:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar

• 1 tablespoon half and half

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)

Directions

To make the donuts:

1. Preheat electric donut maker and brush indentations with vegetable oil or shortening.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined using BeaterBlade attachment (or mix with a hand mixer).

4. Using a large pastry bag, fill bottom half of the prepared donut maker, filling each indentation to the rim.

5. Close donut maker and bake for 4-5 minutes (use a toothpick to check for doneness - the should spring back when pressed lightly).

6. Carefully remove mini donuts from maker and cool completely on wire rack before glazing.

To make the glaze:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar, half and half, and vanilla bean paste until smooth.

2. Dip tops of cooled mini donuts in glaze immediately; allow glaze to dry for 30 minutes.

Note

• To use mini donut pans, preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 8-12 minutes until done.

Vanilla Dutch Baby

Want to make something that's not only simple, but utterly delicious for breakfast of brunch this weekend? Look no further than this scrumptious Vanilla Dutch Baby recipe.  Just throw the ingredients together in a blender and bake in a preheated skillet.  It'll puff up like a pillow and turn golden brown all around the edges, then collapse into a flat crater with a custard-like center that's just perfect for sprinkling with confectioners' sugar and topping with sauteed apples or berries.  I promise, you're going to love it.

View fullsize

Start by preheating an 11 or 12-inch skillet in the oven.

View fullsize

While the skillet is heating, gather the batter ingredients.  Flour, brown sugar, fine salt, eggs, milk, and the best pure vanilla extract.

View fullsize

Mix the batter together in a blender.

View fullsize

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the butter, swirling it until the butter melts completely and coats the pan.

View fullsize

Pour the excess melted butter from the pan into the batter; mix well.

View fullsize

Pour batter into buttered skillet (to avoid the risk of the Dutch Baby sticking to the skillet, pour batter around the skillet rather than pouring it all in the same spot).

View fullsize

Pop the skillet back into the oven and wait for the magic to happen.

View fullsize

Ta-da!  The Dutch Baby is done when the batter puffs up and turns golden brown around the edges.

View fullsize

The Dutch baby will collapse and soften a bit as it cools.  Remove it from the skillet and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

View fullsize

Oh how I wish you could smell the heavenly aroma and taste the vanilla custard goodness.

View fullsize

Serve as you would any pancake.  We like maple syrup or fruit, like this roasted strawberry sauce, or my fresh peach sauce, or the caramelized apples I shared with you years ago.  Enjoy! 

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• cast iron pan https://amzn.to/3y54pZ4

• ninja master prep pro https://amzn.to/3SKWrxG

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3HanYSv

---

Vanilla Dutch Baby

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs

• 3/4 cup whole milk

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• confectioners' sugar for dusting

• optional, fruit or berries

Directions

1. Place an 11 or 12-inch cast iron skillet in cold oven and turn oven on to 400F.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine eggs, milk, flour, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until they're mixed thoroughly; scraping sides of container if necessary.

3. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven and add butter.

4. Swirl pan until butter is completely melted and coats the entire pan; pour excess butter into batter and mix to combine.

5. Pour batter into hot skillet and return to oven; bake for 20-25 minutes or until dutch baby puffs up and is golden brown around the edges.

6. Remove form oven and allow to cool slightly (the Dutch baby will deflate as it cools).

7. Remove from pan and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve with fruit or berries if desired.

adapted from 10 Dollar Dinners with Melissa D'Arabia