Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Chocolate Ganache (Video)

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon or Pinterest.

My most recent pumpkin recipes are:

Quick and Easy Turkish Lentil Soup with Pumpkin

It's my favorite time of the year. Pumpkin season!

I love everything about cooler weather, which includes visiting pumpkin patches, seeing the kids smiling faces next to the pumpkins, treats made with pumpkins and the excitement of upcoming holidays.

Yes, I'm like a kid for I love all the colors and flavors that the season of fall brings to us. It's cool, misty, and foggy this morning as I write this blog. It truly feels like fall even though the temperatures will climb higher later in the day. It makes me want to make a loaf of pumpkin bread and enjoy a slice along with a warm pot of tea. But instead, I want to share with you one of my absolutely favorite recipes that my son Thomas recently requested. He said, " Mom, do you remember last year when you held a cooking class for children and we made pumpkin donuts?"

Oh, yes, I do remember those very special donuts and they are a much healthier alternative for donut lovers.

These special pumpkin donuts were baked vs fried, moist, had a bright yellow color, tons of flavors from freshly ground spices, and yes, we did make our own pumpkin spice mix, even with the kids. They were sweet but not to the extreme and covered with a dark chocolate Ganache. Don't they sound yummy?

I think it's always important to know the benefits of everything you eat. Your body is always listening to the things your mind tells it, so load up on some pumpkin wisdom as well as enjoy the benefits and the fun of making these exceptional pumpkin donuts. Your body will thank you!

Even though I use and always recommend that you use the highest quality of ingredients, this recipe may not suit everyone who follows the gluten free diet. However, here is the good news: you can easily replace the all-purpose flour with almond flour and add one extra egg.

My History With The Love Of Pumpkin

If you ever saw my blog on Ukrainian Sweet Pumpkin Porridge with Goat Milk ,

you know it is the only dish I had with pumpkin when I was growing up in Ukraine. There weren't pumpkin spices around either, which has been associated with pumpkin dishes by most Americans more than the true flavor of pumpkin itself. Therefore, so many people don't even know the true flavor of this fruit. Am I right?

I fell in love with pumpkin at the age of 25 when I first came to the States. Since then, I have made many pumpkin dishes and it is my intention to share them with you, one by one.

Pumpkin History

But what about the pumpkin?

The story goes that in 1584 the French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of North America. This included par of Vermont, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and almost the entirety of the state of Michigan. It was there he reported finding “gros melons.” The name was translated into English as “pompions,” which has since evolved into the modern word “pumpkin.”

One of the first American pumpkin recipes was published in the early 1670s. The recipe was for a side dish made from diced ripe pumpkin that had been cooked down in a pot over the course of a day, and then butter and spices were added, much like sweet potato casserole that we eat today.

Pumpkin Soluble Fiber

We all know pumpkin is good for you because it has tons of vitamins and minerals. It is especially prized for containing vitamin A/beta-carotene, a precursor to the active form of vitamin A that has antioxidant properties. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is best absorbed by your body when you eat it with foods containing fat. So please, don't skip on using butter!

But what about fiber?

Yes, pumpkin is a great source of fiber AND especially soluble fiber!

There are two types of fiber. Insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water and is not fermented by the gut’s bacteria, and soluble fiber, which does dissolve in water and is broken down and fermented by colon bacteria. While both are good, the soluble fiber feeds the good bacteria and does many jobs that promote health such as attaching to cholesterol particles and taking them out of the body, helping to keep blood sugar stable, and many other jobs. Insoluble fiber, like broccoli types of food, have benefits such as staying intact and providing bulk which keeps you feeling full longer and providing bulk for your stools.

Please, eat more pumpkin, and keep your gut happy. Some recipes are healthier than others, so include a variety in your diet and enjoy the season with your family!

So, let's get into the pumpkin donuts...

Prep time: 5 minutes

Making time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 15 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Author: Inna of innichkachef.com

Yields: 14-15 donuts

Ingredients for the pumpkin donut batter

1 and 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon of pink salt

1 and ½ teaspoons of cinnamon

½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon of ground ginger

½ teaspoon of ground cloves

½ cup grapeseed or avocado oil

2 large eggs

½ cup of coconut sugar

2/3 cup raw cane sugar

1/3 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon of honey (any will work here)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Spray silicone donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pink salt, cinnamon, and the rest of the spices together in a large bowl.

4. Using an electric mixer with its whisk attachment, first mix together the eggs and sugars until fluffy and increased in volume. Then add vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, oil and milk.

5. While whisking slowly, add the dry ingredients. Don't over mix just incorporate and then stop.

6. Spoon the batter into the donut cavities filling them only to 3/4 full.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned.

8. Cool donuts in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

9. Cool completely before applying the chocolate ganache.

10. To make the ganache, mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and on low heat melt all together until it looks glossy and has a perfect consistency for dipping donuts.

11. Dip each donut into the chocolate ganache and place them back onto the wire rack. Repeat until all donuts have been dipped.

12. Store donuts in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or room temperature 1-2 days.

Enjoy!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and never miss a recipe!