Make pumpkin cake mix donuts a new family tradition! Delicious, (slightly) healthier baked donuts, complete with delicious maple icing to go on top.

The possibilities in front of you with a boxed cake mix are virtually endless. If you’ve tried and loved cake mix cookies, move on to the next best thing…cake mix donuts!

These easy (almost under 30 minute) cake mix donuts are dressed up for fall. You’ll love the maple spiced glaze on top!

stack of 4 pumpkin cake mix donuts on a plate

Why you’ll love this recipe:

baked, not fried, so you save on calories
made with a versatile cake mix
soft and fluffy texture
easy powdered sugar glaze flavored with maple and pumpkin pie spice

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cake Mix Donuts

Butter pecan cake mix: You can also use yellow or white cake mix. I needed to use oil, water, and eggs for this box mix preparation. Your box mix should be similar, but prepare the batter according to what your box calls for.
Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling.
Maple extract: You can also use vanilla extract if you don’t like maple.
Pumpkin pie spice
Cinnamon
Powdered sugar
Cream or whole milk
Lemon Juice: The lemon juice can be fresh or from concentrate. It will not make the frosting taste like lemon. It is simply used to help cut through the sweetness of the frosting.
Salt

How to Make Pumpkin Cake Mix Donuts

You’ll need a donut pan to make this recipe. The link there is a pan that makes 20 donuts, which is perfect for this recipe because you can bake them all at once.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the cake mix into a mixing bowl. Add the water, oil and eggs. Use a hand mixer to mix for about two minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

ingredients for pumpkin cake mix donuts on a table

wet ingredients for cake mix donuts in a mixing bowl

Whisk in pumpkin puree, maple extract, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until combined.
Grease a donut pan and spoon batter into donut holes until ½ full. I like to fill a plastic baggie and cut a hole in it for easy maneuvering and less mess. You can also use a piping bag or simply spoon the batter into the donut holes.

Bake in the oven 11-13 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. The donuts should spring back when you touch them.
Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Whisk together powdered sugar, cream, maple extract, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Feel free to add in more powdered sugar (if too thin) or cream (if too thick) until you have achieved your desired consistency.
Dip each donut, face down, into the icing and set aside to set on a cooling rack before enjoying.

donuts on a wire rack, one with a bite out

How do I make sure my donuts look nice?

The best way to ensure easy control over your donut batter while pouring it in the donut pan is to use a piping bag or to cut the tip of a plastic bag. This allows you to control where the dough goes. Fill up the donut hole about halfway so that it doesn’t rise above the middle hole.

In addition, sometimes getting the icing onto the donut is tricky. Dip the donut face down, then lift while simultaneously twisting/swirling the donut around in the air to get the icing to settle into the right places on the donut.

How do I store my donuts?

You can store these donuts by placing them in an airtight plastic bag or container and keeping them at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can store them in the refrigerator as well, though the texture may change.

If you don’t think you will finish your donuts, wrap them in aluminum foil or a freezer bag and put them in the freezer for up to three months. It’s best to freeze the donuts before frosting them, so if you know you won’t eat them, freeze unglazed.