Pumpkin Donuts

Is anyone worried about a pumpkin overload on this website??

No, that would be silly.

Hopefully everyone reading this has a cute little donut pan. I will wait here until you go get one to finish reading this post....

Now we're ready! I totally lucked out and found a donut pan along with a ton of other great steals at this huge thrift store RIGHT across from my apartment complex. I can't tell you how many stellar finds I have acquired through thrifting in the D.C. area. It has simply never been so good. Sifting through 99% crap to find that 1% of treasure is quite a task but one I'm willing to take on at least once a week. For a small fee, I can take you on this ultimate thrift trip of at least 5 big stores. Who's coming?

Back to donuts.

I've been obsessed with them since I was a little girl. Dad's fault! And I have had a few "pumpkin" donuts in my day. But never ones that brought true satisfaction. However, on a whim and with a bit of extra pumpkin left over from the previous post, I whipped these little delights up for a Sunday morning breakfast.

Airy and light, with just the right amount of chewiness that only donuts have and that spicy pumpkin flavor.... mm! Good to go.

Yeah, I've been going nuts baking and eating pumpkin treats the last few weeks. A few friends, my sister and I are running Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon tomorrow here in Orlando. Wouldn't want to get too skinny! Wish us luck! And don't fret - I have at least two more pumpkin recipes to share with you in the following posts.

Now go try these! QUICK!

True Love.

Pumpkin Donuts

makes 24 minis

1 c all purpose flour

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp baking powder

dash of nutmeg, ground cloves, ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c milk

1/4 c canned pumpkin

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

- Preheat oven to 325 and mix dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add wet ingredients and stir to incorporate. Pour into buttered donut pan and bake for 8-10 minutes or until donut springs back and looks done. Cool in pan. Lift out with a little TLC. Do the around the sides with a knife, and under the four corners to gently lift up and out of the pan. Serve with cream cheese frosting. (See previous recipe for those instructions!)

Pumpkin-Carrot Treats, Three Ways

We just celebrated my little fluff muffin's fifth birthday and for the event, in the name of pumpkin, I made a few baked goods to suit both guests and furry friends! With one can of pumpkin, I made dog treats, cupcakes, gluten free cupcake bites and had enough for pumpkin donuts the next day (check back for that one soon!!) I thought that was stretching pumpkin too far but I think it worked out just right.

I didn't sample the dog treats like some party members but I have to say, the gluten-free bites were my favorite over the gluten-filled cupcakes! Wonders never cease. Both were delicious, so you might just need to try them all for good measure!!

Pumpkin-Carrot Gluten-Free Dog Treats

1 c brown rice flour

1 egg

1/2 c canned pumpkin

1 tbs grated carrot

-Combine ingredients, mash out onto a piece of parchment paper (like you would a biscuit dough to about 1/4 inch.) Cut with cookie cutter, place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 for 20 minutes per side or until completely dried out. Store in air-tight container.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes

makes 24 minis

3/4 c brown rice flour

3/8 tsp xantham gum

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon (and a dash of nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger!)

1/2 c brown sugar

2 tbs sugar

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 c grated carrots

1 egg

3/8 c canned pumpkin

1/2 tsp vanilla

- Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk or fork. Add in carrot, egg, pumpkin and vanilla and stir to incorporate. Bake in greased tins at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in pan before placing on cooling rack. (Top with cream cheese frosting when cooled. Recipe at bottom of post.)

Pumpkin-Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 c cake flour

1/2 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg (and a dash of cloves, ginger and allspice for good measure)

1/4 c vegetable oil

3/4 c loosely packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c pumpkin

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 and 1/2 c grated carrots

- Mix dry ingredients together. Add in wet to combine. Pour into lined cupcake tins. I adapted this recipe from the food network website and they said 10 cupcakes but my batter made 11, probably because I changed a good bit. Strange number, I know.

For the Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese

4 tbs butter

2 c sifted powdered sugar

1 tbs orange juice

1 tsp vanilla

-Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth with a hand or stand mixer. On low speed, add sugar, oj and vanilla until lump free.