Old Fashioned Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

There's nothing better on a brisk autumn morning or afternoon than an old-fashioned pumpkin spice doughnut dunked in a great cup of coffee, or a Chai latte. I challenge you to find something better!

Pumpkin is my absolute favorite thing about Fall. I go totally pumpkin crazy from about October through January, and it becomes almost all I can think about when it comes to food and recipes. I think it might be an addiction.

These doughnuts are quite possible the most delicious pumpkin-flavored thing I have ever made. They're adapted from a recipe from my favorite local Seattle doughnut chain, Top Pot Donuts. Top Pot makes, hands down, the best doughnuts in the area (and maybe anywhere?)!

Old-fashioned doughnuts have always been my favorite type of doughnuts, because I love how the exterior has a slight crunch to it, with a soft and dense interior. Many times they are made with sour cream (like Top Pot makes them), but here I've used crème fraîche for even more richness.

These are jam-packed with pumpkin-y goodness. There's pumpkin puree in the doughnut dough, and in the glaze! Pumpkin pie spice elevates the flavor even more. For this recipe, I like to make my own pumpkin pie spice (which you'll end up with some extra of), so that I can control how much of each spice goes into it (plus, freshly-ground tends to taste better), but, in a pinch you could always go with the store-bought stuff.

I fried my doughnuts in unfiltered coconut oil because: a) I think it tastes awesome, and b) I like the health benefits of coconut oil more than say canola or peanut. You do have to keep an eye on your oil temp, though, because you don't want it to go above 350°F, as that is the oil's smoke point. For this recipe, we want the oil to be between about 325°F and 340°F. You will need a thermometer to track the oil temperature; a candy thermometer or a laser thermometer will work best (I own and have used both).

If you want to get kinda fancy with these doughnuts, before the glaze dries, you could sprinkle them with chopped candied pecans, or even crumbled bacon! They're perfect as is, though!

It's #PumpkinWeek on Food Fanatic! Follow along all week for fantastic new ways to use pumpkin, and a chance to win amazing prizes from Le Creuset!

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We love getting fancy with pumpkin! Try Shaina's pumpkin brioche recipe and Stephie's pumpkin spice cake recipe too.

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Old Fashioned Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts Recipe

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Ingredients

For the doughnuts:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2/3 cup crème fraîche
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 yolks large egg yolks
• coconut oil, for frying

For the glaze:

• 4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
2. In a measuring cup, whisk together the pumpkin puree and crème fraîche.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and shortening, until sandy. Add in the egg yolks and mix for a couple minutes, until combined. Alternately add in the flour mixture and pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. The dough should be sticky.
4. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
5. While the dough is chilling, make the glaze. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, salt, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. With the machine on medium speed, slowly add the water in a steady stream, and mix until everything is combined, and there are no lumps of sugar. Set aside.
6. Add enough coconut oil to a large pot or Dutch oven to be at least 2 inches deep. Heat to 325F using a thermometer to check the temperature.
7. Roll out the chilled dough onto a clean, floured surface to about ½"-thick. Now you need either a doughnut cutter, or two circular cutters (one about 2"-3" inches, and the other about 3/4"-1 1/2"). Dip the cutters in flour then cut out roughly 12 doughnuts, and 24 doughnut holes. You can gently fold together any extra dough, and continue cutting out doughnut holes.
8. Shake any excess flour off of the doughnuts, and gently drop then into the oil, only a few at a time so you don't crowd them. Once the doughnuts rise to the top, allow them to fry for 15 seconds before carefully flipping (this is easiest to do with a skimmer), and allowing to fry for 75 seconds. Flip again and allow them to fry for 60 more seconds. Carefully remove from oil and place on a rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. (The doughnut holes kinda roll around on their own, so just nudge them every few seconds as opposed to flipping them.)
9. While the doughnuts are still hot, use tongs to pick them up and dip the side with the most cracks in the glaze. For the doughnut holes, just dunk the whole thing in and coat 'em.

Source: Recipe adapted from Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker

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