Sourdough Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
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These sourdough pumpkin brioche donuts are fried in a neutral oil and dipped in a simple maple glaze. These donuts taste like fall, thanks to the addition of brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and maple. Enjoy these on a cool weekend morning with a cup of coffee for the BEST experience!
If you’ve made any of my recipes or seen my social media posts, then you know I’m a pretty big fan of fried sourdough donuts. I just *adore* them. And since they always seem to be pretty popular, I’d wager that you love them too.
These sourdough pumpkin donuts are no exception. The dough is an enriched brioche dough, which is results in soft, fluffy donuts. The brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and maple are all familiar autumn flavors, and the pumpkin–well, pumpkin is absolutely a fall staple.
If you love these sourdough pumpkin donuts with maple glaze, then you’ve got to try these recipes:
- sourdough maple glazed donut twists
- sourdough glazed donuts
- sourdough chocolate custard-filled donuts
- sourdough discard vanilla custard-filled donuts
- and seriously the best ever– sourdough Boston cream donuts
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Pumpkin Donuts
- Soft and fluffy, the enriched sourdough dough gives these donuts a light, tender texture.
- Full of fall flavor, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, maple, and vanilla make every bite warm and cozy.
- Naturally fermented, sourdough starter adds flavor and gives the dough a long, slow fermentation.
- Finished with maple glaze, the sweet maple topping pairs perfectly with the spiced pumpkin donuts.
- Perfect for fall baking, these donuts are a fun homemade treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredient & Recipe Notes
Can I make this overnight? I do. But my kitchen runs cold. I use cold milk and eggs to spare me some time. I make it right before bed, and I wake up to a fully bulk-fermented dough 8 hours later.
**However** after hearing from many of you, some say yours bulk fermented much faster, most likely due to the warmth and/or humidity in your kitchen environment. This is why I always say watch the dough, not the clock.
So your first run through with this recipe, you should keep an eye on it just to ensure you don’t accidentally over-ferment the dough.
What oil do you use? I’ve used coconut oil, beef tallow (if I’m feeling super fancy), or canola oil. Any neutral oil that can be heated up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit should work well for you.
Wait, what’s a sourdough starter and how do I make one? Great question! If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet, I recommend you start here.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Bulk Ferment the Dough
Cover the dough and let it bulk ferment for 6–10 hours, or until it has risen about 50–60% and looks puffy. Watch the dough, not the clock!!
Shape the Donuts
Roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thick and cut into donuts. Place each donut on a small square of parchment paper.
Let the Donuts Rise
Cover loosely and let the shaped donuts rise for 2–3 hours, or until noticeably puffy and light.
Fry the Donuts
Heat frying oil to 340–350°F. Fry the donuts for about 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
Make the Maple Glaze
Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Glaze and Cool
Transfer the fried donuts to a wire rack. Dip the warm donuts in maple glaze, then return them to the rack to set.
Tips for the Best Sourdough Pumpkin Donuts
- Use active, bubbly sourdough starter. Your starter should be at or near peak activity before mixing the dough so it has enough strength to properly ferment this enriched dough.
- Watch the dough, not just the clock. Bulk fermentation can take 6 to 10 hours depending on your kitchen temperature. Look for about a 50 to 60% rise and a puffy appearance.
- Do not rush the second rise. The shaped donuts should look noticeably puffy and feel light before frying. Underproofed donuts can turn out dense or hollow.
- Keep the oil between 340 and 350°F. Pumpkin and brown sugar can cause the donuts to brown quickly, so a slightly lower frying temperature helps the centers cook through without burning the outside.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry only a few donuts at a time so the oil temperature stays steady and the donuts cook evenly.
- Glaze while the donuts are still slightly warm. Let them cool for a few minutes after frying, then dip them in the maple glaze so it coats smoothly without completely melting off.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Donut cutter
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Cooking thermometer
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Wire cooling rack
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
Storage
Sourdough pumpkin donuts are best enjoyed the same day they are fried, when they are at their softest and fluffiest.
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 4 days, although the texture may become slightly firmer.
For the best results, store unglazed donuts when possible and add the maple glaze shortly before serving.
Sourdough Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 100 g active bubbly sourdough starter, about 1/2 cup
- 475 g bread flour about 3 3/4 cups
- 80 g whole milk 1/3 cup
- 100 g eggs 2 large eggs
- 5 g fine sea salt 1 teaspoon
- 5 g vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- 50 g brown sugar 1/4 cup packed
- 115 g pumpkin puree 1/2 cup
- 3 g ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon
- 1 g ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon
- 71 g salted butter softened to room temperature, 5 tablespoons
For Frying
- Coconut oil or another neutral frying oil as needed
Maple Glaze
- 3 cups powdered sugar 360 g
- 3 to 4 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 45 to 68 g
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk 23 g
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 g
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Add the sourdough starter, bread flour, milk, eggs, salt, vanilla extract, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and ginger to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Mix on low speed until the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.
- With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter about one tablespoon at a time. Allow each addition to mostly incorporate into the dough before adding the next.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and knead for about 5-7 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
- The dough may remain slightly soft and tacky because of the pumpkin, but it should have enough gluten development to stretch without immediately tearing.
Bulk Fermentation
- Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl and cover tightly.
- Allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature for approximately 5–10 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your sourdough starter. **Watch the dough NOT the clock**
- Look for the dough to increase in volume by approximately 50–60%. Because this is an enriched dough containing eggs, butter, sugar, and pumpkin, it may ferment more slowly than a traditional sourdough bread dough.
- Once bulk fermentation is complete, you can shape the donuts immediately or tightly cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight.
Shape the Donuts
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Roll the dough to approximately 1/2-inch thickness.
- Using a donut cutter, cut out the donuts and donut holes. Gently gather and reroll the scraps as needed, being careful not to overwork the dough.
- Place each donut onto an individual square of parchment paper and arrange them on a baking sheet.
Final Rise
- Loosely cover the donuts and allow them to rise in a warm place for approximately 2–3 hours, or until visibly puffy and light.
- To check the fermentation, gently press your finger into the side of a donut. If the indentation slowly springs back, the donuts are ready to fry. If the dough immediately springs back, allow them to continue rising.
- Avoid letting the donuts dramatically double in size. Properly proofed donuts should look airy and puffy while still being sturdy enough to handle.
Fry the Donuts
- Add coconut oil or another neutral frying oil to a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven until the oil is approximately 2–3 inches deep.
- Heat the oil to 340–350°F (171–177°C).
- Carefully lower the donuts into the oil using their individual parchment squares. Peel the parchment away once the donut releases into the oil.
- Fry only a few donuts at a time so the oil temperature does not drop significantly.
- Fry for approximately 1–2 minutes per side, or until the donuts are evenly golden brown and cooked through.
- Keep a close eye on the oil temperature throughout frying. Pumpkin and brown sugar can cause these donuts to brown relatively quickly, so keeping the oil near the lower end of the frying range can help prevent the outsides from becoming too dark before the centers finish cooking.
- Transfer the fried donuts to a wire cooling rack set over paper towels or a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Make the Maple Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract to a medium bowl.
- Whisk until completely smooth.
- For a thinner glaze, add a small splash of additional milk. For a thicker glaze, whisk in additional powdered sugar.
Glaze the Donuts
- Allow the freshly fried donuts to cool for several minutes so they are warm rather than piping hot.
- Dip the tops of the donuts into the maple glaze, allowing any excess glaze to drip back into the bowl.
- Return the donuts to the wire rack and allow the glaze to set before serving.
- For the best texture, enjoy the donuts the same day they are fried.
We absolutely adore sourdough donuts–they never fail! And these sourdough pumpkin donuts are the best. Let me know what you think if you make them!