Pumpkin Churro Doughnuts with warm chocolate sauce for dipping ~ these plush doughnuts are baked, not fried, then coated with crunchy sugar.
Need a reason to go out and buy a doughnut pan?
You just found it. In fact it will be the best ten bucks you’ll spend this fall. These pumpkin churro doughnuts are crunchy on the outside and lightly spiced and pumpkin-y on the inside. And that’s not even counting the ultimate hot chocolate dunking sauce with a hint of cinnamon.
related: Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts
These churro doughnuts are one bowl jobs, so you have no excuse not to try them. If you’ve ever had churros and chocolate sauce then you know how intoxicating it is to dunk a crispy light pastry into thick warm chocolate. Add in the whole pumpkin thing, aaaaand the fact that they’re baked, not fried, and I think this is an open and shut case…you need to make these, like today.
ingredients for pumpkin churro doughnuts
- all purpose flour
- oat flour
- oat flour makes the doughnuts tender, plus adds flavor.
- vegetable oil
- eggs
- sugar
- I use regular sugar for the doughnut batter, and I use raw sugar for coating them.
- canned pumpkin puree
- cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, allspice and cinnamon
- or use your favorite premade pumpkin spice.
- salt and baking powder
one bowl pumpkin churro doughnut step by step
This is stupid easy…
- Whisk your wet ingredients (plus the salt and baking powder) together in a bowl
- Fold in the flours.
- Fill your doughnut molds 3/4 full.
- Bake.
- Let cool briefly then pop out of the pan and coat with sugar while still warm.
I used raw sugar to coat the doughnuts and I liked that for two reasons. One, it sparkles much better than regular sugar and, two, it adds a nice crunch to the outside of the doughnut, which mimics the texture of a fried doughnut or churro. Look for it in the regular baking section of your market. You can use regular sugar as well, but I recommend the raw. Just remember to coat the doughnuts while they are still warm, that way the sugar will stick.
related: Chocolate Dipped Churro Shortbread Cookies
that warm chocolate sauce!
It’s the genius behind this breakfast treat. Think of it as a cross between a thick hot chocolate and a hot fudge sauce ~ there’s zero chance you won’t love it. The experience of dipping a warm pumpkin churro doughnut into the equally warm thick chocolate sauce is unlike anything else I’ve ever tasted.
Use your favorite chocolate for this sauce. The traditional chocolate used for churro dipping is thick, rich, dark chocolate. Specifically, it’s often Spanish-style drinking chocolate, also known as chocolate a la taza, which is thicker than regular hot chocolate and made with dark chocolate (often around 60-70% cocoa) I use bittersweet chocolate chips, but you could also use Mexican style chocolate, flavored with cinnamon. Milk chocolate would be another tasty choice.
pumpkin churro doughnuts faqs
Q: Can I use all regular flour in place of the whole wheat and the oat flours?
- A: Yep, no problem.
Q: Can these be made as mini muffins, or in a mini doughnut pan?
- A: Yes, just adjust the cooking time, but remember, it’s not as easy to dunk something that small!
Q: My sugar didn’t stick to the doughnuts!
- A: They may have been too cool. You can brush the doughnuts with melted butter and then coat with sugar.
Each time I made baked doughnuts I’m blown away by how good they are. They aren’t just a gimmick. I think it has to do with the shape and the quick baking time, but they are super light and really quite delicious. These pumpkin churro doughnuts are a must make every fall.
More pumpkin treats!
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Pumpkin Churro Doughnuts with Warm Chocolate Sauce
Equipment
- doughnut pan this is the one I use.
Ingredients
for the doughnuts
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin, not pie filling
- 1/4 tsp each: cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, allspice and cinnamon, or use 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
for the coating
- 1 cup raw sugar
for the chocolate sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips, about 3/4 cup
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Set the oven to 350F
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, spices, sugar, pumpkin, salt and baking powder.
- Fold in the flours, and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Lightly spray your doughnut pan with cooking spray, even though it is non-stick. Fill the molds 3.4 full with the batter. An easy way to do this is to put the batter in a large baggie and cut off the tip from one corner. Then pipe the batter into the molds. If you only have one pan, just cook the doughnuts in two batches, but remember to clean out the wells thoroughly between batches, and re-spray them.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t over bake.
- Let the doughnuts cool only briefly and then ease them out of the pan and onto a rack.
- While the doughnuts are still warm, coat them with the sugar. I did this by putting the sugar in a paper bag and then, one at a time, putting in the doughnuts in and gently tossing them in the sugar. Be careful and do this one at a time, you don’t want to break the tender doughnuts. It is important to do this while the doughnuts are still warm, so the sugar will stick.
- To make the sauce, heat the cream and cinnamon to a simmer, then pour over the chocolate chips. Let them sit for 10 minutes, and then stir until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Serve immediately with the doughnuts.
Notes
Nutrition
A doughnut pan – don’t recall seeing them about. On the look out…. now baked ones seem so much better than fried.
Yummy Sue! I don’t make donuts very often because the only kind I’ve made is the deep fried variety. It’s definitely time to buy the donut pan!
I don’t have a donut pan, but I just bought a donut hole on clearance that I bet would be amazing! Love this recipe. I can’t wait to try it out.
I’m certainly not a doughnut person but churros! – bookmarking this.
They look incredible, Sue! I love making pumpkin donuts and made some earlier this year before it was even pumpkin season. I love the big sugary crystals on yours (and also your Q&A at the end of the post -smart!!) Pinned to my pumpkin board!
Thanks so much for the Q&A info – I was all set to wait til I got to the store to find some oat flour and now I don’t have to! Love your site by the way…
Thanks Deb!
Are they ever nice looking too..my daughter wants a donut pan..i think I do too now:)
Get two and share!
What cute little doughnuts, love the chocolate sauce!
I’m with DOM…running out to get a donut pan! These look amazing! I love your blog, thank you 🙂
I just never thought of owning a donut pan but its my birthday next week and you can guess what I’m going to ask for. They look so gorgeous and I live the special flavours you’ve used here x