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Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy gingerbread donuts dress up a box of cake mix and turn it into tender, perfectly spiced gingerbread donuts. The perfect holiday treat for Christmas morning breakfast and a great way to use pumpkin after Thanksgiving.

Post originally published December 7, 2017. Updated November 18, 2019. Post may contain affiliate links. To read my affiliate policy click here.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts from www.seasonedsprinkles.com

I’ve definitely been on a kick this year. A donut kick. Maybe because I bought a donut pan. That could have something to do with it. Or maybe because Goose loves donuts and likes to help make them. But either way, these easy gingerbread donuts with a maple buttercream glaze are part of the kick. They are so easy to make and super delicious and just perfect to put out for Christmas entertaining.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Semi Homemade Gingerbread Donuts

These semi homemade gingerbread donuts are one of my greatest box cake mix hacks. Since having kids, I don’t often have the bandwidth left over to bake from scratch. So I like to hack box mixes and make them special. Some of my best box mix hacks? Kahlua brownies, Bailey’s cake, honey vanilla cake… Like I said I love a good box mix hack.

And part of the hack for these perfectly spiced gingerbread donuts? The secret ingredient. Drum roll please…

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

 

The Secret Ingredient!

Pumpkin! The same good old canned pumpkin you use in all the other delicious pumpkin baked goods.

I just wasn’t ready to see pumpkin season end. Being the unashamedly basic girl that I am, I think it gets pushed out too fast. Don’t people still enjoy pumpkin through the winter holidays? Am I the only person who sort of expects to see some sort of pumpkin pie on the table after Christmas dinner? So pumpkin lovers, this one’s for you.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

I know it sounds kind of weird to have a full can of pumpkin in gingerbread donuts, but hear me out. I use the pumpkin in place of oil the way I did in these easy pumpkin donuts. The pumpkin is kind of like the applesauce substitution trick. It just fades into the background and offers a little extra sweetness and a lot of extra moisture. It makes for incredibly light and fluffy donuts, which I prefer over the densely cakey kind.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

How to Make Easy Gingerbread Donuts

And these donuts are incredibly easy to make. Like my pumpkin spice donuts, you use a box of gingerbread cake mix as the base. Then, add a little extra cinnamon and ginger to the cake mix to bring out those warm holiday flavors. Next stir in pumpkin, eggs, and milk to finish the batter. Once the batter is made you can either spoon it into your sprayed donut pan or you can fill a piping bag and pipe it into your sprayed donut pans. Then you can pop the donuts into your preheated oven. That’s it! Then you can let them cool and enjoy them or ice them.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

 

If you follow me on Instagram and watched my stories the other day, you know Goose helped me make these. We had a pj baking day- so much fun. She cracked the eggs into the mix (no egg shells this time!) and stirred in the pumpkin. She even helped spoon the mix into the donut pans.

And of course she taste tested.

Both before and after the donuts were iced.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Speaking of the icing. It’s sort of a glaze. Just powdered sugar, butter, maple syrup (paging Buddy the Elf) and some half and half, cream or milk. Nothing fancy, but seriously Buddy knew what he was talking about with maple syrup being its own food group. It really makes this glaze special and so delicious. I couldn’t stop tasting it myself.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

The Yummiest Maple Glaze

Of course, I highly recommend icing these gingerbread donuts because the glaze is absolutely delicious. And it’s so simple. You just mix together powdered sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, a bit of milk or half and half and a sprinkle of cinnamon until it reaches your desired consistency. Then you just dunk the donuts in the glaze.

And you have options with it. To get a thinly glazed donut dunk it in the glaze right away then let the donuts dry. For thicker glaze, either do two coats of the icing right away or let the icing firm up for about 20 minutes and then dunk the donuts in. Totally up to you.

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

So tell me, what’s your favorite holiday flavor and how do you feel about pumpkin after Thanksgiving?

Other Holiday Treats You Might Love

Looking for other easy treats for the holidays? Try these:

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Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy Gingerbread Donuts

Easy gingerbread donuts dress up a box of cake mix and turn it into a tender, perfectly spiced gingerbread donuts. The perfect holiday treat for Christmas morning breakfast and a great way to use pumpkin after Thanksgiving.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 donuts
Author: Seasoned Sprinkles

Ingredients

  • 1 box of gingerbread cake/bread mix
  • 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk or half and half

For the glaze

  • 2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs butter melted
  • 1 1/2 tbs maple syrup
  • 3 tbs of half and half or milk
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray. While the oven is preheating stir together all the ingredients for the donuts until they are well combined. Spoon or pipe batter into the donut cavaties. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool and remove from pan.
  • While donuts are cooling, whisk together the ingredients for the glaze. When glaze is made, dip top of donuts in and return to cooling rack. If looking for a thick glaze, either double dip the donuts after the first dip has set slightly or let the glaze cool for about 20 minutes prior to dunking. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Let donuts cool prior to icing

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut
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  1. Kelly McCrillis says:

    Hey Jenna, I came across your recipe and it’s exactly what I’m looking for, except I’m wanting to do it as a bundt cake. What changes do I need to make to the recipe, if any, other than the baking time?

    • jfletcher says:

      I haven’t tried this recipe as a bundt cake- though what a great idea! If you do make it into a bundt I would start with a cook time of 50 minutes at 350. Then check it to see if it’s done by inserting a toothpick into it. If it comes out clean it’s done- if not give it another 5-10 minutes and try again. Let me know how it comes out! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Jaye says:

    What size box of gingerbread, out of curiosity? I just bought two boxes and they have different ounce weights. Thanks!

  3. Kate says:

    Gingerbread is one of my favorite flavors, especially during the holiday season. These look so snowy and delicious!

  4. Those look delicious!! Perfect for Christmas brunch. I’m not usually a gingerbread fan, but my mouth is watering!

  5. These sound very yummy and easy to make! Your pictures are beautiful!

  6. Joan Cajic says:

    My doughnuts always backfire on me but I will not give up, I’m going to keep trying until they turn out right, so will give this a try.

  7. I have never made donuts before because it seems kind of tricky. Now I am totally rethinking it. The gingerbread flavor sounds divine!!

  8. Lauren says:

    These look so amazing! Need to make them!

  9. Holly says:

    These sound amazing! It’s an added bonus that they’re pretty, too! xx

  10. Carly says:

    These look SO delicious! I’m going to have to try this recipe!
    Carly | preppedupglamour.com

  11. Ruthie Ridley says:

    These look bomb! Perfect for Christmas morning!!

  12. Roshunda says:

    Those donuts look so tasty. Love how its perfect for the holidays

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