Do you ever just want something? Like you’re not hungry but just, I don’t know…WANT something? You can’t quite put your finger on it at first, but then slowly, the image starts to creep into your mind, and to your taste buds.

I want something salty? No, sweet. Yeah sweet. And not candy, but cakey. But not really cake, and not syrupy sweet. Not chocolate. Not fruity or a cobbler this time. Something like maybe a…a….doughnut! A doughnut! A pumpkin doughnut. With Maple glaze dripping down the sides topped with crunchy, buttery crushed walnuts. That’s it! That’s what I want. Pumpkiney, cinnamoney, mapley, nutty, goodness.

Do you?

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Cream Glaze

1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp heaping, ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp, heaping, ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tbsp vanilla

Glaze:

2 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 scraped vanilla bean
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease doughnut pans, or doughnut maker, with non-stick spray.

Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, vanilla and baking powder until smooth. Add the flour, stirring just until smooth – some lumps will remain.

Fill doughnut pans. Bake the donuts for 12-14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the doughnut comes out clean. *If you are using a mini doughnut maker, bake for approximately 3-5 minutes.

Remove the donuts from the oven/maker, let cool in pans for 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire cooling rack.

Glaze:

Whisk all ingredients until smooth.

While the donuts are still warm, dip them in maple glaze, allowing the excess to drip off on a cooling rack. Top with crushed walnuts or toasted pecans. Serve warm. With milk. Or hot cider. Mmmm.

Life is too short to eat ugly food y’all.