These Pumpkin Donut Holes are made in the air fryer, not only making them a little bit healthier than deep fried but also so much easier to prepare! They are packed with real pumpkin and warm spices and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Perfect for breakfast or dessert! And dip them in a sweet cream cheese dipping sauce for an extra indulgent treat!
Ingredients
Donut Holes:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Cloves
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin puree – This recipe uses pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling (which is already seasoned)
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk is used to create a donut holes that is very moist and flavorful. If you do not have buttermilk then add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and then fill it with enough regular milk to equal 1 cup.
- Granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce
- Cream cheese, softened – Reduced fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese can be used in place of regular cream cheese. You may need less milk to achieve the right consistency.
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
*see recipe card for amounts
How to Donut Holes in the Air Fryer
Step 1: Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Add the pumpkin puree and buttermilk and whisk until smooth.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
Step 5: Spray a silicone donut hole pan or small mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Then use a small cookie scoop (about a tablespoon each) to fill the trays.
Step 6: Bake in a 350°F air fryer for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the air fryer and allow to cool for several minutes and then turn onto a cooling rack and repeat until you finish all the batter.
Step 7: Meanwhile, pour the melted butter into a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
Step 8: When the donut holes are cool enough to hand, roll them one at a time in the melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then serve.
Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce
Step 9: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of milk and continue beating until smooth.
Step 10: To make the dipping sauce thinner, add additional milk a tablespoon at a time. For thicker sauce, add additional powdered sugar.
How to Store and Re-heat Pumpkin Donut Holes
These air fryer pumpkin donut donut holes are best enjoyed on the day that they are prepared. However, you can also store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you want to reheat them, I suggest you pop in them in the microwave for about 15 seconds but they are also good at room temperature!
FAQS & Helpful Tips
Yes, donut holes can be baked in the oven. Spray a mini muffin pan or donut hole pan with nonstick baking spray. Then bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
Almost everything that is safe to go in the oven is safe to go in an air fryer, so if you have a mini muffin pan that fits in your air fryer then you can certainly use it to bake the donut holes.
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EQUIPMENT
- Air Fryer, Cosori, 5.8 Qt
INGREDIENTS
Donut Holes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
Donut Holes
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Add the pumpkin puree and buttermilk and whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
- Spray a silicone donut hole pan or small mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Then use a small cookie scoop (about a tablespoon each) to fill the trays.
- Bake in a 350°F air fryer for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the air fryer and allow to cool for several minutes and then turn onto a cooling rack and repeat until you finish all the batter.
- Meanwhile, pour the melted butter into a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
- When the donut holes are cool enough to hand, roll them one at a time in the melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then serve.
Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of milk and continue beating until smooth.
- To make the dipping sauce thinner, add additional milk a tablespoon at a time. For thicker sauce, add additional powdered sugar.
