These Thanksgiving Doughnuts present five cozy fall doughnut recipes that capture apple, cinnamon and pumpkin-spice flavors in approachable recipes you can make at home. Because what pairs better with your morning coffee than a warm, homemade doughnut?
Table of contents
- Ingredients for Homemade Brioche Doughnuts
- Thanksgiving Doughnut Variations
- Apple Pie Doughnuts
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Doughnuts
- Maple Pecan Doughnuts
- Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts
- Chocolate Pudding Doughnuts
- Thanksgiving Doughnuts Recipe Troubleshooting & FAQ
- Can I bake these doughnuts instead of frying them?
- Can I store doughnuts in the fridge?
- Why are my doughnuts oily?
- Why are my doughnuts dense?
- Why are my doughnuts raw in the middle?
This Thanksgiving doughnut collection is a collaboration with my friend Erin from Cloudy Kitchen. We first worked together on an apple cider layer cake and kept bouncing recipe ideas back and forth ever since. For this post we focused on a single, versatile brioche dough that becomes five different fall-inspired doughnuts: Apple Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Maple Pecan, Apple Cider Glazed, and Chocolate Pudding. Using one base dough lets you mix and match flavors and make a variety of doughnuts without starting from scratch each time.
The base is a soft brioche dough—rich, tender, and slightly sweet—which you can shape, proof, fry and finish in a few different ways depending on the filling or glaze you choose. Below are ingredient notes, descriptions of each variation, and full recipes for a few of the flavors so you can pick whichever sounds best.
Ingredients for Homemade Brioche Doughnuts
The brioche dough is simple but relies on a few key ingredients for texture and flavor:
- Milk: Whole milk gives the most tender, flavorful dough. Lower-fat or nondairy milks will work but yield a less rich result.
- Yeast: Active dry or instant yeast are both fine; instant yeast shortens rise times slightly.
- Sugar: Sweetens and tenderizes the dough.
- Eggs: Add structure and richness.
- Butter: Room-temperature unsalted butter creates a soft, flavorful dough.
- Salt & Vanilla Bean Paste: Enhance flavor; vanilla extract can be substituted if needed.
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure. Avoid adding too much—aim for a soft, pillowy dough for light doughnuts.
Thanksgiving Doughnut Variations
Here are the five variations featured in this collection, with notes on what makes each one special.
Apple Pie Doughnuts
These doughnuts taste like apple pie in hand-held form. They combine the brioche dough with a cooked apple pie filling and a vanilla pastry cream. Make the dough and the apple filling the night before—the dough benefits from a slow, cold rise, and having chilled filling on hand speeds assembly. The pastry cream (crème pâtissière) is a thick vanilla custard that pairs beautifully with the warm-spiced apples and the fried dough.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Doughnuts
These are filled with a lightly sweet, well-spiced pumpkin cheesecake filling and rolled in pumpkin-spice sugar. The recipe reduces the pumpkin puree on the stovetop first to concentrate its flavor and remove excess moisture—don’t skip that step, as it ensures the filling sets properly and doesn’t leak from the doughnuts.
Maple Pecan Doughnuts
Maple Pecan doughnuts give pecan pie vibes without being overly sweet. A sticky maple glaze and crunchy candied pecans finish the fried brioche. You can substitute other nuts if you prefer, but toasted pecans are particularly classic with maple.
Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts
These are the simplest of the bunch and perhaps the most surprising. A bright apple cider glaze—made by reducing cider to concentrate flavor—gives a sweet-tart finish that really sings on the brioche dough. Reducing the cider is important because the glaze uses only a small amount; reducing concentrates the flavor so it’s noticeable.
Chocolate Pudding Doughnuts
The chocolate pudding version delivers a silky, rich filling similar to a chocolate mousse in doughnut form. The stovetop pudding comes together quickly and pairs wonderfully with the soft brioche for a decadent treat.
Making yeast doughnuts at home is a rewarding project. If you’re new to frying doughnuts, invite a friend and make a batch together—shaping, frying and finishing doughnuts is more fun with company, and you’ll end up with warm doughnuts to share.
Thanksgiving Doughnuts Recipe Troubleshooting & FAQ
Can I bake these doughnuts instead of frying them?
These recipes are developed for frying. If you bake them, the texture will be closer to a roll than a doughnut. There are separate baked doughnut recipes if you prefer that method.
Can I store doughnuts in the fridge?
Storing doughnuts in the fridge tends to dry them out. Filled doughnuts are best eaten the day they’re made. You can keep them at room temperature in an airtight container for one day; beyond that they begin to lose their softness.
Why are my doughnuts oily?
Oily doughnuts usually mean the oil temperature was too low. Fry at 350–360°F (175–180°C) and monitor the temperature as you fry. Also let fried doughnuts drain briefly over the pot, then transfer them to paper towels and a cooling rack so they don’t sit in excess oil before glazing.
Why are my doughnuts dense?
Dense doughnuts often indicate underproofing. Gently press a doughnut: if the indentation springs back immediately, it needs more proofing. If the indentation remains, it’s ready to fry.
Why are my doughnuts raw in the middle?
Doughnuts raw inside are most commonly from oil that is too hot—the exterior browns before the interior cooks. Use a thermometer to keep oil at the correct frying temperature. If oil temperature is correct, the doughnuts may simply be too large or thick; shape them to an appropriate size so the interior cooks through.
Looking for more doughnut recipes?
Check these out!
Strawberry Cardamom Crullers
Chocolate Stuffed Churro Doughnuts
Vanilla Bean Honey Glazed Crullers
Print Recipe
Apple Pie Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the Brioche Dough:
- 250 g milk, lukewarm
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 565 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g unsalted butter, diced and softened
For the Pastry Cream (slightly adapted from Bouchon):
- 110 g granulated sugar
- 35 g cornstarch
- 132 g egg yolks
- 550 g whole milk
- 30 g unsalted butter
For the Apple Pie Filling (adapted from Erin McDowell):
- 45 g unsalted butter
- 560 g apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 150 g dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 15 g cornstarch
For the Apple Pie Doughnuts:
- Canola oil for frying
- Granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
To Make the Brioche Doughnuts:
- In a stand mixer bowl, mix milk, yeast and 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar. Add remaining sugar, eggs, flour, salt and vanilla and mix until just combined.
- Using the dough hook, beat on medium for about 5 minutes until a soft dough forms. With mixer running, add butter in pieces and knead 10–15 minutes until smooth and elastic. (Knead by hand if you don’t have a mixer.)
- Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled, 60–90 minutes. Or refrigerate overnight for a cold rise.
To Make the Pastry Cream Filling:
- Whisk sugar and cornstarch, add egg yolks and combine.
- Heat milk and vanilla until just bubbling at the edges; don’t boil.
- Temper yolks with half the milk while whisking, then return to saucepan and cook over medium until very thick.
- Remove from heat, whisk in butter, let rest 5–10 minutes, then cool completely in an airtight container.
To Make the Apple Pie Filling:
- In a large skillet, combine butter, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cook over medium-high until apples soften.
- Whisk granulated sugar and cornstarch, add to apples and cook until thickened, 2–3 minutes. Chill.
Frying and Assembly:
- Turn dough onto a floured surface. Weigh and divide into 14 pieces (~75 g each). Roll into balls, flatten slightly and place on parchment-lined sheets. Cover and proof 20 minutes.
- Heat canola oil to 350°F (180°C). Line a sheet with paper towels and place granulated sugar in a bowl.
- Fry 2–3 doughnuts at a time until golden on each side, 2–3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels then transfer to a cooling rack.
- When cool enough to handle, roll doughnuts in granulated sugar and cool completely (~30 minutes). Pipe pastry cream and apple filling into each doughnut; serve the same day.
Nutrition
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Print Recipe
Soft Pumpkin Cheesecake Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the Brioche Dough:
- 250 g milk, lukewarm
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 565 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g unsalted butter, diced and softened
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
- 280 g pumpkin puree (reduced to 200 g)
- 450 g cream cheese, softened
- 100 g powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of fine sea salt
For the Pumpkin Spice Sugar:
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
For Frying:
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
To Make the Brioche Doughnuts:
- Mix milk, yeast and 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar. Add remaining sugar, eggs, flour, salt and vanilla and combine.
- Beat with dough hook, add butter gradually, then knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise until doubled or refrigerate overnight.
To Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
- Cook pumpkin puree over medium until reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool.
- Beat cream cheese with 200 g reduced pumpkin, add powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt until smooth.
To Make the Pumpkin Spice Sugar:
- Whisk granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice together and set aside.
Frying and Assembly:
- Divide dough into 14 pieces (~75 g). Shape into discs, proof 20 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350°F (180°C). Fry 2–3 at a time until golden, drain and cool.
- Roll warm doughnuts in pumpkin spice sugar, cool completely and pipe in the pumpkin cheesecake filling. Serve same day.
Nutrition
Print Recipe
Maple Pecan Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the Brioche Dough:
- 250 g milk, lukewarm
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 565 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g unsalted butter, diced and softened
For the Candied Pecans:
- 125 g pecan halves
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 15 g unsalted butter
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
For the Maple Glaze:
- 180 g powdered sugar
- 60 g pure maple syrup
- 45 g heavy cream
For Frying:
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
To Make the Brioche Doughnuts:
- Prepare the dough as described for the other variations: mix, knead with butter, and allow to rise until doubled or refrigerate overnight.
To Make the Candied Pecans:
- Toast pecans at 350°F (180°C) for 8–10 minutes. In a saucepan, melt sugar, butter and salt, add pecans and coat with the melted sugar. Spread on parchment and cool completely.
Frying and Assembly:
- Roll dough to 1/2″ (1.2 cm) and cut with a 3¼” cutter; cut holes with a 1½” cutter and proof 20 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350°F (180°C), fry until golden, drain and cool before glazing.
To Make the Maple Glaze:
- Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup and cream until smooth. Dip cooled doughnuts, top with candied pecans.
Nutrition
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