Name: Vegan Pumpkin Chai Donuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cups (190mL) dairy free milk, such as almond, soy or coconut; 3/4 cup (150g) pumpkin puree*; 1/3 cup (85mL) light-tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower or rapeseed; 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional); 1 1/2 cup (180g) spelt flour (or plain flour); 1/2 cup (80g) coconut sugar (or organic brown sugar); 1 1/2 tsp ground chai spices**; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; Pinch of any good-quality salt; 3/4 cup (75g) powdered sugar / icing sugar; 2 tablespoons (20g) coconut sugar (or organic brown sugar); 1 tablespoon (15g) dairy free milk, such as almond, soy or coconut (or as needed); 1 tablespoon (15g) refined coconut oil or vegan butter (melted)

JUMP TO RECIPE

Fluffy and healthy vegan chai donuts with the natural sweetness of pumpkin. They are made with spelt flour and minimal refined sugar!

Whether it's Christmas, Winter or a cozy moment, I'm craving chai. But when paired with the natural sweetness of coconut, you have a surefire winner!

Ingredients to make these vegan chai donuts

I made these donuts with very common ingredients including:

White spelt flour (you can sub it with regular or wholemeal all-purpose flour)
Pumpkin puree
Coconut sugar
Plant-based milk
Oil
Baking powder
Chai spices (basically the contents of a chai tea bag or a mix of common spices)
Salt

The pumpkin acts as a binder in these vegan donuts, encourage all the ingredients to stick together. The slightly extra baking powder gives the donuts the boost it needs!

I have all the ingredients. How do I make the pumpkin chai donuts?

Easy! Add all the wet ingredients to a bowl. Whisk it until there are no more lumps, especially of pumpkin puree.

Add all the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

mixing ingredients in one bowl for vegan pumpkin chai donuts

Transferring the batter into the donut moulds

I prefer using silicone donut moulds for baking donuts. I don't need to grease them and, if the donut recipe is good, the donuts pop out relatively easily.

If you have a metal donut tray, please make sure you grease your tray well. I've had many donuts break apart in metal trays it's not fun. Not to mention, it's a waste of a good donut (though I 100% enjoy broken donut scraps)!

To transfer the batter into the donut moulds, you can either spoon the batter or use a piping bag.

Spooning the mixture into the donut moulds requires no special equipment - you only need a spoon! However, it can be quite messy and slow.

Piping the mixture into the moulds is less messy... after you manage to pour the batter into the piping bag! I love and use polyflex piping bags because they are reusable and very flexible.

piping the vegan pumpkin chai donut batter into a donut tray

Decorating the donuts

To make the glaze, simply combine the powered sugar, coconut sugar and a dash of milk in a bowl. The frosting needs to be pretty thick otherwise the donut will absorb it!

Dip each donut in the glaze, allow the glaze to dry out a little and serve! Note that the glaze changes colour a little after it sets :).

Check out my other vegan pumpkin or chai recipes:

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Pumpkin Chai Donuts

Fluffy and healthy vegan chai donuts with the natural sweetness of pumpkin. They are made with spelt flour and minimal refined sugar!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Servings: donuts

Ingredients

Wet ingredients

¾ cups (190mL) dairy free milk, such as almond, soy or coconut,
¾ cup (150g) pumpkin puree*
⅓ cup (85mL) light-tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower or rapeseed
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Dry ingredients

1 ½ cup (180g) spelt flour, or plain flour
½ cup (80g) coconut sugar, or organic brown sugar
1 ½ tsp ground chai spices**
1 ½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of any good-quality salt

Glaze (optional)

¾ cup (75g) powdered sugar / icing sugar
2 tablespoons (20g) coconut sugar, or organic brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15g) dairy free milk, such as almond, soy or coconut, or as needed
1 tablespoon (15g) refined coconut oil or vegan butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place two silicone donut moulds on a baking tray.
To make the donuts: Add all the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until there are no lumps.
Pipe or spoon the batter into the donut moulds.
Bake the donuts for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer can be inserted in a donut and it comes out clean. Allow the donuts to fully cool in the moulds then carefully pop them out. The donuts are great without the glaze so can be enjoyed now. Alternatively, you can proceed to the next step!
To make the optional glaze: Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add more milk to thin the glaze or more powdered sugar to thicken it. The glaze needs to be thick otherwise it will be absorbed unto the donut.
Dip one side of each donut into the frosting and allow them to dry. If your frosting is quite thick, drizzle it on the donuts with a spoon.
Enjoy immediately. Alternatively, store the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

* If you don't have canned pumpkin puree, roast or boil some pumpkin until tender then blend the pumpkin until it's a smooth puree. Although, I'd recommend canned puree as homemade is always more watery.

** To make the chai spice mix: Use a blender or coffee grinder to blend the contents of a chai tea bag into a fine powder. Alternatively, use ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon cardamom and a pinch of pepper.

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