Vegan and Gluten Free Pecan Pumpkin Pie Donuts | Healthy Doughnuts for Thanksgiving

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

Skip the store bought doughnuts because these DIY vegan and gluten free pecan pumpkin pie donuts will be your new BFF for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

DONUTS. Probably life’s greatest invention. Donuts are one of those foods I can never say no to, I just can’t. Especially now that I’m pregnant, if there’s a Krispy Kreme is in my vicinity, I can guarantee you’ll see me there picking up a dozen. Obviously, that kind of lifestyle is semi-frowned upon (even during pregnancy, sadly)… so I set out to develop a donut recipe that I can actually enjoy all day, errrrr day.

My vegan and gluten free pecan pumpkin pie donuts are perfect for ANY occasion. And I mean any occasion. Picked up the kids from school? DONUTS. Had a shower? DONUTS. Ate vegetables at lunch?’ DEFINITELY DONUTS. As for the more traditional occasions, consider Thanksgiving. YES. Christmas? DUH. General holiday treats? OBVS. Hostess gifts? TOTALLY. Even birthdays?! WHY NOT? I think we should skip the cupcake trend and now serve donut cakes?! Did I just start a trend? #donutcakes – it’s happening.

Enough donut talk. Let’s make these vegan and gluten free pecan pumpkin pie donuts.

How to Make Pecan Pumpkin Pie Donuts

There’s basically a baking pan for everything now, and donut molds do the trick make perfectly sized baked donuts every damn time. After mixing up my doughnut batter, I pour it into a piping bag and fill each mold.

While the pecan pumpkin pie donuts are cooking, it’s time for the pecan pie topping. In a saucepan I combine almond milk and dates and allow it to simmer over medium heat. Next I transfer the mixture to a food processor, add maple syrup and salt and puree until smooth. I put the mixture back into the sauce pan and gently cook over medium heat until bubbling and then take it off the heat. Honestly, you’re gonna want to just eat this as is, but I urge you to hold off.

When your donuts are cooked through, smear a generous amount of the caramel on top, and sprinkle with some crushed pecans. It’s the glory of PUMPKIN & PECAN pie in a DONUT. Who needs a reason to eat that?

Now I want to hear from YOU! 

Are you a donut fan? What are your favourite flavours?

Have you made DIY donuts like these pecan pumpkin pie donuts before?

Comment below with your thoughts! 

Vegan & Gluten Free Pecan Pumpkin Pie Donuts

Skip the store bought doughnuts because these DIY vegan and gluten free pecan pumpkin pie donuts will be your new BFF for Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

3.88 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 27 minutes minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 donuts

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Abbey Sharp

Ingredients

Donuts

• ▢ 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
• ▢ ½ cup coconut oil melted
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend
• ▢ 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• ▢ ¼ cup almond milk
• ▢ 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt
• ▢ ½ tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• ▢ 4 tsp apple cider vinegar

Pecan Pie Topping

• ▢ 1 cup Medjool dates pitted and finely chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• ▢ 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ Pinch sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup pecans crushed

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack positioned in the middle and lightly grease two 6-donut molds.
• Mix together the sugar and oil until well combined, then add in the rest of the donut ingredients. Transfer to a piping bag.
• Pipe the donut batter into 12 doughnut rings, and bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the doughnut comes out clean. Allow the doughnuts to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, add the dates and almond milk to a small saucepan, cover with a lid and heat over medium heat until gently simmering, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until the dates are well broken down, then add in the salt and maple syrup and continue to puree until smooth.
• Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until it bubbles and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
• To assemble, remove the doughnuts from the pan and arrange flat side up (aka. the side that was facing upwards in the oven). Smear a generous amount of the caramel onto each doughnut sprinkle generously with the pecans. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcal

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Updated on October 23rd, 2020

Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.