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pumpkin donut torn in half sitting on a plate
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5 from 4 votes

Yeast-Raised Pumpkin Donuts (Berliner)

Yeast-raised pumpkin donuts are as addictive as it gets! The donuts are fluffy on the inside, while having a light crunch on the outside. Since this is a traditional German recipe, I am also calling them Berliners (what filled donuts without a hole are called in Germany), and YOU WILL need to make my classic German Berliner donuts next!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Resting Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Dessert, Kaffee
Cuisine: German
Keyword: German donuts recipe, German Fall Baking Recipe with Pumpkin, German Pumpkin Cake Recipe, German pumpkin donuts, German Pumpkin Recipe, German recipes with pumpkin, German yeast donuts with pumpkin, Krapfen recipe, Pumpkin Berliner Recipe, Pumpkin Krapfen recipe
Servings: 12 donuts
Calories: 340kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Dough

Other

  • frying oil
  • cinnamon sugar I mix one third cinnamon with two thirds sugar. This is for coating the donuts right after frying.

Filling

  • 1 jar pumpkin butter I used a locally made kind

Instructions

  • Combine the luke warm milk and yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. It should be bubbly. If not, start over (your milk may have been too hot or too cold).
    150 ml milk, 1 pouch active-dry yeast
  • In the bowl of a standmixer, combine all ingredients for the dough and knead for 10 minutes on the medium-low setting. Cover the bowl and allow to rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, about one hour.
    500 g all-purpose flour, 150 g puréed pumpkin, 4 egg yolks, 80 g sugar, 60 g butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • Divide the dough up into equal pieces (50 to 60 grams each - 1.7 to 2.1 ounces each, best to use a kitchen scale), and using flour-dusted hands, shape each portion into a ball. Allow to rest for another 30 minutes (covered up by a clean linen towel).
  • Preheat frying oil (I used safflower oil) to 160°C/320°F and bake in batches (you will want the donuts to be able to swim on the surface) for 2 ½ minutes on each side (flip using your skimmer) or until golden on the outside.
    frying oil
  • Remove with a skimmer and transfer to a wire rack to let excess oil drip off. Immediately coat in cinnamon sugar, then fill with pumpkin butter once cool enough to handle.
    cinnamon sugar, 1 jar pumpkin butter

Notes

  • No Deep Fryer? While having one makes maintaining the right temperature easier, I don't have one either. I play with turning the gas burner on and off to hover around the same range when deep frying. It's actually super simple and I have always deep fried this way.
  • Need MORE donut recipes?I don't blame you. Also try my classic donuts, lemon donuts and quark donut holes. SO GOOD!
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Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2177IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg