This Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée Donuts (small batch) recipe yields pillowy brioche orange-scented donuts filled with pumpkin spice cream and dipped in hard crunchy caramel. These fall doughnuts are reminiscent of crème brûlée thanks to their crunchy caramel shell that when cracked open reveals a creamy pumpkin filling inside. This is also a small batch recipe, and makes just 12 donuts.
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Last year, I finally made the popular crème brûlée donuts. I had seen everyone making them on social media and thought surely they wouldn't live up to the hype. But I was dead wrong. Homemade donuts are always so good, but filling them with a homemade pastry cream and giving them a crunchy outer shell increases the fun and decadence. So, naturally, now that it's approaching fall, it was time to give them a pumpkin makeover. I also fit this recipe into my vintage recipe redo series on social media. I made pumpkin mousse from a 1988 Jell-O cookbook, which gave me the inspiration for the pumpkin mousse filling in these donuts. I even liked the orange zest from the vintage recipe so much that I added it in here. But, it is completely optional.
For these pumpkin cream-filled donuts, I used the base dough and caramel recipe from my vanilla crème brûlée donuts recipe, but took flavor inspiration from my pumpkin spice crème brûlée. I used pumpkin pie spice, but you can also use individual spices here. My mother-in-law likes pumpkin flavored things, but not "pumpkin spice", so I understand if anyone out there wants to omit the spices completely.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Orange zest complements the pumpkin flavor so unexpectedly well.
- The outer caramel stays crunchy.
- This is a small batch recipe, perfect for when you don't need a ton! But you could also double it, if needed.
- The dough can be made with or without a stand mixer.
- These are cut into squares to prevent scraps and waste. So you don't need a donut cutter to make these!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour is the base of the brioche dough.
- Butter and eggs enrich the dough. Egg yolk adds richness and structure to the filling.
- The donuts are risen with instant yeast.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the dough, the filling and the caramel.
- The overall flavor profile is balanced with kosher salt and vanilla extract.
- Whole milk is the base of the filling.
- Whipped heavy cream adds richness and fluffiness to the filling.
- Peanut oil (not pictured) is my choice for frying oil.
- Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice flavor the filling.
- Orange zest flavors the dough and the filling, but is entirely optional.
- Cornstarch thickens the filling.
- Lemon juice prevents crystallization in the caramel.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here's how to customize these donuts to your liking:
- No spices — leave out the spices and/or orange zest without issue. You can also use individual spices, rather than pumpkin pie spice. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and a tiny pinch ground cloves.
- No whipped cream — omit the heavy whipping cream and just use the pumpkin pastry cream to fill the donuts.
- Store-dough — fry store-bought biscuit dough instead of making your own.
- Round donuts — use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to make round donuts. Re-roll scraps as necessary.
- No kosher salt — use sea salt or cut the salt amount in half if using table salt.
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This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make pumpkin spice Crème Brûlée Donuts
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer* (or in a large bowl if mixing my hand). Add the hook attachment. Turn the mixer to low speed, add in the eggs and egg yolks, followed by the softened butter, water, vanilla extract and orange extract. Once combined, turn the mixer to medium-low to knead for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dough passes the windowpane test. Do this by grabbing a small bit of dough and stretching it between your fingers. If it stretches without tearing, it is ready. If it tears when stretched, keep kneading. If your dough looks too sticky, add up to 2 tablespoons more flour. Remove the dough to a lightly-greased bowl and cover. Proof for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Step 2: Combine the pumpkin puree and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and add vanilla and spices. Combine the granulated sugar and orange zest in a medium bowl, rubbing together to express the zest’s oils. Add the egg yolks. Whisk by hand or with beaters until light yellow and fluffy. Add flour and cornstarch and whisk until thoroughly combined and lightened even further. Slowly stream in warmed pumpkin milk with a ladle while whisking vigorously to prevent cooking the eggs. Continue slowly adding in the milk mixture until it is all combined. Return the entire mixture to the medium saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until the pastry cream has thickened to a pudding consistency. This can take 5+ minutes. Remove from the heat promptly and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic and press down to touch the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 1 hour or place over a bowl of ice to chill it faster. When the pastry cream is completely chilled, whip the ½ cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the completely chilled pumpkin pastry cream. Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a small plain round tip and set aside until ready to fill the donuts.
Step 3: Line a large baking sheet with 12 4x4” parchment paper squares. Lightly grease OR flour your work surface. I prefer to roll out on a greased surface for donuts so as to not add extra flour before frying. Punch down the dough and place it on the work surface. Roll out to a ½-inch thick rectangle with a rolling pin. Make three vertical cuts from the long side of the rectangle and two horizontal cuts from the short side to make a 4x3 grid of 12 donuts. Trim any rounded edges if you want each donut to be more square (optional). Carefully set each donut on an individual parchment square on the sheet pan. Cover the baking sheet with a towel or another inverted baking sheet, and proof for 30 minutes. Cover another large baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire cooling rack on top.
Step 4: Fifteen minutes before the donuts are done proofing, heat the oil in a large pot over high heat to about 360°F, then lower the heat to medium/medium-high. Keep the oil within 10 degrees of 360°F. I used both a clip-on candy thermometer and an instant-read thermometer to double check the temperature throughout the frying process. Place 2-3 donuts in the oil at a time, carrying them one at a time by its parchment paper and release it into the oil away from yourself, removing the parchment as it falls. Take care not to burn yourself. Fry the donuts for 1-2 minutes on each side, turning the donuts with a slotted spoon or kitchen spider. Remove to the wire rack setup to drain and cool.
Step 5: Using a chopstick or very small knife, poke a hole in one side of each donut. Wiggle it back and forth a bit to open up the inside of the donut to make room for the cream. Once the donuts have cooled to room temperature, fill each donut with some of the pumpkin cream.
Step 6: Place all of the caramel ingredients in a light-colored small saucepan. Stir gently to combine and then do not stir again through the rest of the cooking process. Cook over medium heat with a lid on for 5 minutes and then remove it and finish cooking until it develops an amber color. This part will go very quickly so do not walk away. Remove from the heat promptly once the color develops as it will continue to develop a bit off the heat. Work quickly to dip each filled donut into the hot caramel, letting the excess drip off before setting it down to cool, letting the caramel harden. Serve immediately.
Top tips
- This can also be done without a stand mixer. Start the process in a large bowl and then knead on a clean work surface by hand.
- Peanut and vegetable oil are recommended for frying because they have a higher smoke point. Check the smoke point of the oil you want to use before frying. It should be at least 400ºF.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, start the process in a large bowl and then knead on a clean work surface by hand until the dough passes the windowpane test. Do this by grabbing a small bit of dough and stretching it between your fingers. If it stretches without tearing, it is ready. If it tears when stretched, keep kneading. If your dough looks too sticky, add up to 2 tablespoons more flour.
Typically you can store homemade donuts in an airtight container at room temperature, however, if the donuts have a dairy glaze or filling (like these), then you need to store them in the refrigerator.
If the donuts are puffing with large irregular air bubbles when frying, they have been proofed too long. I recommend heating your oil in advance so you don't have to wait on it to heat up, therefore over proofing the dough.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée Donuts (small batch) recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée Donuts (small batch)
Equipment
Ingredients
Brioche donuts
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (270g)
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (4g)
- 1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar (18g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature (56g)
- ½ cup water 110ºF-115º (4oz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest optional
- ½ gallon peanut oil or vegetable oil
Pumpkin crème légère
- ⅔ cup pumpkin (160g)
- 1 ¾ cup whole milk (380g)
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, tiny pinch ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest optional
- 4 egg yolks (60g)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (16g)
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch (17g)
- ½ cup heavy cream
Caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ¼ cup water (59g)
- Pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Do ahead
- The pastry cream can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use, if desired.
Make the dough
- Whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer*. Add the hook attachment. Turn the mixer to low speed, add in the eggs and egg yolks, followed by the softened butter, water, vanilla extract and orange extract.
- Once combined, turn the mixer to medium-low to knead for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dough passes the windowpane test. Do this by grabbing a small bit of dough and stretching it between your fingers. If it stretches without tearing, it is ready. If it tears when stretched, keep kneading. If your dough looks too sticky, add up to 2 tablespoons more flour.
- Remove the dough to a lightly-greased bowl and cover. Proof for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Make the pumpkin crème légère
- Combine the pumpkin puree and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and add vanilla and spices.
- Combine the granulated sugar and orange zest in a medium bowl, rubbing together to express the zest’s oils. Add the egg yolks. Whisk by hand or with beaters until light yellow and fluffy.
- Add flour and cornstarch and whisk until thoroughly combined and lightened even further.
- Slowly stream in warmed pumpkin milk with a ladle while whisking vigorously to prevent cooking the eggs. Continue slowly adding in the milk mixture until it is all combined.
- Return the entire mixture to the medium saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until the pastry cream has thickened to a pudding consistency. This can take 5+ minutes. Remove from the heat promptly and transfer to a heatproof bowl.
- Cover with plastic and press down to touch the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 1 hour or place over a bowl of ice to chill it faster.
- When the pastry cream is completely chilled, whip the ½ cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the completely chilled pumpkin pastry cream. Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a small plain round tip and set aside until ready to fill the donuts.
Roll and cut
- Line a large baking sheet with 12 4x4” parchment paper squares. Lightly grease OR flour your work surface. I prefer to roll out on a greased surface for donuts so as to not add extra flour before frying.
- Punch down the dough and place it on the work surface. Roll out to a ½-inch thick rectangle with a rolling pin.
- Make three vertical cuts from the long side of the rectangle and two horizontal cuts from the short side to make a 4x3 grid of 12 donuts. Trim any rounded edges if you want each donut to be more square (optional).
- Carefully set each donut on an individual parchment square on the sheet pan.
- Cover the baking sheet with a towel or another inverted baking sheet, and proof for 30 minutes.
Fry
- Cover another large baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire cooling rack on top.
- Fifteen minutes before the donuts are done proofing, heat the oil in a large pot over high heat to about 360°F, then lower the heat to medium/medium-high. Keep the oil within 10 degrees of 360°F. I used both a clip-on candy thermometer and an instant-read thermometer to double check the temperature throughout the frying process.
- Place 2-3 donuts in the oil at a time, carrying them one at a time by its parchment paper and release it into the oil away from yourself, removing the parchment as it falls. Take care not to burn yourself.
- Fry the donuts for 1-2 minutes on each side, turning the donuts with a slotted spoon or kitchen spider. Remove to the wire rack setup to drain and cool.
Fill the donuts
- Using a chopstick or very small knife, poke a hole in one side of each donut. Wiggle it back and forth a bit to open up the inside of the donut to make room for the cream.
- Once the donuts have cooled to room temperature, fill each donut with some of the pastry cream. Swipe away any excess spillage with a clean finger or paring knife.
Make the caramel
- Place all of the caramel ingredients in a light-colored saucepan. Stir gently to combine and then do not stir again through the rest of the cooking process. Cook over medium heat with a lid on for 5 minutes and then remove it and finish cooking until it develops an amber color. This part will go very quickly so do not walk away. Remove from the heat promptly once the color develops as it will continue to develop a bit off the heat.
- Work quickly to dip each filled donut into the hot caramel, letting the excess drip off before setting it down to cool, letting the caramel harden. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published 09/4/2025.
