Pumpkin Poppers: Mini Pumpkin Donut Holes with Cinnamon Sugar Coating

Name: Pumpkin Poppers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/8 teaspoons ground cloves; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3/4 cup pumpkin (fresh or canned, just not pumpkin pie filling); 1/2 cup low-fat milk; 1 stick of unsalted butter (melted); 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons cinnamon

ByMaryann @ Domestically Speaking October 24, 2025October 24, 2025

Love fall flavors? These pumpkin poppers are bite-sized mini pumpkin donut holes coated in a buttery cinnamon sugar. Ready in just 20 minutes, they’re the ultimate easy fall dessert that disappears fast. Double the batch – trust me!

Pumpkin Poppers | Fall Dessert | Mini Donut fall of fall flavors

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Poppers

20-minute total time (10 min prep, 10 min bake)
Made in mini muffin tins (or regular size)
Freezer-friendly (bake, freeze, coat later)
Kid-approved, adult-obsessed
Tastes like pumpkin donut holes but easier

Pumpkin Poppers Ingredients

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mini muffin pan
flour
baking powder
salt
cinnamon
nutmeg
allspice
cloves
oil
brown sugar
egg
vanilla
pumpkin puree
milk
sugar
butter

These are made in a mini muffin tin, but you could definitely use a regular size muffin tin, just add to your cooking time. I usually double the batch and use my giant mini muffin pan with 48 mini muffin holes.

How To Make Pumpkin Poppers

In a large bowl combine your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves. Whisk until it’s combined.

In a separate bowl combine your wet ingredients: pumpkin puree (I use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling), oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and milk.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Spray mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. You want to spray them well so those delicious pumpkin poppers pop out easily!

Scoop the batter into each of the muffin tins using a cookie scoop or a ladle.

While the pumpkin donut bites are cooking, you melt the butter and in a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon.

After the pumpkin poppers are done cooking let them sit in the pan for a couple minutes before popping them out. Then dunk them in the melted butter and then roll them around in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

If you love pumpkin, cinnamon and cloves then you need to make these bite sized treats stat! Once you taste them you’ll understand why I make a double batch – they don’t last long!

Pumpkin Poppers

A lovely fall treat, these pumpkin poppers are like bite sized mini pumpkin donuts with a cinnamon sugar coating.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Serving Size 24 pumpkin poppers

Ingredients

Popper:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin fresh or canned, just not pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup low-fat milk

For Coating

1 stick of unsalted butter melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 and spray your muffin pans.
Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl and whisk till combined.
In another bowl, mix together the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix till it’s just combined (you don’t want to over mix).
Fill your mini tins till almost full.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. When I make a double batch in my 48 mini muffin pan it takes about 15 minutes.
While they’re baking, melt your butter and in a small bowl combine your sugar and cinnamon.
Let the poppers cool for a few minutes before rolling them around in the melted butter and then plunging them into their cinnamon sugar bath.
If you want less sugary sweetness you could just dip the top of the muffin into the butter & cinnamon sugar.