Pumpkin-Shaped Nutella-Filled Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

There is something about a plate of warm, cinnamon-sugar donuts that makes an autumn afternoon feel like an occasion. Set these little pumpkin-shaped treats on the table beside a mug of coffee or warm apple cider, and the first thing everyone notices is their shape. The second surprise comes when they bite through the soft golden dough and find a rich Nutella center.

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These pumpkin-shaped Nutella donuts are a festive twist on homemade Nutella filled donuts, made with lightly sweetened yeast dough, fried until golden, coated in cinnamon sugar, and filled with creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread after cooling.

A little kitchen twine gives each donut its pumpkin-like ridges, while a pretzel stick makes a charming edible stem. They look intricate, but the technique is surprisingly approachable once you know what to watch for.

One useful distinction before we begin: these donuts look like pumpkins, but the source recipe does not contain pumpkin purée. Their autumn character comes from the playful shape and cinnamon-sugar coating rather than pumpkin flavor.

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🍽️ Recipe at a Glance

Detail	What to expect
🥄 Difficulty	Intermediate; yeast dough, twine shaping, and frying
🔪 Hands-on prep	About 25 minutes, plus shaping and filling as needed
⏱️ Rising	About 60 minutes for the first rise and 20–30 minutes after shaping
🔥 Frying	About 15 minutes for the batch; fry to a cooked center
🍩 Yield	10–12 donuts
🥧 Texture	Soft, airy center with a golden fried exterior and cinnamon-sugar finish
💡 Best tip	Tie the twine loosely so the dough has room to expand
🍂 Best for	Fall baking, Halloween gatherings, Thanksgiving dessert tables, and weekend treats

🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

For the Dough

• 300 ml whole milk (1 ¼ cups) lukewarm
• 50 g granulated sugar (¼ cup)
• 7 g instant yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
• 1 medium egg about 50 g, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 525 g all-purpose flour (4 cups) or bread flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 60 g unsalted butter (½ stick) softened

For the Cinnamon Sugar

• 100 g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For Assembly

Pretzels cut to your desired stem length (optional)

Nutella as needed

For filling and finishing: Nutella, cinnamon sugar, pretzel sticks for stems, and suitable frying oil. The PDF does not specify exact amounts for these finishing ingredients or the oil; use enough cinnamon sugar to coat the donuts, Nutella to fill each one, and enough oil for safe deep frying.

Equipment: Mixing bowl, measuring tools, work surface, kitchen twine, kitchen scissors, heavy deep pan or fryer, frying thermometer, tongs or spider strainer, cooling rack, and piping bag with a filling tip.

Why the dough ingredients matter

Yeast and warm milk: Yeast creates the light, fluffy interior. The milk should feel pleasantly warm, not hot; excessive heat can damage the yeast. Eggs and butter: These enrich the dough and help make the crumb tender. Cinnamon and vanilla: A gentle background flavor lets the Nutella remain the star. Flour: Add only what the dough needs for manageable handling; excess flour can make the donuts heavy.

If you're planning an entire autumn baking afternoon, my Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns are another cozy yeast-dough project to try.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Pumpkin-Shaped Nutella Donuts

Step 1 — Mix and knead the dough

Combine the flour, instant yeast, salt, cinnamon, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, eggs, soft butter, and vanilla. Mix until a dough forms, then knead until smooth and elastic. It should feel soft and slightly tacky rather than dry or stiff.

💡 Helpful tip: If the dough clings to your fingers, give it another minute of kneading before reaching for more flour. A soft dough is one of the keys to a tender donut.

Step 2 — Let the dough rise

Cover the bowl and leave it in a comfortably warm, draft-free spot for approximately 60 minutes, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size. Rising time can change with room temperature, so use the dough's appearance as your guide.

💡 Helpful tip: A cool kitchen can slow yeast activity. Be patient rather than moving the bowl somewhere excessively hot.

Step 3 — Shape the little pumpkins

To create homemade pumpkin shaped donuts, divide the risen dough into 10–12 equal pieces and shape each into a smooth, even ball.

Cut lengths of food-safe kitchen twine and arrange them around each dough ball to create pumpkin-like segments. Tie loosely, leaving room for the dough to expand. Let the shaped donuts rise again for approximately 20–30 minutes.

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💡 Helpful tip: The twine is there to make shallow ridges, not squeeze the dough. Tight knots can distort the shape or become difficult to remove. Use plain food-safe cotton twine, not decorative string.

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Step 4 — Fry until golden and cooked through

Heat frying oil in a deep, heavy pan to approximately 175°C (347°F). Carefully lower in a few shaped donuts at a time, leaving space between them. Turn as needed for even browning. Remove when golden and cooked through, then transfer to a rack set over a tray to drain and cool. The source recipe gives about 15 minutes of frying for the batch, not a guaranteed time for each donut.

💡 Helpful tip: Use a thermometer and test the first donut by cutting it open after a brief rest. A browned exterior alone does not prove that the center is cooked. Keep water away from hot oil, avoid crowding the pan, and never leave frying oil unattended.

Step 5 — Coat, fill, and finish

Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, carefully cut away and remove every piece of twine.

For perfectly coated cinnamon sugar Nutella donuts, roll each donut in the cinnamon-sugar mixture while the surface is still slightly warm, allowing the sweet coating to cling evenly.

Allow them to cool further before filling. Make a small opening with a filling tip and pipe Nutella into the center, stopping when the donut feels gently filled rather than overstuffed. Insert a pretzel stick at the top for the stem.

💡 Helpful tip: Do not pipe Nutella into piping-hot donuts. Warm filling can become runny and leak. Check each donut carefully for leftover twine before serving.

🔧 Troubleshooting: Small Fixes That Help

If you notice…	What helps
Dense, heavy donuts	Check yeast freshness, allow the dough to rise adequately, and avoid adding excess flour.
Ridges are too deep or uneven	Use looser twine and leave room for expansion during the second rise and frying.
Dark outside, doughy inside	Check oil temperature; oil that is too hot can brown the exterior before the center cooks.
Greasy donuts	Avoid overcrowding and maintain a steady frying temperature.
Nutella leaks out	Cool the donuts before filling and avoid overfilling them.
Cinnamon sugar won't stick	Coat the donuts when slightly warm rather than fully cold and dry.

🌿 Substitutions and Variations

• Different chocolate spread: Substitute another smooth chocolate-hazelnut spread or a compatible chocolate filling.
• Spiced sugar: Add a little extra cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg to the coating for a stronger autumn aroma.
• Without Nutella: Leave the donuts unfilled for a simple cinnamon-sugar treat.
• Dairy-free adaptation: Use suitable plant-based milk, butter, and filling alternatives. Results may differ from the original enriched dough.

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For another fall dessert with a chocolate twist, try my Flourless Pumpkin Brownies. Those actually use pumpkin flavor, making them a nice contrast to these pumpkin-shaped donuts.

☕ What to Serve with Pumpkin-Shaped Donuts

A mug of hot coffee is an easy choice: the slightly bitter coffee balances the sweet filling. Warm apple cider brings out the cinnamon-sugar coating, while a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns one donut into a plated dessert.

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For a more festive drink, pair them with my Chai Tea Latte. If you're setting up a fall brunch table, add Spiced Pumpkin Waffles for guests who prefer something less dessert-like.

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🧊 Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: For the best texture, prepare and shape the dough on the day you intend to fry. If you want to refrigerate dough overnight, that is a variation requiring adjusted proofing time rather than a step established in the source recipe.

Room temperature: Unfilled donuts are best eaten the day they are made. Store them in a covered container once cool.

Refrigerator: The source PDF suggests keeping leftovers airtight for approximately 2–3 days. Because filled donuts contain a moist filling, refrigerate them promptly and follow the filling manufacturer's storage guidance.

Freezer: The PDF suggests freezing donuts for up to about 2 months. For the most flexible results, freeze the unfilled, fully cooled donuts and fill after thawing; freezing filled donuts may change their texture.

Serving again: Let refrigerated donuts lose their chill briefly before eating. Avoid prolonged reheating once filled, since the Nutella can become very hot.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do these donuts contain pumpkin?

No pumpkin purée is used in this recipe. These donuts get their pumpkin appearance from their decorative shape, while pumpkin spice in the dough and cinnamon sugar on the outside provide their warm autumn flavor.

Can I bake these instead of frying them?

Possibly, but the supplied recipe is specifically designed for frying. Baking would require separate testing for temperature, time, and texture; the result would be more like a sweet bun than a traditional fried donut.

How do I get the pumpkin ridges?

Wrap food-safe kitchen twine loosely around each shaped dough ball before its second rise. The dough expands around the string, creating the segmented appearance. Remove all twine after frying and before serving.

Can I fill the donuts before frying?

For this method, no. Fry the shaped dough first, let it cool, and then pipe in Nutella. Filling after frying helps protect the shape and makes leakage easier to control.

Why did my donuts turn out dense?

Common causes include insufficient rising, too much added flour, or dough that was not kneaded enough to become elastic. Watch the dough's volume and feel rather than relying only on the clock.

Can I make the donuts without a piping bag?

A sturdy food-safe bag fitted with a suitable filling tip can work, but a piping bag offers better control. Make a small entry point and fill gently to avoid splitting the donut.

Are pretzel stems necessary?

No. They are a decorative finishing touch. The segmented shape still reads as a pumpkin without them.

🍂 A Little More from My Kitchen

What I like most about this recipe is that it turns a familiar donut into something people stop to admire. It is the sort of treat that makes a small gathering feel thoughtfully planned, even though the decoration is really just a little twine and a pretzel stick.

My advice is to focus on the dough first and the appearance second. A soft, properly risen donut with a few imperfect pumpkin ridges will always be more enjoyable than a picture-perfect one that is dense in the middle. And if you're making these with someone else, let one person handle the shaping while the other gets the cinnamon sugar and filling ready. It makes the process more relaxed and a lot more fun.

For another playful autumn bake, you might enjoy my Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes—a different method and a different flavor, but just as welcome beside an afternoon coffee.

🍩 A Sweet Little Autumn Tradition

This fall donut recipe has everything I want in a cozy autumn treat: soft homemade yeast dough, a cinnamon-sugar finish, a playful pumpkin shape, and a rich Nutella surprise inside.

They ask for a little patience while the dough rises, but the reward is a platter that feels special before anyone even takes a bite.

Serve them while they're fresh, bring them to a gathering, or make a weekend afternoon of shaping them together. The pumpkins don't have to look identical. In fact, their slightly different shapes are part of their homemade charm.

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