Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Doughnuts Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Doughnuts Recipe tastes like a mash-up of your favorite fall latte, a creamy slice of cheesecake, and a warm bakery doughnut in one ridiculous bite. It works best for cozy weekend baking, holiday brunch, or anyone who wants a fun project that takes about 2 hours start to finish, including rise time. I tested these on my neighbors, and they stopped “just walking by” and started “checking in on the doughnuts” instead.

Why You Should Try This Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Doughnuts Recipe

These pumpkin spice cheesecake doughnuts hit that soft, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that you usually only find in a good bakery. The dough tastes gently sweet with pumpkin and warm spices, while the cheesecake filling adds a tangy, creamy center that feels like a secret surprise.

You fry them until golden, toss them in cinnamon sugar, then pipe in a spiced cheesecake filling. The result tastes like pumpkin pie, cheesecake, and a fresh doughnut all decided to form a band together.

“These Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Doughnuts taste like a fancy bakery treat but feel cozy and homemade, and I would happily eat them every weekend. ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

Doughnut Dough

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
  • Use a standard unbleached flour like King Arthur or Gold Medal for consistent results.
• 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant yeast or rapid rise yeast
  • Instant yeast skips proofing in water and mixes right into the flour.
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ½ cup (120 g) canned pumpkin puree
  • Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Libby’s works great.
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 100–110°F
  • Use 2% milk if needed, but whole milk gives softer doughnuts.
• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cheesecake Filling

• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
  • Use full-fat brick style cream cheese; whipped tubs feel too loose.
• ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60 g) canned pumpkin puree
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Coating

• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger

Frying Oil

• 1 ½ to 2 quarts neutral oil with high smoke point
  • Use canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. Avoid olive oil for this recipe.

Equipment

• Stand mixer with dough hook
  • You can knead by hand, but a mixer saves time and effort.
• Large mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula
• Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
• Rolling pin
• Doughnut cutter or 3-inch round cutter plus 1-inch cutter
• Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
• Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven for frying
• Deep-fry thermometer or instant-read thermometer
• Slotted spoon or spider strainer
• Wire rack set over a baking sheet
• Piping bag fitted with a round tip (or zip-top bag with a corner snipped)
• Small knife or skewer to poke holes for filling

Tips & Tricks

• Warm the milk gently so it feels like a warm bath, not hot tea, to keep the yeast happy.
• Use pumpkin puree at room temperature so it blends smoothly into the dough and filling.
• Measure flour by weight if possible; if not, spoon it into the cup and level it instead of scooping.
• Knead the dough until it feels smooth, stretchy, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
• Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot; the inside of an unheated oven with the light on works well.
• Keep the oil at 350°F; adjust the burner often, since the temperature likes to wander.
• Fry a test doughnut hole first to check timing and browning.
• Toss doughnuts in sugar while still warm so the coating sticks nicely.
• Chill the cheesecake filling slightly so it thickens and pipes cleanly.
• Fill doughnuts just before serving if possible, so the sugar coating stays crisp.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Doughnuts Recipe

Step 1: Mix the Dough

Add flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir the dry ingredients with a spoon so the yeast and salt spread evenly. In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, eggs, warm milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed until the dough comes together and no dry flour remains. Increase to medium speed and knead 6 to 8 minutes until the dough turns smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.

Step 2: Let the Dough Rise

Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball with your hands and place it in the bowl, turning once to coat the surface with a thin layer of oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel.

Set the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, about 60 to 75 minutes. If your kitchen runs cool, use the oven with the light on to keep things cozy. The dough should feel puffy and airy when you press it gently with a fingertip.

Step 3: Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

While the dough rises, beat the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and mix until no lumps remain. Pour in heavy cream, vanilla, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.

Beat until the filling looks thick, smooth, and pipeable. Taste and adjust the spices or sugar to your preference. Cover the bowl and chill the filling in the fridge so it firms up slightly while you shape and fry the doughnuts.

Step 4: Shape the Doughnuts

Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the risen dough out onto the counter and gently pat it into a rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about ½ inch thickness.

Cut out doughnuts with a 3-inch cutter and use a smaller cutter for the centers if you want doughnut holes. Transfer the cut doughnuts and holes to parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one. Gently press together the scraps, reroll, and cut more doughnuts until you use all the dough.

Step 5: Second Rise

Cover the shaped doughnuts lightly with a kitchen towel. Let them rise at room temperature until they look puffy and slightly larger, about 30 to 40 minutes. They should feel airy and soft when you lift one gently.

Use this time to set up your frying station. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet for draining and cooling. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a shallow bowl for the pumpkin spice sugar coating.

Step 6: Heat the Oil

Pour oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 to 3 inches. Clip a thermometer to the side of the pot. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F.

Adjust the heat as needed to keep the temperature steady. Drop in one doughnut hole as a test and fry it 1 to 2 minutes per side. Check the inside to confirm it cooks through and browns nicely.

Step 7: Fry the Doughnuts

Carefully lower a few doughnuts into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pot. Fry each side about 1 ½ to 2 minutes until deep golden brown. Use a slotted spoon or spider to lift them out and place them on the wire rack.

Let them drain for about 30 seconds, then roll them in the pumpkin spice sugar while still warm. Return them to the rack to cool slightly. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes, keeping an eye on the oil temperature between batches.

Step 8: Fill with Cheesecake Mixture

Transfer the chilled cheesecake filling to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Use a small knife or skewer to poke a hole in the side of each doughnut, wiggling gently to create a small pocket inside. Insert the piping tip into the hole and squeeze filling into the center until the doughnut feels slightly heavier and a little filling peeks out.

Rotate the doughnut as needed so the filling spreads inside. Continue until you fill all the doughnuts. If you have extra filling, use it as a dip for doughnut holes or spread it on toast later.

Step 9: Serve and Enjoy

Serve the pumpkin spice cheesecake doughnuts slightly warm or at room temperature. The sugar coating tastes crisp, the dough stays soft, and the cheesecake center feels cool and creamy. Brew a pot of coffee, chai, or hot cocoa and call whoever lives within smelling distance.

If you plan to serve them later in the day, keep them at room temperature and fill them closer to serving time. The texture stays best within the first 6 to 8 hours. After that, they still taste great, just a little softer.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Doughnuts Recipe

These pumpkin spice cheesecake doughnuts pair beautifully with hot coffee, pumpkin spice lattes, chai tea, or simple black tea. Kids love them with cold milk or hot chocolate, especially on a chilly morning. Serve them as part of a fall brunch spread with scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, and a big bowl of fruit.

You can also plate them as dessert after a cozy dinner like roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and green beans. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for a full dessert moment. If you host a holiday breakfast, stack these on a cake stand and watch them vanish.

Storage Options

• Store leftover filled doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
• Keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days; the sugar softens a bit, but the cheesecake filling stays safe and tasty.
• Freeze unfilled doughnuts after frying and cooling; wrap them tightly and freeze up to 2 months.
• Reheat unfilled frozen doughnuts in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, cool slightly, then roll in fresh sugar and fill.
• Avoid freezing filled doughnuts, since the cheesecake center can change texture after thawing.