Pumpkin S’mores Donut
These little sourdough treats are every bit as delicious as they sound—and so simple that my 6-year-old made them! With a unique fall flavor and the cozy warmth of sourdough, they’re the perfect recipe to share with friends and family. I know they’ll quickly become part of your autumn baking rotation. The best part? They use sourdough discard, so you get incredible flavor while making sure nothing goes to waste!
❤️ Why You’ll Love Pumpkin Smores Cake Donuts
Spiced pumpkin cake donuts bring the cozy autumn vibes, while gooey marshmallow, melty chocolate, and graham cracker crunch remind you of s’mores by the fire.
And who doesn’t love dessert for breakfast? Sweet enough to feel like a treat, yet light enough to pair perfectly with your morning coffee.
🍲 Ingredients
Sourdough Discard – Unfed sourdough starter that’s been sitting on the counter or stored in the fridge.
Pumpkin Puree – Organic pumpkin purée is best, and different than pumpkin pie filling so be careful when buying from the store!
Eggs – 2 Large eggs
Butter – Melted butter
All-purpose flour- For the majority of my recipes I use the unbleached, organic, all-purpose flour from Costco. But as long as it’s unbleached you’re good to go.
Baking Powder – Because these are a cake donut, and not a yeast donut, the baking powder serves as the leavening agent.
Chocolate chips – I like milk chocolate but use whatever you like best!
Marshmallows – 1 cup mini marshmallows
👩🍳 How to Make Pumpkin Smores Cake Donut
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix together melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and sourdough discard until there are no more streaks.
- Slowly whisk your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until everything is just combined and mostly smooth.
- Fold in your chocolate chips and marshmallows.
- OPTIONAL: Let your dough rest for 15 minutes to let the gluten relax. This will result in a lighter textured donut. It’s not an absolutely necessary step, so if you need to, you can skip. But if you have time, it’s worth it.
- While your batter is resting, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- With a spoon, scoop a large spoonful of batter and transfer it into the donut molds, filling the space almost all the way to the top. This recipe makes 12 donuts!
- Bake at 375 for 20 – 25 minutes until fully baked in the center.
- While your donuts are baking, make a maple glaze.
- When baking is done, let the donuts cool in the mold for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
- When the donuts have cooled completely, drizzle with maple glaze and place back onto the wire rack or cutting board.
- Enjoy your new favorite autumn treat!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overmix: Stir the batter just until combined to keep the crumb light and tender.
- Pumpkin purée vs. pie filling: Always use plain purée (not pumpkin pie mix) so you can control the spice and sweetness.
- Boost pumpkin flavor: Roast or reduce pumpkin purée on the stove for a more concentrated taste.
- Spices: Pumpkin pie spice works, but adding extra cinnamon + nutmeg gives warmth, while cardamom or ginger adds complexity.
- Donut pans: Grease well and pipe batter in for clean shapes.
- Even bake: Fill pans only ⅔ full so they rise without spilling over.
- Moisture control: Pumpkin adds moisture—don’t skimp on eggs or oil/butter, or they’ll bake up dense.
🗒 Variations
You can always keep out the chocolate and marshmallows to make a traditional pumpkin donut, but here are a few other recipes to try!:
- Strawberry Sour Cream Donuts – Acts Of Sourdough
- Sourdough Discard Blueberry Cake Donuts – Acts Of Sourdough
- Peaches ‘n Cream Sourdough Donuts – Acts Of Sourdough
- Sourdough Discard Blueberry Fritters – Acts Of Sourdough
🗒 Substitutions
- Pumpkin purée: Sweet potato, butternut squash, or carrot purée for similar texture and natural sweetness.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Mix cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves if you don’t have premade spice.
- Butter: Coconut oil, avocado oil, or vegan butter (keeps it dairy-free).
- Brown sugar: Coconut sugar, maple sugar, or half honey/maple syrup (adjust flour slightly if adding liquid sweeteners).
- Milk : Almond, oat, or coconut milk for dairy-free versions.
🗒 Best served with
- Arrange on a platter with extra mini marshmallows + chocolate pieces scattered around for a fall party centerpiece.
- Serve mini versions as part of a donut board or dessert grazing table with fruit, pretzels, and dips.
- Serve warm, fresh from the oven so the marshmallows are gooey and chocolate is slightly melty.
- Pair with a mug of hot coffee, chai latte, or spiced apple cider to balance the sweetness.
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store in an airtight container lined with parchment paper.
If donuts are glazed/topped with marshmallows, place a sheet of parchment between layers so they don’t stick.
Keep them in a cool, dry spot—not in direct sunlight or near heat and they will last 2 – 3 days on the coutner.
🤔 Common Questions
Best to freeze plain donuts (without marshmallow/chocolate toppings).
Wrap each donut tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag.
Thaw at room temperature, then glaze and decorate fresh before serving.
Pumpkin Smores Cake Donut
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup sourdough discard
Add-Ins
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Maple Glaze
- 1 – 2 tbs maple syrup
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 – 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon) and set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix together melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and sourdough discard until there are no more streaks.
- Slowly whisk your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until everything is just combined and mostly smooth.
- Fold in your chocolate chips and marshmallows.
- OPTIONAL: Let your dough rest for 15 minutes to let the gluten relax. This will result in a lighter textured donut. It's not an absolutely necessary step, so if you need to, you can skip. But if you have time, it's worth it.
- While your batter is resting, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- With a spoon, scoop a large spoonful of batter and transfer it into the donut molds, filling the space almost all the way to the top. This recipe makes 12 donuts!
- Bake at 375 for 20 – 25 minutes until fully baked in the center.
- While your donuts are baking, make a maple glaze. Whisk together maple syrup, cinnamon and powdered sugar.
- When baking is done, let the donuts cool in the mold for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
- When the donuts have cooled completely, drizzle with maple glaze and place back onto the wire rack or cutting board.
- Enjoy your new favorite autumn treat!
Notes
- Don’t overmix: Stir the batter just until combined to keep the crumb light and tender.
- Pumpkin purée vs. pie filling: Always use plain purée (not pumpkin pie mix) so you can control the spice and sweetness.
- Boost pumpkin flavor: Roast or reduce pumpkin purée on the stove for a more concentrated taste.
- Spices: Pumpkin pie spice works, but adding extra cinnamon + nutmeg gives warmth, while cardamom or ginger adds complexity.
- Donut pans: Grease well and pipe batter in for clean shapes.
- Even bake: Fill pans only ⅔ full so they rise without spilling over.
- Moisture control: Pumpkin adds moisture—don’t skimp on eggs or oil/butter, or they’ll bake up dense.
