Vegan Pumpkin Spice Maple Bars

My first cozy Fall recipe of the 2026 season! This one is for my vegan friends out there. These are extremely delicious and the dough is so pillowy soft, you’ll be amazed there’s no eggs in it. I wanted this recipe to be so well developed and as delicious as anything in a donut shop and it truly delivers. The thick maple glaze reminds me of Dunkin Donuts but way better. If you weren’t already in the mood for fall, you will be when you make a batch of these.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Yeast Donuts

Yield: 12–14 donuts

Prep Time:35 minutes

Rise Time:1½–2 hours

Frying Time:2–3 minutes per batch

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Dough

• ½ cup (120 g) Full-fat oat milk or soy milk, warmed 115°

• 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast

• ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar

• ½ cup (120 g) pure pumpkin purée

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 cups (360 g) bread flour

• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

• ¼ cup (56 g) vegan butter, softened (I used Earth Balance Soy Free but use any brand you like!)

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil

For Frying

• 1½–2 quarts neutral frying oil, such as canola or vegetable oil

Make the Dough

1. Activate the yeast

Add the lukewarm plant milk, yeast, and about 1 teaspoon of the sugar to a small bowl.

Stir and let stand for 5–10 minutes, until the mixture becomes slightly foamy.

The milk should be around 115°

2. Combine the dry ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine:

• Bread flour

• Remaining sugar

• Pumpkin pie spice

• Cinnamon

• Nutmeg

• Sea salt

Whisk or mix briefly to distribute the spices evenly.

3. Build the dough

Add the yeast mixture, pumpkin purée, and vanilla.

Mix on low speed for 2–3 minutes, until a rough dough forms.

The dough will initially look somewhat sticky and shaggy.

That's exactly what you want.

4. Develop the gluten

Increase the mixer to medium-low and knead for approximately 8-10 minutes. This process could take longer but it’s very important to achieving the softness!

The dough should begin to look smooth and elastic.

Add the softened vegan butter one tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding more.

Add the oil and continue kneading for another at least another 5–7 minutes.

The finished dough should be:

• Smooth

• Soft

• Elastic

• Slightly tacky

• Able to stretch without immediately tearing

Don't add extra flour simply because the dough feels sticky. A soft dough produces soft donuts.

Check the Dough-So important!

Perform a windowpane test by pulling off a small piece of dough and gently stretching it between your fingers. This actually happens when the dough gets a chance to rest and the gluten relaxes.

You should be able to stretch it into a thin, translucent membrane before it tears. Again, it may take longer to knead to achieve this! KEEP GOING and don't quit until it gets there. If your dough doesn’t pass this test, chances are that it needs to rest and relax. Patience is key. I find that if you let the dough rest for 5 or 10 minutes and start kneading again, it will get there. If the dough feels tight at all, just let it rest before you test it again.

First Rise

Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside.

Cover and let rise at approximately 75–78°F for 60–90 minutes, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size. It won't rise that much because the pumpkin puree weighs things down and that is okay!

The dough should feel more puffy and airy after the first rise.

Shape the Donuts

Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured work surface.

Do not punch the dough down aggressively. Gently press it into a rectangle.

Roll the dough to approximately ½ inch thick.

To make bars: use a rectangle cookie cutter or simply cut the dough into rectangles with a super sharp knife.

To make donut rings: Using a 3½-inch donut cutter with approximately a 1-inch center hole, cut the donuts straight down.

Don't twist the cutter.

Transfer each donut to an individual square of parchment paper. This makes transferring the delicate donuts to the oil much easier without stretching their perfectly shaped rings.

Gather the scraps once, gently press them together, and let them rest for 10 minutes before rolling and cutting again.

Second Rise

Cover the shaped donuts loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.

Let rise for 30–45 minutes at approximately 75–78°F.

The donuts should become noticeably puffy and pillowy but they won’t rise a whole lot and that’s okay.

Gently press a fingertip into one. The indentation should slowly spring back.

If it immediately springs back, give them another 10 minutes.

Fry the Donuts

Heat the frying oil to 350–355°F.

Fry only 2–4 donuts at a time so the temperature doesn't drop dramatically.

Carefully lower each donut into the oil, parchment and all.

After several seconds, the parchment will release. Remove it with tongs.

Fry for approximately:

45–60 seconds on the first side

Flip and fry for another:

30–45 seconds on the second side

The donuts should be light golden brown,

Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels.

Allow them to cool for 5–10 minutes before glazing.

Maple Donut Glaze

This glaze is designed to taste like that nostalgic bakery-style maple icing so it's on the thicker side. If you like it thinner, feel free to add more liquid.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted

• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter

• 1½–2 tablespoons unsweetened oat or soy milk

• ½ teaspoon maple extract

• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Make the Glaze

Whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, melted vegan butter, maple extract, vanilla, and salt together.

Add the plant milk ½ tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth.

You're looking for a glaze with the consistency of warm honey—thick enough to coat the donut but fluid enough to drip smoothly.

If it's too thick, add a few drops of milk.

If it's too thin, add a little powdered sugar.

✨ Glaze the Donuts

Dip each slightly warm donut into the maple glaze, coating the entire top.

Lift straight up and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl.

Place on a wire rack and allow the glaze to set for 10–15 minutes.

For an extra-thick maple coating, let the first layer sit for about 5 minutes and dip the donuts a second time.