Pumpkin Spice Donuts, and Holiday Traditions

Pumpkin Spice Donuts, Farmers Wife Original

It's Friday, Friday... Yup Rebecca Black your song hits me every Friday Morning when I wake up... I don't think I should be thanking you for this, but hey it gets me going! haha! Good Morning Friends! I know y'all have been asking when this recipe was going up, and it's been driving me crazy wanting to share this yummy goodness with you! Finally this morning my Internet it working (for the moment) so here we go!

I don't know about y'all but when I think of the Fall/Holiday Season I think Pumpkin. I kind of go on Pumpkin overload too, why you may ask... Well I blame my Dad haha! Growing up, as soon as that first snap of cold hit, you could find my Dad in the kitchen whipping up something delicious and filled with pumpkin flavors. (In fact he still does this as he sent me a message with a picture of his latest fall creation a couple days ago!) And this continued all the way through New Years in my house, not a holiday went by that my dad didn't go bake crazy, and having something like Pumpkin Donuts is something my Dad would've happily made back in the day for those family days, if only we had Donuts Pan like we do now.

One of my favorite family Holiday Traditions I remember, is when we would set up the Christmas Decorations. Every year, pretty much without fail we would put ours up the day after Thanksgiving. I remember waking up to the smells of something amazing baking in the kitchen for breakfast as my parents got the decorations out of the garage. My brother and I would tumble out of bed (me for coffee) and sit down and devour my Dad's latest creation before tackling the tree. And in my family everyone had a "zone" that they were best at, my dad was the master of the tree and the lights. My Mom always got the ornaments ready to go with hooks and made sure they were clean/not broken. And my Brother and I would hang the ornaments and place various other decorations throughout the house and then we got to decorate our own rooms. Though perhaps some of my favorite times were when we would go to the store to get whatever Christmas decorations my Dad wanted new that year, like the year I convinced him to get the flashing M&M lights, or the year Dad came home with the blow up Santa and Frosty for the yard... Oh I remember the looks of "delight" on my Mom's face when we'd come traipsing home from those trips... haha! But even though my Dad would go a little overboard with the decorations (much to the delight of his children) he could always redeem himself with Mom if he baked her up something yummy and delicious. Something just like these Donuts.

When I was making these, the whole time I was remembering that tradition I had growing up (which by the way my hubby and I have adopted in our family as well) and thinking my Dad would be so jealous if he knew I was making these, because it's something he would've thought of back in the day! haha! Thanks Dad for sharing your love of baking with me, and your love of Christmas. They are both things I have carried on into my adult life!

So what are y'alls favorite family Holiday recipes/traditions? I'd would LOVE to hear what everyone does, this is my favorite time of year! Happy *almost* Holidays! ;-)

Ingredients: yields 12-14 donuts
2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Pumpkin Butter
1/3 cup Half & Half
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
3 Tablespoons Cinnamon (more if desired)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425F degrees, and spray your donut pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients and whisk together. In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients and then add to the dry. Whisk until just combined, the dough should be thick almost like frosting. If it's too thin add a bit more flour. Then fill each donut well about 2/3 full. *Tip* I used a pastry bag and coupler, and piped the filling into each well, it was SO easy and you got the perfect donut shape that way.* Bake about 7-9 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden and spring back when touched. Let cool in the pan a couple minutes, then remove and repeat with remaining dough. Once the donuts are cooled, combine the powdered sugar and cinnamon in plastic bag or bowl, and coat the donuts.

Review:
I have to admit this was my first time using my new donut pan, but we just loved them! They were so light, and full of that pumpkin flavor we all adore! If you don't have pumpkin butter you can used canned pumpkin, just add extra spices and sugar to the dough. Our whole family gives these 5 stars!

Happy Baking!

   *I created this post as part of Frigidaire's Talk Turkey Campaign. Share your own recipes and tips at Frigidaire's Make Time for Change site. For every recipe or tip that's shared, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save The Children's U.S. Programs, which creates lasting change for children in need .*