Delightfully moist and bursting with the slight spiciness of chai, these Brown Butter Pumpkin Chai Doughnuts are the perfect autumn treat. A baked cake doughnut, these have that perfect old-fashioned sour cream doughnut texture and are dipped in a chai spiced sugar mix to round out that sweet and spicy flavor.
It was brought to my attention the other day that it’s been some time since I’ve posted a doughnut recipe, and with the first days of Fall already here and the weather finally dropping below 80°F, I thought it was the perfect time to introduce these Brown Butter Pumpkin Chai Doughnuts. I wasn’t originally planning on posting a pumpkin recipe so soon–I’ve been pretty obsessed with apples lately, but I’m always obsessed with apples so I guess that’s not all that surprising–but these doughnuts are just so wonderfully autumn that I couldn’t resist.
The thing that really makes these doughnuts stand out is the chai spice. Sure, there are plenty of recipes for pumpkin spice everything out there, but switching the pumpkin spice out for some of the flavors found in chai adds a more unique kick to these doughnuts. You think you know what to expect from the flavor, but then the cardamom, all spice, and black pepper hit you with something that regular pumpkin spice just doesn’t have–a bit of actual spice.
It’s not quite a chili spice, but it’s the understated heat of black pepper that excites the taste buds. Is it just me, or is there something about a sugar-coated doughnut that screams “Fall” more than a glazed doughnut does? Whether it’s a cinnamon doughnut, apple cider, or pumpkin spice (or chai!), doughnuts dipped in sugar just feel right this time of year.
And, as with my previous doughnut recipes (Chocolate, Strawberry, Cinnamon Roll), these are incredibly easy to throw together when you get a craving for something a little sweet. No mixer needed, just a whisk and either a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, and you can have these Brown Butter Pumpkin Chai Doughnuts in your hands in less than 20 minutes.
Plus, once you make the chai spice mix, there’s plenty extra to save for the next time you want to give these doughnuts a go!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 8-10 minutes |
| Servings |
doughnuts
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- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground all spice
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup brown butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tsp chai spice mix** (above)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp chai spice mix** (above)
Ingredients
Chai Spice Mix
Brown Butter Pumpkin Chai Doughnuts
Chai Spiced Sugar
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- In a small container, mix together the cardamom, all spice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and black pepper. I usually do this in a small container with a lid and just shake to fully combine all of the spices.
- Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a doughnut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- MAKE THE BROWN BUTTER: Cut one stick of butter evenly into cubes and line the butter on the bottom of a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, melt the butter, swirling the pan occasionally. Allow the butter to bubble and foam for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. The bubbles should get smaller as the butter is closer to browning and a dark spot will form in the center. It should start to smell a bit nutty and the color of the butter will be noticeably darker. Once this happens, remove the pan from the stove and swirl for 15 seconds. Pour the butter into a small bowl or a ramekin, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with the spatula, and allow to cool in the freezer for ten minutes to keep from browning any further.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and whisk until fully combined. Add in the vanilla and pumpkin puree and whisk until light and combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and chai spice mix. Add 1/3 of this mix to the large bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are just combined. Stir in 1/2 of the sour cream. Repeat, alternating between the dry ingredients and the sour cream, ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Using a piping bag with the tip cut off or a spoon, fill the cavities of the doughnut pan until about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back at the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack. Wipe the doughnut pan and spray again before baking the second half of the batter.
- Stir together 1 cup of granulated sugar and 2 tsp of chai spice mix. If serving right away, dip the still warm doughnuts into the spice sugar mix and allow to cool a bit longer on the wire rack. *
* If serving later, store the doughnuts in an airtight container and dip in the sugar and spice mixture before enjoying (the doughnuts will get moist in the container and the sugar will melt into them if dipped prior to eating).