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Black Sesame Donuts with Pumpkin Glaze

These donuts are perfect for the first day of spooky season! Nutty black sesame donuts are topped with a sweet pumpkin spice glaze to create a completely natural black and orange dessert. Black sesame and pumpkin is an uncommon and somewhat unlikely flavor combination, but the two compliment each other so well in these donuts.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 donuts
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Black Sesame Donuts
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup black sesame seeds
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup salted butter at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup +2 Tablespoons whole milk
Pumpkin Spice Glaze
  • 2 cups confectioners sugar divided
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 Tablespoon whole milk
  • a pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • black sprinkles for topping

Method
 

Make the donuts
  1. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Grease the wells of two 6 count donut pans thoroughly with butter. Set aside.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the granulated sugar and sesame seeds together until the seeds are broken up and you're left with a gray sugar. Don't over mix it, or it might turn into a paste from the oils in the seeds!
  3. Add the sesame sugar to a large mixing bowl and add the brown sugar and butter. Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy and combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until combined. Set aside.
  4. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk. Do not over mix.
  5. Spoon or pipe the batter into the previously prepared pans, filling almost to the top. I find a piping bag makes this easy and less messy. I don't use a piping tip, I just snip off the end of the bag.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the donuts bounce back when lightly poked. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
Make the glaze
  1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the confectioners sugar, pumpkin puree, milk, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. It might seem thick at first, but the sugar will break down as you keep mixing and it will be very thin. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup of confectioners sugar until smooth. Dip the cooled donuts in the glaze and top with sprinkles if desired.
  2. Donuts stay fresh sealed in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.