Anna DeGoede/The Hofstra Chronicle

Struggling to find pumpkin desserts other than pumpkin pie and pumpkin rolls? Look no further: this adapted donut hole recipe is a perfect sweet treat for fall and pairs perfectly with a glass of apple cider or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

You can make your own pumpkin spice, or any store-bought pumpkin spice mix will do.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

Donut Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk (substitute: 1/2 tbsp lemon juice plus enough milk to reach 1/2 cup of total liquid)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp melted butter

3-4 cups vegetable oil for frying

Pumpkin Spice Ingredients:

3 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp ground cloves

1-2 tbsp granulated sugar (to add later)

Instructions:

Pour oil into a large pan or pot until it reaches a depth of about 1/2 inch deep. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 355o F. Complete the rest of the recipe while the oil heats.

If you buy the pumpkin spice mix, skip to step three. Otherwise, combine the pumpkin spice ingredients, excluding the 1-2 tbsp of sugar. .

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Whisk together the buttermilk and melted butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Stir pumpkin spice mix into the donut batter to taste. For every teaspoon of spice, add one tablespoon of sugar, until there are 1-2 teaspoons of spice total.

Roll the dough into small balls, about 1/2 tbsp large. Once the oil reaches 355o F, fry about half of the dough balls at a time. Wait until they are golden brown on one side to flip them over and cook the other side (about 1 minute per side).

Remove the donuts with a strainer or metal tongs and place them onto a plate covered with a paper towel.Wait for the donuts to cool slightly, then dust with more of the pumpkin spice and sugar mix or powdered sugar. Enjoy!