Store-Bought Pancake Mix Is Your Ticket To Perfect Homemade Donuts

Store-bought pancake mix makes mornings way easier (and less messy). While it's fantastic for making deliciously quick pancakes, and can be upgraded in many different ways, you might be surprised to learn that it can also help craft more than one breakfast staple.  Another noteworthy morning treat you can make using pancake mix: donuts. There are two different methods you can follow to make various kinds of donuts with pancake mix. One is to follow the instructions on your boxed mix, then scoop an appropriate portion into a non-stick (or well-sprayed) donut pan and bake until the dough looks lightly browned and springs up in the pan like a cake. This results in a light and fluffy-textured baked good with a moist crumb.

The other option requires a bit more work, but yields a more classic, denser donut style. To make it, you'll need a 3:1 mix-to-milk ratio (which creates a thicker, biscuit-like batter). Roll out the thick pancake mixture into an even layer, then cut it into rounds (save the centers for donut holes). Once cut, use a neutral oil to fry the donuts. Fry them one at a time until the exterior is a beautiful toasted brown, and then flip to cook the other side. Let the yummy dough discs dry on a paper towel before coating them with your favorite glazes, sugars, or toppings.

As for glazes, try making a classic donut glaze with just three ingredients: powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and either milk, lemon juice or water. This yields a vanilla frosting-style glaze with a smooth, sweet base that's perfect for piling with your favorite sprinkles or eaten plain. You can also make a maple-flavored glaze by swapping some of the liquid for maple syrup. Or take inspo from these baked and sugar-dusted apple cider donuts by dousing the warm donuts in a combination of cinnamon and sugar for a cozy and spicy yet sugary bite that coats the decadent dough. 

And of course, don't forget to add your favorite mix-ins to the batter to curate a one-of-a-kind treat. Think chocolate chips for gooey bites of bittersweet cocoa, sprinkles for pops of color, or berries for bursts of brightness. Another idea when mixing up the batter is to incorporate extracts into the wet ingredients. For example, stir in a teaspoon of vanilla for a lightly floral note, almond for a nutty-sweet aroma, maple extract for a toffee-like, rich flavor, or consider cake batter for a scrumptiously buttery yet dessert-like choice. 

Just make sure to pair the extracts with mix-ins and glazes that make sense. Combine the cake batter extract with sprinkles and vanilla glaze for a funfetti-style donut, or cinnamon sugar with blueberries and vanilla extract for a cozy, blueberry muffin-inspired creation that's insanely delish (and mimics three breakfast treats in one go). You can also pair maple extract in the batter with a maple glaze for a doubled-down flavor that's sure to become a fall classic.