Easy Pancake Mix Donuts with 3 Topping Options
These Pancake Mix Donuts with Maple Glaze are the stuff breakfast dreams are made of! The easy donuts are made with Bisquick and are absolutely delicious. Once you try one of these, you may never eat another regular pancake again!
Table of Contents
A pancake and donut mashup- What could possibly be bad about that combination? Nothing! Add a really fabulous topping, {like maple glaze} and you may never want to eat a regular pancake again.
Now, you could absolutely make a homemade batter for these but I decided to use Bisquick. It is such a quick and easy way to make homemade doughnuts without worrying about excess oil and frying.
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What goes into this recipe
Pancake Donuts:
- Pancake mix – I used Bisquick, but you can use your favorite pancake mix to make these delicious donuts.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar will be used for this recipe.
- Milk – This will go in both the donuts and the maple glaze.
- Egg – 1 egg will help hold the donuts together.
Maple Glaze:
- Butter – Melted butter will go in the donuts as well as the maple glaze.
- Corn syrup – To further sweeten the glaze.
- Maple extract – To give the glaze its signature maple flavor.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
A great way to change up these simple pancake donuts is to change them up with different flavors, especially your favorite toppings.
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts: Once the donuts are slightly cooled, roll the donuts in melted butter and a cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Powdered Sugar Donuts: To get the powdered sugar to stick, roll the cooled donuts in butter and then powdered sugar. I like to double dunk them in the sugar for a gorgeous finishing touch.
- Maple-Bacon Pancake Donuts: Crumble cooked bacon over the top of the glaze before it sets for a salty, crunchy twist.
- Chocolate Glaze Donuts: You can make a chocolate donut by adding cocoa powder to the dry ingredients and adding chocolate glaze, or just go with the glaze on a regular donut.
How to make Pancake Mix Donuts
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray the donut pan liberally with non-stick cooking spray. Measure pancake mix and sugar into a medium bowl and sift or whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl combine milk and egg, whisk together and add to the dry ingredients. Mix pancake batter until everything is combined.
- Fill the donut pan about 2/3 full by either spooning the mixture into the pan or filling a Ziploc bag {or piping bag} with the mixture and piping it in.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes and then turn donuts out of the pan.
- For maple glazed donuts, while the pancake mix donuts are baking you can get your topping together. For a maple glaze, combine the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium to low heat. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add remaining simple glaze ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Dip baked donut tops into the glaze.
- Remove from the glaze and place onto parchment or waxed paper until it is set up.
- For cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar coated donuts, dunk the cooled donuts in melted butter.
9. For a cinnamon sugar topping, toss the donuts in melted butter and then toss in a bowl with cinnamon and sugar.
10. For a powdered sugar topping, also toss them in melted butter but then add to a bowl of powdered sugar. You may need to double dip in order to get the perfect amount of topping.
Expert Tips
- Always start by sifting or whisking your pancake mix. Quick breads are supposed to have pockets of flour in them, but you don’t want them to be too big!
- Be sure to spray the donut pan well with non-stick spray. This will ensure that the donuts can easily be removed from the pan.
- Add the batter to a zipper {or piping bag} and then fill the cavities of the pan. Piping it into the pan will make this step so much easier!
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for a few minutes before you try getting them out of the pan. If you do this step too early they will stick.
- Use a few different toppings for a batch of donuts. This will give you a fun assortment of flavors.
Storage and Freezing
Storing– These pancake mix donuts are best served immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Freezing Without Glaze: After cooling, individually wrap unfrosted donuts in plastic wrap or foil, then place them in an airtight freezer bag.
Freezing with Glaze: Freeze frosted donuts on a baking sheet, then wrap them individually and store in an airtight freezer bag.
Defrost and Enjoy: Thaw donuts at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes or microwave for 10-20 seconds, then enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use your preferred brand of pancake mix or make your own homemade pancake mix. Bisquick is the brand that I prefer and the one this recipe was made with.
Maple syrup can be used, but it may affect the glaze’s consistency. Adjust the other ingredients accordingly and add syrup gradually for desired flavor.
If you don’t have a donut pan to make homemade donuts try using mini muffin tins. It will not be a donut shape but it will look like a donut hole.
Do you love delicious donuts? Try these amazing recipes…
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Easy Pancake Mix Donuts with 3 Topping Ideas
Ingredients
Pancake Donuts
- 2 cups pancake mix {I used Bisquick}
- 2 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup milk {I used 1/2 cup milk & 1/2 cup buttermilk}
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoon butter {melted}
Maple Glaze
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup butter {melted}
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
Powdered Sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Pancake Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare donut pan by spraying each donut ring generously with non stick spray, set aside. Measure pancake mix and sugar into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl combine milk and egg, whisk together and add to dry ingredients. Stir ingredients together and at the end, add melted butter and stir. Fill the donut pan by either spooning mixture into rings or filling a Ziploc bag and piping the mixture. Bake for 10-13 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a minute and then turn donuts out of the pan.
Maple Glaze
- While the pancake mix donuts are baking, combine the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Remove from heat and add remaining glaze ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Dip baked donut tops into the glaze and set onto wax or parchment paper to set up.
- These pancake mix donuts are best served immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Once the donuts are cooled, dip the donuts in melted butter and then roll in plenty of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Powdered Sugar Donuts
- Once the donuts are cooled, dip the donuts in melted butter and then roll in plenty of powdered sugar. A double dip is always a good idea.
Notes
- Always start by sifting or whisking your pancake mix. Quick breads are supposed to have pockets of flour in them, but you don’t want them to be too big!
- Be sure to spray the donut pan well with non-stick spray. This will ensure that the donuts can easily be removed from the pan.
- Add the batter to a zipper {or piping bag} and then fill the cavities of the pan. Piping it into the pan will make this step so much easier!
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for a few minutes before you try getting them out of the pan. If you do this step too early they will stick.
- Use a few different toppings for a batch of donuts. This will give you a fun assortment of flavors.
I usually bake from scratch; however, this recipe (and the pumpkin donuts) may have convinced me to purchase some Bisquick for the first time in several decades. I can hardly wait to try out these two recipes. I love lemon, so a donut with lemon curd may be in my future. Thanks for sharing your creative talents!
You are so very welcome. Enjoy the donuts.