Buzz
When I first made those unexpectedly amazing apple fritters using boxed pancake mix, I had no idea what I was opening the door to. Looking back, that door was clearly shaped like a doughnut. Thanks to all of you, my readers, for your curious questions and enthusiasm for fried dough, I followed one of your tips and discovered another delicious treat.
While I was measuring out boxed pancake mix, some of you pulled out Bisquick from your pantries and asked, “Will you work, my sweet Bisquick? Or will you turn me into a meme for not following the recipe?” You were absolutely right to ask! Not only can you use this Fargo-famous mix for the apple fritters I shared earlier, but it can be used to make all kinds of doughnuts too. And once again, they’re absolutely delicious.
I picked up a box of classic “Bisquick pancake and baking mix” (even the company encourages us to get creative with this versatile dry mix). While I haven’t tried every boxed pancake mix out there, I have a strong hunch that most of them will work pretty well for this. The small amounts of flavoring, milk powder, or egg powder are nice touches, but the real essentials are the flour, leavening agents, and salt, all of which come standard in boxed pancake mixes.
When it comes to doughnuts, you’ll usually find two main types: yeast-raised and cake doughnuts. Yeast doughnuts are light and airy, like the famous Krispy Kreme glazed ones. However, if you’re making doughnuts with Bisquick or another pancake mix, you're making cake doughnuts. These are leavened with baking powder or soda, resulting in a denser, closer texture, similar to cake. Think of varieties like blueberry cake doughnuts, apple cider doughnuts, sour cream doughnuts, or chocolate-glazed ones.
How to make simple glazed cake doughnuts.
Similar to the apple fritter recipe, this one is incredibly easy and gives you that fresh, shop-quality chocolate glaze taste. All you need is water to bind your mix, but only add it once your oil starts heating. The chemical leaveners activate the moment moisture is introduced, but they don’t have long-lasting power, so be careful not to let the dough sit for too long or they won’t puff up properly in the oil.
1. Begin by heating the oil
Fill a small pot with about two inches of oil and start heating it until it reaches 375°F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients
You can choose any of the flavors mentioned above, but I decided to begin with chocolate glaze. Start by adding the Bisquick to a medium-sized bowl. For a chocolate flavor, mix in a few tablespoons of cocoa powder. I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa, which is Dutch-processed, but regular cocoa will work as well. Whisk thoroughly to combine the powders and eliminate any lumps.
3. Pour in the water
Once the oil is nearly at the right temperature, add the water. You’re aiming for a very thick dough that forms into a ball, like the one shown in the picture. I poured most of the water in and kept a little left in my measuring cup. Make sure there are no dry, powdery spots left. If you spot any, use the remaining water to fix them.
4. Shape the doughnuts
Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Place the dough on top, flipping it over to coat both sides with flour. The dough will be soft. Use your fingers or a rolling pin to gently flatten it to about a half-inch thickness, or just shy of that. Then, use a large and a small round cookie cutter to form doughnuts and their holes.
5. Fry them up
Gently lower each doughnut into the hot oil, frying them for about one minute per side (doughnut holes only need around 45 seconds, but be sure to stir them constantly to ensure they cook evenly and flip around). The chocolate dough doesn’t change color as easily as regular dough, so I set a timer to keep track. Once fried, place the doughnuts on paper towels (or one of these options if you're out) to absorb excess oil and allow them to cool on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
6. Coat the doughnuts with glaze
While the doughnuts are cooling, make a simple powdered sugar glaze. In a deep bowl, mix together powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and water. Stir until smooth, making sure to break up any lumps. The glaze should be runny. Dip one doughnut at a time into the glaze, using a spoon to pour it over the top to fully coat it. Lift the doughnut out with a fork, letting any excess glaze drip off. Set it back on the wire rack to dry. Repeat this process for each doughnut and hole.
This recipe yields enough for four large doughnuts and about a dozen smaller doughnut holes. As with most doughnuts, they’re best on the day they’re made. However, you can store leftovers in a covered container at room temperature for up to two days before they start to lose freshness.
Chocolate Glazed Bisquick Doughnuts
Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick
3 tablespoons Special Dark cocoa powder
¾ cup minus 2 teaspoons cold water
Oil for frying
For the glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup water
1. Pour about two inches of oil into a pot and start heating it to 375°F. Prepare a wire rack over a baking sheet with a piece of paper towel ready nearby.
2. Combine the Bisquick and cocoa powder until thoroughly blended. As the oil approaches 375°F, lightly flour your work surface. Add the water to the dry mixture. The dough will be quite thick, but continue mixing until all the dry powder is incorporated.
3. Transfer the dough to the floured surface and flip it to coat both sides with flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to about a half-inch thick. Cut out large doughnuts and doughnut holes using both a large and a small round cookie or biscuit cutter. Fry each large doughnut for one minute per side. Dab them on a paper towel before placing them on a wire rack to cool. Fry five or six doughnut holes at a time for about 45 seconds, making sure to dunk them frequently to ensure they cook evenly. Repeat with all the doughnuts.
4. While the doughnuts are cooling, prepare the icing. Combine all icing ingredients until you achieve a smooth glaze. Dip each doughnut into the glaze one at a time, using a spoon to cover them completely. Lift each doughnut out with a fork and place it on the cooling rack to dry. Let all the doughnuts dry for at least 10 minutes before enjoying them.
