These baked pancake mix donuts are proof that sometimes the shortcut is the right answer. Soft, fluffy, and covered in chocolate glaze, they're made without yeast, deep frying, or any unnecessary kitchen drama. Because some mornings are hard enough without adding hot oil to the situation.
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🥰 Is this pancake mix donuts recipe for you?
- You're philosophy is along the lines of, we are simple people seeking to eat donuts and have no time for the sacred trials of the Yeast Kingdom.
- You'd rather bake than stand guard over a pot of hot oil. Besides, hot oil is intimidating.
- You have pancake mix in the pantry and a sweet tooth that isn't taking no for an answer.
- You love old-fashioned cake donuts with soft centers and chocolate glaze.
- You think sprinkles are a perfectly reasonable way to start the day.
🧾 Ingredients you'll need
No specialty ingredients. No emergency grocery run. Just a handful of pantry staples, pancake mix, and a surprisingly short path to homemade cake donuts.
- Pancake mix is the shortcut hero of this recipe. It handles most of the measuring and mixing so you can get to the donut-eating portion of the program faster.
- Milk keeps the batter smooth and gives the donuts a soft, tender texture.
- Maple syrup adds a little sweetness and a hint of cozy breakfast flavor that works perfectly with the chocolate glaze.
- Salt - just enough to balance the sweetness and keep everything from tasting flat.
- Powdered sugar is the foundation of that rich, chocolatey glaze. It melts into silky perfection without any fuss.
- Vanilla gives these donuts that old-fashioned, from-scratch flavor everyone loves.
- Cocoa powder turns a simple glaze into a chocolate-covered reason to have dessert for breakfast.
Don't forget to download the free printable Pancake Mix Donuts kitchen cheat sheet with extra tips, storage information, FAQs, and more.
📖 Recipe
Pancake Mix Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Donuts
- 2 cups pancake mix
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons milk, may need a touch more
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- Funfetti sprinkles, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease your donut pan with cooking spray or butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, milk, maple syrup, and sea salt until smooth and well combined. A few small lumps are fine.
- Carefully pour or spoon the batter into the donut pan cavities, filling each one about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the donuts are puffed up and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- While the donuts cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and milk. Start with 4 tablespoons of milk and add more until you get a thick but dippable glaze.
- Dip the top of each donut into the chocolate glaze, letting the excess drip off, then immediately add your funfetti sprinkles before the glaze sets.
Notes
- Use a squeeze bottle or zip bag for the batter. Spooning batter into a donut pan is messy. Pour the batter into a zip-lock bag, snip the corner, and pipe it in cleanly.
- Fill the pan cavities no more than ¾ full or the donuts will puff over and lose their donut shape.
- The glaze sets quickly, so sprinkle right after dipping.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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🔪 How to make baked donuts with pancake mix
These donuts come together fast, unlike yeast donuts, which is good news for those of us with a sweet tooth and a short attention span. Here's how to make them.
- Stir everything together until the batter is smooth and your kitchen starts smelling like a bakery that charges luxury prices.
- Fill the donut pan and slide it into the oven. This is the hardest part because the donuts don't magically appear fully glazed. Bake and cool.
- Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth and the temptation to lick the whisk is almost overwhelming.
- Dunk them in chocolate glaze, add sprinkles with reckless enthusiasm, and try not to eat one before the glaze sets.
😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
🍩 The donuts stuck to the pan.
Even nonstick pans need a little encouragement. Grease the donut pan well before adding the batter and let the donuts cool for a few minutes before removing them.
🍩 The glaze is too thick.
Add milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches dipping consistency. You're looking for smooth and glossy, not brownie batter.
🍩 The glaze is too thin.
Whisk in a little more powdered sugar until it behaves itself.
🍩 The baked donuts turned out dry.
They probably baked a little too long. Start checking a minute or two before the recommended baking time since ovens can be as unpredictable as a cat with a grudge. The ideal internal temperature for baked donuts is 195°F to 200°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
🍩 The sprinkles slid right off.
Add them while the glaze is still wet. Once the glaze starts setting, those sprinkles are leaving for greener pastures.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
A donut pan gives the best results, but you can bake the batter in a muffin tin instead. The texture will be similar, but they'll be donut muffins rather than classic ring-shaped donuts.
Yes. Freeze the donuts before glazing for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and add the glaze just before serving.
🍽 More donut recipes
If one donut recipe is good, a whole collection of them is even better. Whether you're looking for a quick shortcut, a classic bakery-style treat, or something cozy enough for the holidays, these homemade donut recipes are ready to answer the call.
🍩 Quick Air Fryer Donuts
🍩 Banana Baked Donuts
🍩 Buttermilk Cake Donuts
🍩 Gingerbread Donuts
🏡 Pancake mix might not be the first thing you think of when a donut craving hits, but these baked donuts make a pretty convincing argument. Soft, chocolatey, and ridiculously easy, they're proof that sometimes the shortcut is the smartest thing in the kitchen.
Sherri Rochester says
oooooo, I love this! I am thinking donut holes. I am using my new pan for everything lately!
Betty Freano says
Don’t like chocolate. I know that is crazy. Is there a vanilla glaze I can do.