Yes, Bisquick Cookies Can Be Made Into Donuts.

At the time, I didn’t realize what a door I’d knocked down when I made surprisingly sensational apple fritters from a boxed pancake mix. Now I see that this door was shaped like a donut. Thanks to you, readers, with your thoughtful questions and general excitement about fried dough, I pursued one of your leads to another tasty morsel.

While I was scooping out the pre-made pancake mix, several people pulled Bisquick out of their cupboards and wondered, “Will you work, my dear, sweet Bisquick? Or will you turn me into a meme about not following prescription instructions?” Your instincts were correct. Not only can you use Fargo’s famous mix for my apple fritter recipe above, but you can make other donuts as well. Once again: they are bloody fantastic.

I bought myself a box of the classic Bisquick pancake and baking mix (even the company is pushing us to get creative with this dry mix). While I haven’t tried all the commercially available pancake mixes, I have a good feeling that they will all work quite well for this application. A small percentage of flavoring, milk powder or powdered eggs gives bonus points, but the most important ingredients are flour, leavening and salt, which are required in all packaged pancake mixes.

The two most common types of donuts you’ll see in the store are yeast donuts or cake donuts. The yeast version is more delicate and light, like Krispy Kreme’s signature glazed donut. When it comes to making donuts with Bisquick or any other pancake powder mix, you are making cake donuts. They are leavened with baking soda, baking powder, or another type of chemical leavening. The texture is firmer, a little closer in texture, and cake-like (unsurprisingly) – think blueberry pie donuts, apple cider donuts, sour cream or chocolate frosting donuts.

How to Make Easy Glazed Cake Donuts

Just like the apple fritter recipe, this one is amazingly easy and tastes like you just bought fresh chocolate frosting from a donut shop. The only thing needed to mix the mixture is water, but don’t add it until the oil starts to heat up. Chemical starters begin to act immediately after adding moisture, but their effectiveness is limited. If you leave the dough too long, it will not puff up well in the oil.

1. Heat the oil

You will need about two inches of oil in a small saucepan. Begin heating the frying oil to 375°F.

2. Mix dry ingredients.

Any of the above flavors would work just fine, but since I had to start somewhere, I started with chocolate frosting. Add Bisquick to a medium bowl. To make it chocolatey, add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder. I used Hershey’s Special Dark, made in Holland, but regular cocoa will work. Whisk everything together to completely combine the powders and break up any lumps.

3. Add water

When the oil gets close to temperature, mix it with water. You want to get a very thick dough that comes together into a ball, like in the picture. I started adding most of the water and stopped with just a little left in the measuring cup. There should be no dry powdery stains left. If you see them, add one last splash of water.

4. Cut out the donuts

Lightly flour your work surface. Place the ball of dough on the flour and turn it over so that both sides are coated with flour. The dough will be soft. Using your fingers or a rolling pin, roll out the dough. It should be about half an inch thick or a little less. Use a large and small round cookie cutter to make donuts and donut holes.

5. Roast them

Carefully drop one donut at a time into the hot oil and fry for one minute on each side (the donut holes only take about 45 seconds, but be sure to stir them constantly so they flip and cook evenly). Chocolate dough doesn’t change color as easily as regular dough, so I use a timer to keep track. Place fried dough on a paper towel (or one of these options if you’re out of stock) and let cool on a wire rack over the baking sheet.

6. Glaze the donuts.

While the donuts are cooling, beat the light powdered sugar. Add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and water to a deep bowl. Stir with a spoon, trying to break up any lumps, until smooth. The glaze will be runny. Add one donut at a time to the icing pool. Use a spoon to scoop frosting onto top until coated. Remove it from the glaze with a fork and let the excess glaze drip off. Place it back on the rack to dry. Repeat with all the donuts and holes.

This recipe makes enough for four large donuts and about a dozen small donut holes. Like most donuts, they taste best the first day, but you can put leftovers in a covered container and store them at room temperature for about two days before they start to go stale.

Donuts with biscuit in chocolate glaze

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 glass of water

1. Pour two inches of oil into a pan and begin heating it to 375°F. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet with a piece of paper towel nearby.

2. Mix Bisquick and cocoa powder until smooth. Once the oil temperature approaches 375°F, lightly flour your work surface. Pour water into dry ingredients. The batter will be thick, but stir until no dry powder remains.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and turn it over to coat both sides with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a half-inch thickness. Use a large and small round cookie cutter or cookie cutter to cut out large donuts and donut holes. Fry each large donut for one minute on each side. Pat them dry with a paper towel and then place on a wire rack to cool. Fry five or six donut holes at a time for about 45 seconds. Be sure to dip them several times to ensure they cook evenly. Repeat this with all the donuts.

4. While the donuts are cooling, make the glaze. Mix all frosting ingredients until you have a smooth frosting. Working one at a time, add donut to bowl and use a spoon to scoop glaze onto top until completely coated. Remove it from the bowl with a fork and place it on a cooling rack to dry. Let all donuts dry for at least 10 minutes before eating them.

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