Funnel Cakes

Overhead view of a homemade funnel cake on a plate with whipped cream and strawberries.

This easy 5-ingredient Funnel Cake recipe uses a simple pancake mix and Sprite batter for crispy edges, airy centers, and fairground flavor at home!

Prep Time5

Cook Time3

Total Time8

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: funnel cakes

Servings: to 5

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Squeeze bottle (or ziploc bag)
Deep Non-stick Skillet or Medium Saucepan

Ingredients

1½ cups pancake baking mix such as Bisquick, (see notes)
1 tsp vanilla optional, (see notes)
¼ tsp cinnamon optional, (see notes)
¾ cup Sprite soda
vegetable oil for frying, (see notes)
powdered sugar for serving
piped whipped cream for serving
sliced strawberries for serving

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, cinnamon, vanilla, and Sprite until no lumps remain and it's the consistency of pancake batter. It should be thick, but very pourable. (Add a bit more dry mix or soda to get the proper consistency, if necessary.)
Transfer the batter to a squeeze bottle with a ½-inch opening (or ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.)
In a deep nonstick skillet or medium-sized saucepan, add enough oil so that it's 1½-2 inches tall. Heat to 350°F-375°F.
Squeeze ⅓–½ cup of batter into the hot oil in a continuous, overlapping, and swirling motion, criss-crossing the batter over itself.
Let the funnel cake fry for about 90 seconds until the edges and holes are golden brown and a bit crisp/stiff. Using tongs, carefully flip it over and cook for another 30-60 seconds until golden brown on the second side. (Carefully monitor your heat so they don't over-brown.)
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and immediately dust with a generous amount of powdered sugar.
Top with piped whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries, if desired (or other favorite toppings like caramel sauce or chocolate sauce.)
Repeat with remaining batter, making sure the oil stays at the proper temperature between batches.

Video

Notes

Use any standard "just add water" complete baking mix. Bisquick and Bob's Red Mill are my two favorite choices.

Vanilla and cinnamon add extra flavor to the batter and are recommended, but are purely optional.

You want to use a neutral-flavored oil, such as vegetable or canola, as they have a high smoke point.

Want to use a funnel? It’s the classic method, but I prefer a squeeze bottle for better control. Use a funnel with an opening about ½ inch wide and add ⅓-½ cup batter at a time (cover the opening with your finger while you pour it in so it doesn’t immediately run out!)

Nutrition