The Easy Hack That Turns Your Muffin Tin Into A Donut Pan

When you think of perfect food pairings, surely a few common combinations come to mind. Chicken and waffles, spaghetti and meatballs, or fish and chips, perhaps? Then there's coffee and donuts, an iconic breakfast duo beloved by many. While you can speed through the drive-thru during your morning commute to grab a tasty treat and a dose of caffeine, you can also opt to make your own donuts at home on a lazy Sunday morning.

Whether you decide to take a shortcut with a pre-made donut mix (like Pilsbury's quick and easy variety) or choose to make them from scratch — and if you do, we recommend trying this classic and indulgent glazed donuts recipe — do you really need to invest in a donut pan that you'll likely only use every so often to prepare these sweet treats? The answer is absolutely not. Instead, try this easy hack for turning your muffin tin into a donut pan, no extra tools or gadgets are required.

There are a number of great uses for your muffin tin, including making homemade donuts. So when the craving for a sweet breakfast confection hits and you don't have a donut pan handy, grab your muffin tin and some tin foil, and use this expert hack from Funfetti's Instagram. First, spray each muffin cup with non-stick baking spray. Then, take a 9x9 piece of foil and fold it in half. Fold it again to create a long piece, then fold the foil in the opposite direction to shorten it. Lastly, roll the foil up into a tube shape and place it in the middle of a muffin cup. 

Repeat this process with additional pieces of tin foil for the remaining 11 muffin cups. Spoon or pipe your batter into each cup, keeping the foil tube in the center, and bake as you would normally. Once the donuts are cooled, remove the foil insert carefully and add all the frosting and sprinkles your heart desires.

Another alternative method to make donuts with a muffin tin is to take a 5x5 square piece of foil and fold it over one of your fingers. Then, fold the foil around your finger and gently fold the sides up to create a donut-shaped mold, as recommended by Taste of Home. Spray the foil inserts with non-stick baking spray before adding the batter and cooking as directed.