This is going to change your relationship with doughnuts forever (and for the better).
I don’t live anywhere near a Krispy Kreme anymore, and I miss it more than I care to admit. I used to think nothing of swinging through the drive-through when the “Hot Now” sign was on. Warm, glazed doughnuts fresh off the line were just part of my life. It was a good life.
So when my social media feeds started filling up with videos of the chain’s signature glazed doughnuts being pan-fried until they developed crackly, creme brulee-like shells, my first reaction was disappointment that I couldn’t try it myself. (My second was to hit mute. Nearly every creator punctuated the video with an exaggerated close-up crunch, and my lifelong feud with ASMR is very much ongoing.) But then it occurred to me: Why couldn’t this work with any glazed doughnut?
So I headed to my local Safeway, picked up a box of glazed doughnuts from the bakery, and gave it a try. I expected a fun little upgrade. I did not expect five minutes in a skillet to permanently change the way I eat doughnuts. This is the best viral food hack I’ve ever tested, and it isn’t even close.
What is the crispy doughnut trend?
The concept is very simple. You take a glazed doughnut, place it in a skillet over medium heat, and let the sugary glaze take care of the rest. The glaze melts and caramelizes around the doughnut, transforming into a thin, glassy shell that looks strikingly similar to the top of a creme brulee.
The finished doughnut has the same irresistible contrast that makes creme brulee such a beloved dessert: a brittle caramelized exterior giving way to something impossibly soft underneath. In fact, it reminded me a lot of our creme brulee doughnuts, which lean into that same combination of creamy softness and crackling caramelized sugar.
Most of the videos feature Krispy Kreme doughnuts, which is great for anyone who still happens to have a location nearby. Luckily, the technique works with any glazed doughnut.
How to Make a Crispy Doughnut
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat—no butter or oil required. Then place a glazed doughnut directly in the pan and cook it for about two minutes per side, depending on how caramelized you want it. You’ll see the glaze slowly melt, then darken into a rich amber caramel. Once both sides have developed a deep golden crust, transfer the doughnut to a plate and let it cool until the sugar has hardened.
The first thing I noticed was the sound. The caramelized shell shattered the second I bit into it, giving way to an interior that stayed unbelievably warm and fluffy. The glaze didn’t just become crunchy—it became deeper and toastier, with just enough caramelized bitterness to balance all the sweetness.
It was, without exaggeration, the best doughnut I’ve ever eaten.
What are the best doughnuts for making crispy doughnuts?
I can fully confirm that this trick isn’t limited to Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The plain glazed doughnuts from Safeway crisped up so well that I genuinely questioned why I’ve been eating doughnuts the old way for my entire life.
Any yeast-raised glazed doughnut should caramelize beautifully in a skillet. That’s one of the things that makes this trick so wonderful. It doesn’t require you to hunt down a specific product or buy a specialty gadget. It simply asks you to look at an everyday doughnut a little differently.
