Homemade Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts Recipe

When Krispy Kreme partnered with the iconic video game Pac-Man to create its celebratory Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts collection, I knew I had to try them. But why stop there? What if you could bring that same playful spirit into your kitchen?

How to make Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts

Krispy Kreme has partnered with Bandai Namco to launch a limited-edition collection of themed doughnuts to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the iconic video game Pac-Man.

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk (warm to about 100°F/37°C)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)
• Vegetable oil for frying

Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Food coloring (yellow for PAC-MAN, and other colors if you want to make ghost donuts!)

Decorations

• Candy eyes (available at most craft or baking stores)
• Black writing icing or melted chocolate (for PAC-MAN’s mouth and final touches)
• Additional decorations for ghosts (red, pink, or blue icing for ghosts’ “bodies”)

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Dough

1. Warm the milk to around 100°F (lukewarm), then sprinkle the yeast over it. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. This step ensures the yeast is activated.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Add the eggs, melted butter, and the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough starts to come together.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 8–10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Step 2: Shape the Donuts

1. Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Use a round cutter (or a glass) to cut out circles. For PAC-MAN, use a smaller cutter or a knife to cut a triangular wedge (this will be PAC-MAN’s mouth).
3. If you’d like to make ghost-shaped donuts, use your creativity to shape rectangles or use a ghost-shaped cutter if you have one.
4. Place the cut donuts onto parchment paper, cover with a towel, and let them rise again for about 30–40 minutes.

Step 3: Fry the Donuts

1. Heat about 2–3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (use a thermometer for accuracy).
2. Carefully lower 2–3 donuts at a time into the oil (don’t overcrowd) and fry for 1–2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
3. Remove the donuts with a slotted spoon and place them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Step 4: Glaze and Decorate

1. In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to form a smooth glaze. Add yellow food coloring for the PAC-MAN donuts and other colors for ghost donuts.
2. Dip each donut face-down into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Place them back on the cooling rack to let the glaze set slightly.
3. Once the glaze has set, attach candy eyes to the donuts using a small dab of icing or melted chocolate. Use black icing or melted chocolate to draw PAC-MAN’s mouth. Customize ghost donuts with contrasting colors for a fun touch.

Tips for Success

• Temperature Matters: Ensuring your milk is warm (not too cold or too hot) is crucial for activating the yeast.
• Don’t Skip the Rise Time: Give the dough adequate time to rise—it’s what will make your donuts light and fluffy. The second rise ensures they hold their shape during frying.
• Keep the Oil Hot: Maintaining the right oil temperature (around 350°F) will help ensure the donuts cook evenly and don’t absorb too much oil.
• Work Quickly with Glaze: The glaze hardens as it cools, so dip and decorate your donuts soon after frying. If making multiple colors, divide the glaze into separate bowls for each color.
• Have Fun with Details: PAC-MAN’s simplicity works in your favor here! Use creative liberties with the ghosts (add squiggly lines on the bottom for a signature ghost look, or experiment with edible glitter).

What to serve with

Serving Krispy Kreme Pac Man donuts – vibrant, colorful, and playful donuts inspired by the classic arcade game – can turn a simple snack into a fun and memorable experience.

1. Beverages

Pairing the Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts with the right beverages enhances both the experience and the flavors:

Coffee and Espresso-Based Drinks

• The rich, bold flavor of coffee balances the sweetness of the Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts. Offer a variety of options such as cappuccinos, lattes, or iced coffee to suit individual preferences.
• Add fun Pac-Man-inspired latte art or colored foam to go with the theme.

Milk and Flavored Milk

Classic pairings like cold or warm milk (plain, chocolate, or even strawberry) are great for all age groups and help cleanse the palate between bites.

Milkshakes

Create milkshakes inspired by the Pac-Man characters. For example:

• Yellow banana milkshake for Pac-Man.
• Cherry milkshake (or other fruity flavors) for the cherries from the game.
• Blueberry or vanilla milkshake for the ghosts.
• Serve in fun, arcade-themed cups!
• Fruity Lemonades and Juices
• Bright, colorful drinks like lemonades, orange juice, or sparkling fruit punches work well. To make them more festive, garnish with fresh fruits or colored ice cubes.

Themed Cocktails (for Adults): If serving adults, consider creating themed cocktails like a “Pac-Tini” (martini with a twist) or a sparkling cherry cocktail inspired by the cherries Pac-Man eats in the game. Add edible glitter or bright-colored rims for style.

2. Savory Snacks

Since Krispy Kreme donuts are sweet, adding a mix of savory items ensures balance and variety:

• Mini Sliders or Sandwiches: Serve small savory sliders, like cheeseburgers, chicken sliders, or veggie options. The bite-sized portions work well for a party platter.
• Popcorn: Offer both buttered popcorn and fun flavored options like cheese or caramel popcorn. This light snack complements the soft texture of Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts without being overpowering.
• Cheese Platters: A cheese platter with crackers, fruits, and nuts can add an elegant touch while offering a salty contrast.
• Potato Wedges or Fries: Seasoned fries (especially sweet potato fries) or wedges served alongside dips like ketchup, ranch, or garlic aioli cater to the casual arcade theme.
• Pretzel Bites: Offer savory pretzel bites with dipping sauces like mustard, cheese, or marinara. Some could even have colorful coatings to match the Pac-Man aesthetic.

3. Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit balances the rich and sugary flavors of the Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts, offering a refreshing touch:

• Fruit Platters or Skewers: Serve colorful fruit skewers with kiwi, grapes, pineapple, melon, strawberries, and blueberries. For some creative flair, shape the fruits like Pac-Man and ghosts.
• Chocolate Fondue with Fruits: Set up a chocolate fondue station where people can dip fruits like bananas, strawberries, or marshmallows alongside the Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts.
• Cherries: Since cherries are a key symbol in the Pac-Man game, offering fresh or chocolate-covered cherries ties perfectly into the theme.

Ingredients Substitutes

Making Krispy Kreme Pac Man donuts is an exciting and creative process that involves crafting vibrant, delicious donuts with iconic designs. If you don’t have access to certain ingredients or are looking for substitutions to fit dietary preferences, here are detailed substitutes for each component in making Krispy Kreme-style donuts:

1. Dough Ingredients

The base recipe for Krispy Kreme-style yeast donuts includes ingredients such as flour, milk, eggs, butter, sugar, and yeast. Here are substitutes for some of these ingredients:

Flour

• Alternative: If you need a gluten-free option, replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend designed for yeast recipes.
• Whole Wheat Version: For a healthier option, substitute part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour (combine 50% whole wheat and 50% all-purpose).
• Almond Flour: Not suitable for yeast donuts due to its lack of gluten but can be blended with a gluten-free flour.

Milk

• Non-Dairy Substitute: For a vegan or lactose-free alternative, replace whole milk with almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
• Coconut Cream: Adds richness for a more indulgent flavor.

Butter

• Non-Dairy Substitute: Use vegan butter or coconut oil. If you’re out of butter, substitute with an equal amount of vegetable oil.

Eggs

Vegan Option: Replace each egg with:

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water (mixed and left for 5–10 minutes to form a gel-like consistency known as a flax egg).
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce.
• ¼ cup mashed banana (adds a slight fruity flavor).

Sugar

• Healthier Substitute: Use coconut sugar or maple sugar for a lower glycemic index option.
• Low-Calorie Alternative: Replace regular sugar with sweeteners like Stevia or Erythritol.

Yeast

Alternative: If you can’t find active dry yeast, you can use instant yeast (the same amount). Alternatively, baking powder or baking soda won’t produce the same fluffy texture but could be used for cake-like donuts.

2. Glaze Ingredients

Pac-Man donuts use a classic sugar glaze that is often tinted with food coloring for decorations. Here are substitutions for the glaze:

Powdered Sugar

• DIY Substitute: If you don’t have powdered sugar, blend regular granulated sugar in a blender until finely powdered. Add a teaspoon of cornstarch to prevent clumping.
• Milk in Glaze: To give it a citrusy twist, replace the milk with water, plant-based milk (like almond, soy, or oat), or orange juice.

Vanilla Extract

Substitute: Use almond extract or any other flavored extract like lemon or orange to experiment with different flavors.

Food Coloring

• Natural Option: Replace synthetic food coloring with natural alternatives like:
• Beet juice or powder for red/pink.
• Spinach juice or matcha powder for green.
• Turmeric powder for yellow.
• Blueberry juice for blue/purple.

3. Topping and Decoration Substitutes

To recreate Pac-Man donuts, you’ll need vibrant, creative toppings, such as sprinkles or colored icing, to complement the iconic design.

Sprinkles

• Alternative: Use chopped nuts, toasted sesame seeds, or shredded coconut for toppings.
• Try dyeing finely grated chocolate or coconut flakes with natural food colors for healthier sprinkles.

Pac-Man Decorations

If you’re using fondant for Pac-Man’s shape and the ghosts:

• Replace store-bought fondant with homemade marshmallow fondant.
• Use cut-out pieces of colored candy melts as decoration.

Candy Details

For the ghost eyes and Pac-Man mouth:

• Use chocolate chips or white chocolate dyed with natural coloring for facial features.
• Use small fruit pieces like blueberries or raspberries for edible eyes.

Chocolate Coating

• Replace regular chocolate with dairy-free chocolate or use carob chips for a sweeter, caffeine-free alternative.

4. Frying Ingredients

If deep-frying the donuts, the oil choice matters to achieve that classic golden finish.

Frying Oil

Alternative: Instead of vegetable oil, use:

• Coconut oil for a subtle coconut flavor.
• Avocado oil for high-heat frying.
• Sunflower oil as a neutral-flavored option.

Final Thoughts

Making Krispy Kreme Pac Man Donuts at home is as much about the fun as it is about the flavor.

More Dough Recipes:

• Homemade Chobani Cookie Dough Creamer Recipe