Recipe and photography by Kristen Olson
Food styling by Sara Bartus

Serves 8

Funnel Cakes:
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup buttermilk pancake mix
¼ cup crushed graham crackers
1 Tbsp. sugar
¼ to ½ cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Toppings:
1 cup mini marshmallows
4 graham cracker squares, broken into pieces
¼ cup chocolate syrup
Powdered sugar

In 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet or 3-quart Dutch oven, heat oil (2 to 3 inches) over medium-high heat until thermometer inserted in oil reads 350°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the pancake mix, crushed graham crackers, sugar, ¼ cup water and vanilla extract. Stir until mixture comes together in a cake-like batter. If needed, add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.

Transfer the funnel cake batter to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch-wide round tip.

Working in batches, squeeze about ¼ cup of the batter in a squiggly motion into the hot oil to form a disk with overlapping batter.

Cook each funnel cake about 2 minutes, turning once with a large spatula, until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.

Immediately top with marshmallows, graham crackers and powdered sugar. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and serve warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

TIP! Don't have a pastry bag? A plastic zip-top food-storage bag works great, too. Use scissors to snip off a tiny corner and fill with the funnel cake batter.