How To Make Pancakes With Mix Better

I have put together a list of tips and tricks for how to make pancakes with mix fluffier and better so that they taste homemade. These tricks are easy to do and will certainly elevate your pancakes to the next level. Keep reading to find out all the tricks for making the best, most convenient, pancakes.

Try these tips with my Bisquick pancakes recipe and pair with my homemade blueberry syrup.

Jump to:

• How to Make Pancake Mix Pancakes Fluffier & Better
• 1. Sift The Mix
• 2. Replace Water With Buttermilk
• 3. Less Water (For Fluffier Pancakes)
• 4. Add Plain Yogurt
• 5. Use Cold Liquids
• 6. Less Mixing (For More Fluffiness)
• 7. Add Melted Butter
• 8. Add An Egg
• 9. Add An Egg White
• 10. Let The Batter Sit
• 11. Preheat The Pan
• 🍽️ More Cooking Tips & Tricks
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How to Make Pancake Mix Pancakes Fluffier & Better

The great thing about a pancake mix is that it is quick and easy. That means you can have your favorite tasty breakfast ready to go in a few minutes. However, one downside of a pre-mixed pancake batter is that it loses some homemade benefits like the light and fluffy texture.

If you miss the homemade fluffy texture of pancakes but still want the ease of using a mix, keep reading.  I’ve got several tricks to help you make your pancake mix pancakes fluffier – just like the homemade version!

1. Sift The Mix

Before replacing or adding any ingredients the easiest place to begin is to sift your dry ingredients. This is a standard step when making homemade pancakes and can also be done for pancake mixes.

Sifting the dry ingredients helps get out any clumps. This creates a finer mixture that leads to a fluffier pancake. Simply run the pancake mix through a sifter before adding any other ingredients. If you don’t have a sifting tool, you can get a similar result by using a fork to stir the dry mixture in the bowl before adding any of the other ingredients.

2. Replace Water With Buttermilk

Most pancake mixes call for water in the directions. However, water is bland and boring. So, while it is the easiest and cheapest option if you want fluffier pancakes consider swapping it out.

Buttermilk is the best alternative for water. It has a higher fat content that creates a texture that is more like homemade pancakes. Moreover, it adds the flavor of a home-cooked buttermilk pancake!

While this does require you to have buttermilk on hand, it is an easy addition to get fluffy pancakes from a box. Simply replace the water with an equal amount of buttermilk.

How To Make Your Own Buttermilk

If you don’t have buttermilk at home, but you have regular milk then you can make your own buttermilk. Combine 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar) in a cup. Stir and then let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

When the milk has curdled and is thicker you have buttermilk. Use it in a 1:1 replacement for water in your pancake mix.

3. Less Water (For Fluffier Pancakes)

If you are going to stick with water, you can lean towards a fluffy texture by using less of it. Less water creates a thicker batter. A thicker batter leads to a thicker and fluffier pancake.

For most pancake mixes you will want to start with ½ the amount of water that the directions call for. Depending on the brand or if you add additional ingredients (like an extra egg) this may be a good consistency. However, it may be too thick.

If it is too thick, slowly add more water until you get a consistency that is thicker than the standard mix but still easy to cook with.

4. Add Plain Yogurt

As mentioned above, a thicker pancake batter leads to a fluffier pancake batter. In addition to using less liquid, another way to create a thick batter is to add plain yogurt.

Plain yogurt not only helps thicken pancake batter but also adds a lovely rich texture and flavor. It is similar to the same results you see when using buttermilk.

Rather than just using less liquid replace half of the liquid with plain yogurt. For example, if the directions call for 1 cup of water use ½ cup water + ½ cup of plain yogurt. In addition to regular plain yogurt, you can also use plain Greek yogurt (full-fat works best in both cases).

5. Use Cold Liquids

Another easy thing to do is use ice cold water. The reasoning behind this is that cold water reacts more like cold milk. This helps create a consistency that is closer to milk-based pancake batter. Therefore, make sure your milk or buttermilk is cold too! Take it straight out of the fridge before using it (if you make your own buttermilk put it back in the fridge after it sours to chill).

6. Less Mixing (For More Fluffiness)

While air bubbles aren’t ideal in some recipes, they are ideal for pancakes! Little air bubbles are what lead to a fluffy pancake. Unfortunately, the more you mix your batter the more air you let out of the batter. Therefore, for the fluffiest pancakes, you want to mix the better less.

Rather than full-on mixing the batter, gently stir it. Moreover, always do this by hand as using an electric mixer will only lead to flat pancakes. 

7. Add Melted Butter

Butter really does make everything better. Including pre-packaged pancake mixes. Even though your directions probably don’t call for butter, it is a simple addition that will elevate any basic mix.

Simply melt a tablespoon or two of butter and stir it into your mixture. Add it once everything else has been mixed and just before you add the batter to the pan.

8. Add An Egg

The great thing about a pre-mixed pancake mix is that you don’t have to have extra ingredients on hand, including eggs. Most dry pancake mixes use a dried egg replacement so that you can simply add water.

However, when going for that homemade taste and texture a real egg can make a big difference. If you have an extra egg on hand, simply add it to your pancake batter. This will enrich both the flavor and texture of your pancakes.

9. Add An Egg White

If you have the time, add an egg white instead of a whole egg. I say if you have time because to get the added fluff benefit you will need to beat the egg white. Once you have a stiff egg white, fold (don’t stir) it into your batter.

You can still use the whole egg as well. Simply add the yolk first and stir. Then, add the beaten egg white.

10. Let The Batter Sit

One of the easiest things you can do that doesn’t require changing anything in how you make your batter is to simply let it rest. After everything is mixed, let the bowl of batter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

By letting the batter sit you allow the gluten to soften. It also helps create more air bubbles. In return, the consistency of the batter will be lighter, which in turn, leads to lighter and fluffier pancakes.

While this adds 15 minutes to a quick pancake mix it is worth the extra time. Use the 15 minutes to prepare your other breakfast items, like eggs and bacon. Then everything is ready to go when you start cooking the pancakes. 

11. Preheat The Pan

Patience is your friend if you want the perfect pancake. Especially when it comes to how it is cooked. When making pancakes, whether from a mix or homemade, take time to let your pan preheat.

Preheating your pan will ensure that when you add your batter the pancake will cook at the right speed. If the pan is not hot enough, then the batter will just sit there and often become thick and dense.

On the other hand, if the pan is too hot the batter will quickly cook on the outside but not on the inside. Then you will end up with a flat pancake because you have to cook it longer to get the middle done.

For the best results, preheat the pan on medium heat for several minutes before adding your first pancake. If you notice the pancakes cooking too quickly (the more that you cook) then lower the heat a bit.

While these tips will elevate a basic pancake mix sometimes you may have the time to make pancakes from scratch. To ensure that your homemade pancakes get the same level of fluffiness, you will want to follow many of the tips above.

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