15 Tips You Need To Elevate Boxed Pancake Mix

Boxed pancake mix can be your saving grace on a Sunday morning. Not only is this convenient mixture relatively inexpensive to purchase, but it is even easier to make. Most recipes require just adding water, mixing, and pouring into a hot skillet for breakfast in under 10 minutes. But how much do you know about boxed pancake mix and how to take it to another level?

The first ready-to-make pancake mix debuted in the 1880s as a response to a surplus of flour available on commodity markets. The original recipe for these pancakes included white winter wheat, corn flour, salt, and leavening agents. However, it wasn't until several years later that companies started to add milk powder to the mixture for a better rise and more complex flavor. The modern recipe for boxed pancake mix remains the same, with some brands offering gluten-free, high-fiber, or protein-added products. Here are some of our favorite ways to elevate the humble pancake mix into something that will make your Sunday morning tastebuds sing.

You might not be reaching for a Sam Adams at 8 a.m. on a Sunday  — but if you're making pancakes, you have a good excuse. However, though beer might seem like an unexpected liquid to take your pancakes up a notch, take a second to think about the flavor and properties of this beverage. The bubbles in the beer are an easy way to incorporate more air into the batter. In contrast, the hoppy flavor of the beer adds a savory layer of complexity that pairs well with the sweetness of syrup or the richness of a butter topping.

If you try this hack at home, you should try to use light beer and only add the liquid to the batter with the rest of your wet ingredients. In this case, using a cheap beer, like a Natty Light, is preferable because the beer's flavor will provide just enough oomph without overpowering the rest of the flavors. Add the cold beer at the end of the cooking time for maximum carbonation to prevent the bubbles from fizzling out.

Buttermilk and pancakes together are a match made in heaven. Substituting buttermilk for other liquids in your pancake batter will easily elevate a boxed pancake mix because it is much creamier, thicker, and tangier. You can use a 1-to-1 substitution for these liquids for the ultimate fluffy and tasty flapjacks. If you're making a dairy-free pancake mix, you can make a vegan buttermilk by combining a couple of tablespoons of vinegar with your milk of choice.

There is a lot of science behind why buttermilk is the ideal ingredient to add to pancakes. Buttermilk contains more acid than milk or water, which acts as a chemical leavening agent when it interacts with the baking soda or baking powder in the batter. The carbon dioxide produced by the interaction helps give the pancakes some structure and keeps them super soft. Adding an acidic ingredient can also help slack some gluten strands that would otherwise make pancakes chewier.

Good pancakes are fluffy pancakes. It's the reason why you should go the extra step to not only add an egg to your pancake batter but separate and whip the whites, too. The yolk of the egg adds an extra element of fat, while the whipped egg whites provide an unmistakable structure and stability to the pancakes.

You'll need to use about one egg for each cup of pancake mixture you use. After separating the two components, add ⅛ teaspoon of cream of tartar to prevent your eggs from deflating. Next, start whipping your whites by hand with a balloon whisk, or stick to an electric beater. Once stiff peaks have formed, you can incorporate the eggs into your batter using a series of deliberate, soft folds. It is essential not to beat all the air out of the egg whites when you combine it with the pancake batter, as this may not create the light, airy texture you worked so hard to create.

Fizzy water is the only thing better than adding regular water (besides buttermilk or regular milk). Seltzer water contains carbonation, which can help add more air to your pancake batter. Adding seltzer water is the secret to fluffy gluten-free pancakes because it helps soften the pancake batter, but the trick can also be used for regular wheat pancakes.

If you want to substitute seltzer water for your recipe, you'll want to use equal parts seltzer for other liquids in the batter. If you're going to get the creamy taste of adding milk without missing out on the fizziness of the seltzer, you can use a smaller ratio of each in the batter. Like adding beer to your pancakes, you should always add the liquid at the end of your prep process. This will maximize the bubbles you get in your pancakes and prevent the leavening agents from working too quickly, thus causing your pancakes to deflate.

If you want to go a step above adding extracts to your pancakes, your next stop should be your spice cabinet. There are tons of different warming spices that can add a layer of complexity to your pancakes and make any boxed pancake mix taste homemade. Our favorite standard pancake additions include cinnamon and nutmeg. Both pair well with fall-inspired toppings like warmed cinnamon apples, pumpkin, and pecans. You can also use spice blends, like apple pie and pumpkin pie spice, to provide a medley of toasty spices to your next stack.

You can also venture into unique spices like gingerbread spice — which includes cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, and ginger. The black pepper and the ginger provide a subtle heat on the back of your throat. You can also use chai spice, which is heavier on the cardamom and cinnamon than pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice.

One of the most common mistakes people make with pancakes is over-mixing the batter. Stirring the batter too much with a whisk or a spoon will come to the detriment of the batter for several reasons. The first is that beating out the tiny lumps of flour will cause you also to beat out the carbon dioxide that gives the pancake its rise. In turn, this defeats the work of your leavening agents (the baking soda and baking powder), rendering your pancakes flat and hard. Instead, leave the small flour lumps in your batter; it will all work out when you cook the pancakes.

Gluten is also not your friend when you're making pancakes. This protein forms when liquid is added and mixed into the batter. Although it provides some structure to the pancake, too much mixing can make the batter stiff and stodgy. You only have to stir the batter a few times to ensure no dry spots; once you've reached that point, put down the spatula.

There are many debates out there about how best to cook pancakes. However, the classic method of cooking pancakes on a non-stick pan is outdated. This is because the pan doesn't retain enough heat to develop an even brownness. Instead, you should use a well-seasoned, cast-iron skillet for cooking your pancakes. The seasoning (and adding oil or clarified butter before the batter) will keep the pancakes from sticking and develop a robust and beautiful color. Alternatively, you can use the classic non-stick griddle for cooking pancakes. This griddle is made explicitly for cooking foods like pancakes. In addition, many of these kitchen appliances are flat, making it easy to flip your pancakes, and have a knob that makes changing the temperature of the surface easy. Plus, you can cook more pancakes at a time using a griddle rather than a standard pan.

If you are making pancakes for a crowd, your other alternative method is to bake the pancake batter in a baking dish and cut the pancakes into pieces to serve. This method saves you a ton of time and stress compared to cooking pancakes on a stove.