For Better Pancakes, Spoon The Dry Mix Instead Of Scooping

Seeing a stack of fluffy pancakes on the breakfast table is one of the best ways to welcome a new day. That's why people can get very particular about the tricks they use to make the fluffiest homemade pancakes. Getting the batter right is foundational even before finding the perfect combination of mix-ins and toppings.

If you've been following every chef and food blog tip to the letter, yet your pancakes could still use some more fluffiness, use a spoon to measure your dry mix or flour exactly. Specifically, use it to put the ingredients into a measuring cup so you get the exact amount your recipe needs. It may seem like an insignificant detail but when using a measuring cup, you tend to pack in the flour or dry mix as you scoop through it to spoon out the quantity you need. A batter that results in light and fluffy pancakes needs the right ratio of dry and wet ingredients. An extra amount of flour or pancake mix, no matter how minuscule, would disrupt that balance.

When spooning dry mix into a measuring cup, avoid packing it in, too. Just let it fall into the cup and check if you've spooned out enough for what you're making. Transfer everything into a mixing bowl and remember to sift your dry mix so it's fluffed up. This would also distribute your leavening agents more evenly if you're making batter from scratch.

Using too much flour or dry mix is the usual culprit behind dense and rubbery pancakes. Although you can remedy a too-thick batter with the gradual addition of water or milk, this would be tricky if you're making homemade batter. You'd also have to adjust the amount of the other dry ingredients like baking soda or powder to maintain the right ratio.

Overmixing can also make your pancakes seem flat since it lets out more air from the batter. Gently fold its ingredients together instead and don't stress out if the batter has some lumps in it. As long as there's no more dry ingredient left at the bottom of the mixing bowl, you've properly incorporated both dry and wet components already. Let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes. The lumps will disappear as the dry mix continues to take up the liquid ingredients.

You can also upgrade your homemade pancakes with an unexpected ingredient: malted milk powder. It makes them thicker and adds a lightly toasty flavor that reminds you of the ones you'd eat in a diner. Take note, though, if you and anyone else who'll be eating your pancakes are on a gluten-free diet since two of malted milk powder's ingredients are barley and wheat. If that's the case, use kinako, a nutty-tasting flour made from ground roasted soybeans that are used in many Japanese desserts.