If you’ve ever made pancakes and weren’t impressed, don’t worry. There are tons of secrets that chefs and home cooks use to make their pancakes one of the most requested recipes ever. Keep reading to discover what is the secret you must know to make perfect, fluffy cakes every time.
A Mix for Perfect Pancakes
No one has to make pancakes from scratch anymore, and many people have a mix sitting on a shelf in their kitchen for a good reason! Making pancakes from a mix helps to ensure that measurements are correct. This is especially true when you buy pancakes from The Great American Pancake Company.
Not only do you get an easy-to-make mix, but the quality of the ingredients also ensures that you’re on the right track to making the best pancakes you’ve ever made. Choose from mixes such as:
- 5 Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix
- Peanut Butter Pancake and Waffle Mix
- Chocolate Chip Pancake and Waffle Mix
- Angel Cakes Pancake and Waffle Mix
These are just a handful of the pancake and waffle mixes you can buy from The Great American Pancake Company. They even have a gluten-free mix for those with a gluten-sensitivity!
When you only have the best ingredients ready to get you started, that’s the greatest secret of people who serve the most delicious pancakes. It’s not cheating just because you have a mix. Instead, it’s a smart way to ensure you serve only the best!
Cooking Your Pancakes to Perfection
Did you know that most people accept that the first pancake or two they cook are guaranteed to end up in the trash bin? That’s usually because they don’t know the secrets to cook their cakes.
For perfectly cooked pancakes from the first to the last, keep these tips in mind:
Temperature is critical to making pancakes! If you have access to an electric skillet, you’re almost guaranteed to be able to cook them to perfection!
Set the temperature to 375 degrees while you make the batter. Once it’s time to cook, you can lower it to 360 degrees and pour the cakes right on!
An electric skillet or griddle is the best surface to cook cakes on. If you don’t have one, the next best thing is a heavy cast-iron skillet.
Never walk away from your pancakes as they’re cooking. The difference between golden brown cakes and burnt ones can take seconds!
Learn what the pancake should look like when it needs to be flipped. The edges should be light brown, and the surface of the cake will have bubbles on it. This often takes place sometime between two and three minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook for another minute or two when they look ready.
Never feel like you can’t lift the edge of a cooking cake to see if it’s golden brown. It doesn’t impact the cooking process and helps you get your pancakes perfectly cooked every time!
Cooking good pancakes is easier when you’ve mastered the cooking process! While some surfaces are easier to control, the more you make your cakes, the more you’ll learn to perfect your cooking process.
Secrets to Getting the Perfect Batter for Great Pancakes
The quality of the ingredients you use will significantly impact the taste of your pancakes. You can use a high-quality pancake mix like the ones from The Great American Pancake Company or make your own recipe from scratch.
Here are some secrets the best pancake makers use to make good pancakes every time:
Use as many fresh ingredients as you can. This includes eggs, fruits, vegetables, and other farm-fresh ingredients.
Never over-mix your batter! It’s tempting to beat out any lumps, but doing so can make your pancakes tough and chewy. Do your best to ignore small chunks. Your batter is ready to go when the majority of it is wet.
Use buttermilk if you can. It’s not a staple in most fridges but can make for richer, more satisfying pancakes. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice (fresh is best, but bottled will do) to one cup of milk. Allow the mixture to stand for around five minutes, and you’ll have made your own rich buttermilk alternative!
Some people love to use butter when they cook their cakes, but it’s not for everyone! If you have a picky family, cook pancakes without butter or oil.
If you use butter, consider brushing it on or clarifying it before using it. It can prevent darker or burnt cakes!
Don’t succumb to the temptation to toss all ingredients into the bowl simultaneously. Incorporate them after they are combined in separate bowls.
Add soda water and allow your completed batter to sit for up to 15 minutes. This can help them to be fluffier.
Sift your ingredients. If you have a hard time leaving lumps in the batter, this can help eliminate many, if not all, of them!
If you find pouring pancake batter messy, use a pitcher to pour it out! A large measuring cup that allows you to pour can also work.
Consider switching out your milk! A milk alternative or apple cider instead of regular milk can bring subtle but delicious changes to your pancakes.
Keep them warm until you serve them, if possible!
When you’ve got more than enough delicious pancakes, you can freeze them to enjoy another time! Place layers of waxed paper between each cake and slide them into a large Ziplock bag before you put them in the freezer. Reheating is as easy as popping them into a toaster.
Savory Pancake Recipe for Really Good Pancakes
One of the hardest parts of making good pancakes comes down to the recipe. So, if you don’t have a mix and need to make some simple, savory pancakes for any time of the day, here’s a simple recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 large egg and 1 egg yolk
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
Directions:
Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, whisk the wet ingredients together and stir in the flour. Allow resting for up to an hour.
On a buttered or nonstick pan, pour ¼ cup of batter and cook until the edges are brown with bubbles on the surface.
Flip the pancake and cook for another minute or so.
This savory recipe is so simple and easy! You can even add anything you like, such as:
- Your favorite herbs or spices like ginger, pumpkin spice, etc.
- Cheese
- Peanut or nut butters
- Yogurt
- Bacon, sausage, chicken, ham
- Scrambled or fried eggs
- Herbed butter
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Sour cream
- Marinara, pepperoni, and mozzarella
- Mushrooms
These ideas are just for getting started. Use your imagination and try to incorporate your favorite savory foods to make the best pancakes you’ve ever had!
Great Pancakes Are Possible for Everyone
Whether you want to make sweet, savory, or any other creative version of pancakes, they can be great every time you make them. A mix like the ones from The Great American Pancake Company is an excellent place to start and worth the time to place a quick order now.
Try the simple, savory pancake recipe above until your mixes are stocked. Then, follow all the secrets to perfecting your pancakes, and you’ll be flipping the best, fluffiest cakes for your family and friends in no time!
