5 Easy Ways to Make Boxed Pancake Mix Taste Homemade (2024)

Why settle for boring when you can make boxed pancakes better with very simple moves?

Sarra Sedghi has more than 10 years of experience as a food writer. She covers cooking, restaurants, and food culture, as well as travel, design, and lifestyle.

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Published on November 7, 2021

5 Easy Ways to Make Boxed Pancake Mix Taste Homemade (2)

Although there's nothing quite like a from-scratch stack of pancakes, there's plenty of merit in reaching for a just-add-water box mix. Pre-made pancake mix is affordable and convenient, and can make a satisfying breakfast in situations where you may not have refrigeration or power — which is why pancake mix is perfect for camping. That being said, boxed pancakes can, quite honestly, taste pretty boring. But it's easy to dress up boxed pancake mix to improve flavor and texture without a lot of effort. Try one of these simple alterations to give boxed pancake mix that homemade taste.

1. Sift the Mix for Fluffier Pancakes

One of the simplest ways to upgrade boxed pancake mix just so happens to be a classic baking technique: sifting. While boxed pancake mixes never call for sifting, the simple technique will remove any possible clumps and aerate your dry mix (especially if it's been sitting around for a while), giving your pancakes a fluffier texture. As long as you have a fine mesh strainer, the only thing sifting your pancake mix will cost you is a few minutes, and it's well worth it.

2. Add Dairy for Richness

One element that separates homemade pancakes from box mix is the inclusion of fresh dairy. Milk, yogurt, melted butter, and ricotta cheese are just a few dairy products that can alter a box mix pancake's structure, yielding a pancake that's both fluffy and moist. If your pancake mix simply calls for water, substitute the same amount of milk and enjoy an airier texture. For guaranteed moisture and richness, add some melted butter to your batter. A few tablespoons of Greek yogurt or ricotta cheese will give your pancakes a richer flavor.

3. Add Flavorings

Here's another easy adjustment: Run a quick inventory of your spice cabinet, and incorporate a teaspoon of extract or seasoning into your batter. Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract are good options, but you can also add cozy flavors with pumpkin pie spice, almond extract, or chai powder, or spices such as allspice or cardamom. For a little zing, try adding a citrus extract or finely grated lemon zest.

4. Add Egg for Texture

If your box mix doesn't call for eggs, then "breaking the rules" and adding one anyway can easily improve both taste and texture. For especially light pancakes, fold in a beaten egg white; to add extra moisture and richness, try whisking in just a yolk.

5. Don't Forget the Extras

Add-ins and toppings can go a long way in giving boxed pancake mix a special touch. No matter what kind of mix you use, there's no denying that stirring ingredients like blueberries, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and canned pumpkin will make your pancakes feel — and taste — special. You can also top your stack of flapjacks with whipped cream or real maple syrup to disguise unaltered box batter. (By the way, whipping syrup with cream cheese makes a wonderful, frosting-like topper.) There's a lot of creative freedom here, and any idea will make your just-add-water pancake mix taste more like you made it from scratch.

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