Bestsellers for Pancake & Waffle Mix
A box of pancake mix, some water or milk, and a hot pan. That's breakfast for millions of people on weekend mornings. But most people grab whatever's cheapest, follow the box directions, and end up with pancakes that are fine. Not bad. Not great. Just fine.
A few small changes make a real difference. Picking the right mix for your situation, not overmixing, letting the batter sit for 10 minutes, and knowing which fruit to put in the batter versus on top. None of it is hard. Most of it is about not doing things rather than doing more.
Does pancake mix have eggs?
Usually not. It depends on whether you buy a complete or a traditional mix.
Most "complete" mixes contain milk but no egg. The box says just add water because there's dried buttermilk or milk powder inside, plus extra oil and leavening to do the job an egg would. Krusteaz Buttermilk, for example, lists wheat and milk as allergens and egg only as a "may contain." A few formulas do include dried egg, and recipes change, so read the "Contains" line on the box you're buying.
Traditional mixes don't contain egg. Some still include dried milk. Pearl Milling Company Original (the brand that used to be Aunt Jemima) asks you to add an egg, milk, and oil. Bisquick works the same way: you add the milk and eggs.
Some mixes are fully egg-free and dairy-free. Birch Benders Organic Classic is vegan and just-add-water, which makes it the easy pick for an egg allergy or a plant-based household.
Complete mix vs. traditional mix
This is the first choice you make in the aisle, and most people don't realize they're making it.
Complete mixes have everything but the water built in. Krusteaz, Signature SELECT Buttermilk Complete, Pearl Milling Company Complete, and Birch Benders all work this way. The convenience is real. No eggs in the fridge, no milk, no measuring multiple ingredients. Pour, stir, cook.
Traditional mixes are mostly flour, sugar, leavening, and salt. You add fresh eggs, milk, and oil yourself. The pancakes taste richer because fresh ingredients do more for flavor and texture than powdered versions.
The trade-off is straightforward. Complete mixes are faster and need fewer ingredients on hand. Traditional mixes make better-tasting pancakes if you have a few extra minutes and eggs in the fridge. For a Tuesday morning before work, complete mix. For a Saturday with the kids, traditional mix, or add an egg and milk to a complete mix (most of them taste better this way even though you don't have to).
Buttermilk vs. original. Buttermilk mixes taste slightly tangy, and the acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda for a bit more rise and a more tender crumb. Original (sometimes called homestyle) is milder and a little sweeter. If you like diner pancakes, buy buttermilk. If you plan to load them with toppings, original is a cleaner base.
Bisquick vs. pancake mix. Bisquick is an all-purpose baking mix, not a pancake mix. It has oil already in it, so it also makes biscuits, dumplings, and shortcake. It makes good pancakes once you add milk and eggs, but they come out a little less sweet and a little denser than ones from a dedicated pancake mix.
No bowl at all. Bisquick Shake 'n Pour is dry mix in a bottle. Measure water into it, shake, and pour onto the pan. You still wash the pan, but you skip the mixing bowl.
Kodiak Cakes works both ways. The box says just add water, but using milk and an egg makes a noticeable difference.
Pancake mix brands at Safeway
Here's what Safeway carries, brand by brand. Not every store stocks every flavor, so check your store in the app before you go.
Kodiak pancake mix at Safeway
Kodiak's Flapjack & Waffle Mixes are whole grain with added protein. Safeway carries Buttermilk (in a box and a bigger bag), Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate, Pumpkin, and a Gluten Free Frontier Oat version. The single-serve Power Cups cook in the microwave.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Vital Wheat Gluten, Whey Protein Concentrate, Brown Sugar, Wheat Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Buttermilk, Sea Salt.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Vital Wheat Gluten, Whey Protein Concentrate, Brown Sugar, Wheat Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Buttermilk, Sea Salt.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Cane Sugar, Wheat Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Buttermilk, Blueberries, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Sea Salt, Natural Flavor.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Cane Sugar, Semisweet Chocolate (Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Sunflower and/or Soy Lecithin), Vital Wheat Gluten, Whey Protein Concentrate, Wheat Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Light Molasses (Refinery Syrup, Cane Molasses), Buttermilk, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Cane Sugar, Semisweet Chocolate (Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Sunflower and/or Soy Lecithin), Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Vital Wheat Gluten, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Wheat Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Natural Flavor, Sea Salt.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Cane Sugar, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Vital Wheat Gluten, Pumpkin, Wheat Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Buttermilk, Cinnamon, Sea Salt, Allspice, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves.
Ingredients Gluten-Free 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Brown Sugar, Tapioca Starch, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Eggs, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Dried Maple Syrup, Brown Sugar, Palm Oil, Vital Wheat Gluten Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Natural Flavor, Buttermilk, Sea Salt.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Maple Syrup, Semisweet Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Sunflower Lecithin), Wheat Protein Isolate, Palm Oil, Cane Sugar, Whey Protein Concentrate, Buttermilk, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Natural Flavor, Sea Salt.
Krusteaz pancake mix at Safeway
Krusteaz is the just-add-water standard. Besides Buttermilk in two sizes, there's Blueberry, Sweet Cream, Heart Healthy, Protein, Gluten Free, a seasonal Pumpkin Spice, and a Belgian waffle mix.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Dextrose, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Salt, Food Starch-Modified, Soybean Oil, Buttermilk.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Salt, Defatted Soy Flour, Natural Flavor, Sweet Cream Buttermilk, Nonfat Milk.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Whole Wheat Flour, Leavening (Baking Soda, Calcium Acid Pyrophosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Modified Wheat Starch, Defatted Soy Flour, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Arabic Gum, Salt, Buttermilk (Contributes a Trivial Amount of Cholesterol), Lactic Acid, Guar Gum.
Ingredients Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Wheat Protein Isolate, Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Whey Protein Isolate (Milk), Soybean Oil, Salt, Dextrose, Buttermilk, Natural Flavor.
Ingredients Rice Flour, Whole Grain Sorghum Flour, Sugar, Brown Rice Flour (Rice Flour, Stabilized Rice Bran with Germ), Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Food Starch-Modified, Salt, Tapioca Starch, Xanthan Gum, Buttermilk, Natural Flavor.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dried Pumpkin Flakes (Pumpkin, Maltodextrin, Yellow Corn Flour, Defatted Soy Flour, Molasses Powder (Molasses, Wheat Starch), Dextrose, Salt, Soybean Oil, Spices, Caramel Color, Food Starchmodified, Annatto Extract (Color).
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Maltodextrin, Salt, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Natural Flavor.
Bisquick at Safeway
Original Bisquick comes in two sizes, plus Heart Smart, Gluten Free, and the Shake 'n Pour bottle.
Ingredients Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Palm, Sunflower, Canola, and/or High Oleic Soybean Oil), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Dextrose, Salt, Buttermilk, Monoglycerides.
Ingredients Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Palm, Sunflower, Canola, and/or High Oleic Soybean Oil), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Dextrose, Salt, Buttermilk, Monoglycerides.
Ingredients Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Canola, High Oleic Soybean, and/or Sunflower Oil), Leavening (Baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Sugar, Dextrose, Tricalcium Phosphate, Salt, Buttermilk*. * Adds a Trivial Amount of Cholesterol.
Ingredients Rice Flour, Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Modified Potato Starch, Salt, Xanthan Gum.
Ingredients Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Defatted Soy Flour, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Palm Oil, Dextrose, Buttermilk, Salt, DATEM.
Pearl Milling Company pancake mix at Safeway
Two mixes: Original, where you add milk, an egg, and oil, and Complete Buttermilk, where you just add water.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacinamide, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Salt, Calcium Carbonate.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacinamide, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Buttermilk Powder, Palm Oil, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherols (to Preserve Freshness), Lactic Acid.
Hungry Jack pancake mix at Safeway
Complete Buttermilk and Complete Extra Light. Both are just-add-water.
Ingredients Bleached Wheat Flour, Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Contains 2% or Less of: Dried Buttermilk, Salt, Canola and/or Soybean Oil, Corn Starch, Malted Barley Flour.
Signature SELECT pancake mix at Safeway
Safeway's own brand. Buttermilk Complete comes in a box or a bigger bag, and there's a Blueberry mix too. It's usually the cheapest box on the shelf.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Contains 2% or Less of: Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Buttermilk, Egg Yolk, Salt, Corn Starch, Egg White.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Contains 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Buttermilk, Salt, Egg Yolk, Corn Starch, Egg White, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
Ingredients Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron [Ferrous Sulfate], Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Dextrose, Contains 2% or Less of: Soybean Oil, Baking Soda, Salt, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Egg Yolk, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Monocalcium Phosphate, Gelatinized Yellow Corn Flour, Palm Oil, Vegetable Shortening (Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Oil and/or Canola Oil), Calcium Carbonate, Egg White, Citric Acid, Red 40 Lake, Blue 2 Lake.
Birch Benders pancake mix at Safeway
The Organic Classic is vegan and just-add-water. There's also a Keto mix for low-carb pancakes.
Ingredients Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Cane Sugar, Leavening (Calcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Salt, Contains 2% or Less of: Organic Potato Starch, Organic Tapioca Flour.
Ingredients Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Cane Sugar, Leavening (Calcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Salt, Contains 2% or Less of: Organic Potato Starch, Organic Tapioca Flour.
Ingredients Almond Flour, Tapioca Fiber, Pea Starch, Erythritol, Pea Fiber, Whey Protein Concentrate, Dried Whole Eggs, Tigernut Flour, Palm Oil Flakes (Palm Oil, Natural Butter Flavor, Beta Carotene [for Color]), Dried Egg Whites, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Contains 2% or Less of: Salt, Xanthan Gum.
The mistakes most people make
Pancakes are simple enough that the main thing to learn is what to stop doing.
Overmixing. This is the big one. When you stir pancake batter aggressively, you develop gluten (the protein network in flour that makes bread chewy). That's great for bread. Terrible for pancakes. Stir until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Stop the moment you don't see dry flour. The batter should be lumpy. Lumps are fine. They hydrate and disappear during cooking.
Skipping the rest. After mixing, let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes before cooking. The flour absorbs the liquid, the leavening distributes evenly, and the small amount of gluten you developed relaxes. The difference is visible. Rested batter makes pancakes that are noticeably puffier and more tender.
Wrong temperature. Medium heat. That's it. If you have an electric griddle, 375 degrees. If you're using a pan, test by flicking a few drops of water on the surface. They should sizzle and evaporate in 2-3 seconds. If they vanish instantly, too hot. If they sit there, too cold. Too hot burns the outside while the inside stays raw. Too cold makes pale, flat discs.
Flipping too early. Wait for bubbles to form across the surface and start to pop. The edges should look set and slightly dry. Then flip once. Only once. And don't press down with the spatula after flipping. Pressing squeezes out the air you just spent all that effort trapping.
Too much grease. A light coat of butter or oil, wiped with a paper towel. You want a thin film, not a pool. Too much fat makes the edges greasy and the browning uneven. Re-grease lightly between batches.
Fruit in the batter vs. fruit on top
Not all fruit works the same way in pancakes.
Blueberries go in the batter. They're small enough not to disrupt the structure, and they burst during cooking into pockets of warm fruit. Fresh hold their shape better than frozen. Frozen work but will turn the batter purple (some people like this, some don't). Drop them onto each pancake after you pour the batter rather than mixing them into the whole bowl. You get more even distribution.
Banana goes on the griddle first. Slice a banana into rounds. Place the rounds directly on the hot, greased griddle. Pour the batter on top of them. The banana caramelizes against the hot surface while the pancake cooks around it. This is a better technique than mixing banana slices into the batter, where they just get lost. Alternatively, mash half a ripe banana into the batter itself for natural sweetness without added sugar. The pancakes will be denser but very tender.
Strawberries go on top. They're too wet and too large for the batter. Sliced fresh strawberries on a finished stack, with whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar, is the move.
Raspberries and blackberries also go on top. Too delicate and seedy for the batter.
A quick compote beats syrup. Throw a cup of berries (fresh or frozen, frozen actually works better here), a tablespoon of sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and saucy. Pour over pancakes. Four ingredients, 10 minutes, and it makes boxed-mix pancakes taste like a restaurant breakfast.
Combinations worth trying
Blueberry and lemon. Blueberries in the batter. Squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Skip the syrup.
Banana and chocolate chip. Banana slices caramelized on the griddle (technique above). Mini chocolate chips scattered on the wet batter before flipping. Mini chips work better than standard size because they melt into the pancake instead of sinking.
Banana and peanut butter. Mashed banana in the batter. Drizzle of peanut butter on the finished stack. Warm the peanut butter in the microwave for 15 seconds first so it drizzles instead of clumping.
Strawberry and whipped cream. Plain pancakes. Sliced strawberries and Reddi-wip. Sometimes the simple version is the right one.
Apple cinnamon. Dice half an apple small. Toss with cinnamon and a pinch of sugar. Fold into the batter. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup. Better in fall but works year-round.
Lemon and powdered sugar. No fruit, no syrup. Just a squeeze of lemon juice and a dusting of powdered sugar on plain pancakes. This is how much of Europe eats them. Simple, bright, surprisingly good.
Waffles from pancake mix
Pancake mix works in a waffle iron, but straight from the box the results are soft and pale. Waffles need more fat and sugar than pancakes to get crispy and golden.
Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter and a tablespoon of sugar per cup of prepared batter. An extra egg helps too if you're using a traditional mix. That's the difference between a limp waffle and one with a crispy outside and fluffy inside.
Going the other direction (waffle mix for pancakes) works with less fuss. Just thin the batter with a splash of milk.
High-protein pancake mix
Kodiak Cakes put protein pancakes on the map. Their Buttermilk Flapjack & Waffle Mix (the box that used to say Power Cakes) uses whole grain flour plus added wheat and milk protein to reach 13 to 15 grams of protein per serving, depending on the flavor. Safeway also carries Krusteaz Protein Buttermilk and Premier Protein Buttermilk Complete. Both have about 15 grams per serving made with water, and about 20 grams if you mix them with milk and an egg.
They taste different from regular pancakes. Denser, drier, a bit more wheaty. Not bad, but noticeably not the same. A few things help.
Use milk instead of water, even if the box says water is fine. The fat and protein in milk add richness that protein mixes need. Cook on low-to-medium heat, lower than you'd use for regular pancakes. The extra protein makes them cook more slowly, and high heat burns the outside before the inside sets. Pull them off the heat slightly earlier than you think you should. Overcooked protein pancakes are rubbery.
Adding moisture helps the most. A mashed banana, a scoop of Greek yogurt, or a tablespoon of cottage cheese mixed into the batter makes protein pancakes significantly less dry. You can't taste the cottage cheese once it's mixed in.
Ingredients 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Vital Wheat Gluten, Whey Protein Concentrate, Brown Sugar, Wheat Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Buttermilk, Sea Salt.
Ingredients Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Wheat Protein Isolate, Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Whey Protein Isolate (Milk), Soybean Oil, Salt, Dextrose, Buttermilk, Natural Flavor.
Ingredients Bleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour), Vital Wheat Gluten, Sugar, Whey Protein Isolate, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate), Dried Buttermilk, Salt, Canola and/or Soybean Oil, Corn Starch.
Gluten-free pancake mix
King Arthur Gluten-Free Pancake Mix makes the closest thing to a regular wheat pancake. Kodiak and Krusteaz both make gluten-free versions of their regular mixes, and Bisquick Gluten Free works for both pancakes and biscuits. Gluten-free batter takes longer to absorb liquid and cook through, so let it rest the full 10 minutes so it isn't gritty, and cook over slightly lower heat.
Ingredients Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Starch, Rice Flour, Cane Sugar, Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Calcium Acid Pyrophosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Natural Flavors, Salt, Vitamin and Mineral Blend [Calcium Carbonate, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Reduced Iron, Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)], Xanthan Gum.
Ingredients Gluten-Free 100% Whole Grain Oat Flour, Brown Sugar, Tapioca Starch, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Eggs, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum.
Ingredients Rice Flour, Whole Grain Sorghum Flour, Sugar, Brown Rice Flour (Rice Flour, Stabilized Rice Bran with Germ), Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Food Starch-Modified, Salt, Tapioca Starch, Xanthan Gum, Buttermilk, Natural Flavor.
Ingredients Rice Flour, Sugar, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Modified Potato Starch, Salt, Xanthan Gum.
Real maple syrup vs. pancake syrup
Pancake syrup (Log Cabin, Mrs. Butterworth's) is corn syrup with maple flavoring. Real maple syrup is boiled-down tree sap. Ounce for ounce, real maple costs about three times as much, sometimes more.
The taste difference is also big. Real maple is complex, slightly woody, with actual depth. Pancake syrup is sweet and one-dimensional. Whether that matters to you is personal. Some people grew up on pancake syrup and prefer it. Some kids won't touch real maple because it tastes different from what they're used to.
If you want to try real maple without the sticker shock, Signature SELECT and O Organics both make 100% pure maple syrup, and both cost less than Spring Tree or other name brands. Start with the 16.9-ounce O Organics bottle to see if your household likes it before committing to a 32-ounce jug.
Ingredients Maple Syrup.
Ingredients Organic Maple Syrup.
Ingredients Corn Syrup, Water, Sugar. Contains 2% or less of: Salt, Natural Flavor, Sodium Benzoate and Sorbic Acid (Preservatives), Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, Mono- and Diglycerides, Sodium Hexametaphosphate.
Freezing and reheating
Make a double batch. Freeze the extras. Weekday pancakes in 2 minutes.
Let cooked pancakes cool completely (warm pancakes in a freezer bag create steam, which creates soggy ice-crusted pancakes). Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour until solid. Stack with parchment paper between each one so they don't freeze into a brick. Transfer to a freezer bag. Good for 2-3 months.
Reheat in the toaster straight from frozen. No thawing needed. The toaster gives them slightly crispy edges, which some people actually prefer to fresh. Microwave works too (20 seconds for a couple, 60 seconds for a bigger batch) but they come out softer. For feeding a crowd, spread them on a foil-covered baking sheet and warm at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Homemade frozen pancakes taste better and cost less per serving than Eggo or other store-bought frozen pancakes. The main effort is the one batch. After that, they're just as convenient.
If you want to skip the griddle entirely
Sheet pan pancakes. Pour a full batch of batter onto a greased, rimmed baking sheet (13x18). Add toppings in sections: blueberries in one area, chocolate chips in another, banana slices in a third. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Cut into squares. No flipping, no standing at the stove, feeds a crowd. This is the move for brunch with guests or a family where everyone wants different toppings.
Kodiak cups. A single-serve container of pancake mix. Add water, stir, microwave for 60 seconds. It's not going to replace a real stack of pancakes, but for a dorm room, an office, or a morning where you want something warm and filling with zero cleanup, they're surprisingly decent. About 10 grams of protein.
Frozen pancakes and waffles. Eggo is the budget classic. Kodiak frozen flapjacks have extra protein. Signature SELECT has the cheapest frozen pancakes and waffles. All of them go from freezer to plate in a toaster.
FAQ
Does pancake mix have eggs?
Most don't. Just-add-water mixes usually contain milk powder but no egg, though a few formulas include dried egg. Traditional mixes don't either, and you add the egg yourself. Check the "Contains" line on the box if you're avoiding egg.
Does pancake mix have milk or dairy?
Just-add-water and buttermilk mixes almost always contain milk. Some traditional mixes do too, so check the label. Birch Benders Organic Classic is fully vegan.
What's the difference between buttermilk and original pancake mix?
Buttermilk mix has dried buttermilk for a slight tang and a softer texture. Original or homestyle mix is milder and slightly sweeter. Both come in just-add-water and add-your-own-egg versions.
Is Bisquick the same as pancake mix?
Not quite. Bisquick has more fat and less sugar so it can double as biscuit and dumpling mix, which makes its pancakes a little denser and less sweet.
What's the best pancake mix at Safeway?
Krusteaz Buttermilk and Pearl Milling Company Complete are the classic just-add-water picks, and Signature SELECT Buttermilk Complete is a cheaper store-brand swap. Go with Kodiak, Krusteaz Protein, or Premier Protein for protein, and King Arthur for gluten-free.
Can I use milk instead of water in pancake mix?
Yes. Swap the water for the same amount of milk. If you also add an egg, hold back about 2 tablespoons of milk so the batter doesn't get too runny.
Can I use pancake mix to make waffles?
Yes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of melted butter and a tablespoon of sugar per cup of batter so they crisp up in the iron.
Why are my pancakes flat?
Usually from overmixing, skipping the 10-minute rest, or using an old box that's been open in the pantry for months and lost its leavening power.
Should I use fresh or frozen blueberries in pancakes?
Fresh berries hold their shape and don't bleed. Frozen work too. Drop them onto the batter straight from the freezer without thawing.
Which pancake mix has the most protein?
Kodiak, Krusteaz Protein, and Premier Protein all land around 13-15 grams per serving made with water. Mix any of them with milk and an egg and you get close to 20 grams.
Are protein pancake mixes worth it?
Yes, if you want a more filling breakfast. Kodiak has 13 to 15 grams of protein per serving, though the pancakes are denser and wheatier than standard mix.
What's the difference between pancake syrup and maple syrup?
Pancake syrup is maple-flavored corn syrup. Real maple syrup is boiled-down tree sap and costs about three times as much, though Signature SELECT and O Organics keep the price down.