16 Delicious Ways To Upgrade Store-Bought Pancake Mix

It's not wrong to use a boxed pancake mix, but it's certainly a mistake not to improve its quality. Although you can make decent pancakes with it, they might have a bland flavor or a not-so-fluffy texture. Don't think that convenience means you have to sacrifice excellence, though. There are several ways to give the illusion that you spent time crafting a batter from scratch.

For instance, making easy substitutions, like swapping out the liquid, provides the flapjacks with a more complex flavor. Or, you can also add mix-ins that assist with leavening, moisture, or texture. When you view the store-bought product as a base to build upon and customize to your liking, your pancake game changes significantly. Follow these easy tips to elevate boxed pancake mix into a delectable breakfast treat that will compete with the best homemade pancakes, even your grandmother's renowned recipe.

Make your pancakes more moisture-rich by adding creamy cheeses. For example, you can include cottage cheese, mascarpone, or ricotta in the batter, which results in a flapjack with a softer mouthfeel. These types of cheese are relatively mild in flavor and won't overpower the taste of the flapjacks. You might get a slight tanginess from the cottage cheese or mascarpone, but it's more enjoyable than anything and balances any sweet toppings you add.

For every 2 cups of dry mix, add roughly ¼ cup of your preferred cheese. If it is any more than that, you might have to modify the ratios of the other ingredients because the consistency might be off. Plus, you don't want to add so much that it weighs the pancakes down and prevents them from rising. But with just the right amount, they'll be nice and tender. Moreover, you can add cheddar or another shredded cheese to change it up and make savory pancakes instead of sweet.

Make hearty flapjacks when you add instant oatmeal to your batter. Rather than having to measure cooked oats, all you need to do is use a single-serving pack. It's just the right amount for a batch of about four medium pancakes. Combine the dry oatmeal, liquid, and store-bought mix, folding the ingredients until they form a batter. Once the majority of the lumps are gone, you don't need to mix any further. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to hydrate the oats.

Before cooking it, you can examine its texture. If it isn't thin enough to pour, add a tad more liquid to fine-tune the consistency. Since these packs typically contain sugar, the pancakes also become sweeter. You can use various flavors, such as strawberries (or peaches) and cream, maple and brown sugar, or apples and cinnamon. The oats alone provide a pleasant yet chewy texture, and the packets that contain fruit are just a bonus.

You miss out on a rich flavor if you only add water to your premade pancake mix. Instead, swap it out with a dairy, such as milk or buttermilk. You don't have to adjust the amounts at all; just use them in place of the required amount of water. Buttermilk is slightly thicker, so the batter will be too, but not so much that you need to worry about it.

Another option is to use flavored coffee creamer. With this method, use half water and half creamer; otherwise, it can easily become too sweet for enjoyment. Nevertheless, with the right amount, you can impart the pancakes with hints of caramel, French vanilla, or other decadent flavors. 

Lastly, you can make mind-blowing pancakes by using eggnog. With this ingredient, it's more about using your best judgment. Utilize it as the entire liquid or a portion of it, depending on your preference.

Including some pumpkin puree with your premade mix instantly transforms the pancakes into a flavorsome treat. Although people might usually associate pumpkiny foods with autumn, the canned stuff is available year-round in major grocery stores. And you might even have a can leftover from the holidays that you can utilize. The process is straightforward: Add 1 cup of puree for every 2 cups of pancake mix. The pumpkin doesn't replace liquid or other ingredients in the mix. It is an extra addition. 

This is good news because the hotcakes receive additional moisture while also turning a charming light orange color. Although the flavor is a gentle earthiness and sweetness, you can intensify it by sprinkling some pumpkin pie spice over the finished pancakes. Or, if you have extra puree left over, mix some of it into whipped cream, which you can also use as a garnish.

One way to make boxed mix taste fresher is by adding some citrus, ideally orange or lemon. You can add baking extract, fresh juice, or zest. Not only do these components improve the flavor, but they also have an excellent aroma. Citrus baking extracts are typically concentrated and pack a punch, so you must use them sparingly to get the best results — think 1 to 2 teaspoons per batch, and you can adjust if needed.

Regarding fresh lemon or orange juice, you can add slightly more, about 2 to 4 tablespoons, but adding too much can make the batter loose. If you want the flavor to be more intense, consider swapping the juice for a portion of the liquid amount the recipe calls for. But don't worry if the taste is subtle; adding fresh zest provides a perfect tart touch, and the good news is that you can include as much as you see fit.

With these recommendations in mind, you can experiment with flavor combinations. For instance, make lemon poppyseed pancakes to make the hotcakes look speckled. Or craft wonderfully delicious orange chocolate pancakes by adding fresh juice and chocolate chips.

If you typically use a regular old sauté pan for making pancakes, then using a cast iron skillet might be the trick you need. Cast iron is generally nonstick, especially a well-seasoned pan with a thick coating. This means it's not a hassle to loosen the edges of the hotcakes when cooking them. They release much more effortlessly.

Furthermore, this type of cookware is known for its impressive heat retention. These skillets cook food more evenly than other types, which is beneficial for a couple of reasons. First, you don't have to deal with hot spots that heat one side of the pancake faster than the other. It's nice that the center and edges cook on the same timeline, so you don't have to wonder when to flip it. Secondly, the presentation of pancakes significantly improves as they cook with a beautiful, even browning.

Although pancake mix already contains leavening agents to help the pancakes rise, sometimes you don't get the amount of lift that you want. You may have also had the box in your pantry for a while; the effectiveness of baking powder reduces over time, especially if you've already opened the package it's in. So, even if the dry mix still has a good flavor, it might need an extra boost of baking powder. In this case, less is more because adding too much can cause the hotcakes to have an unpleasant, bitter taste.

For instance, if you're making a batch with 2 cups of dry mix, you can throw in 2 teaspoons of the leavening agent, which does the trick. This method is much easier than adding baking soda since it already contains acidic components and doesn't need to be mixed with an acid to activate.

Give your boxed mix a savory upgrade when you cook bacon into the pancakes. First, start by cooking the bacon and having it ready to go. Pour the mix into the pan and allow it to start cooking. When the edges begin to set, but the top is still wet, take a piece of bacon or two and gently press them into the top. If you want them completely hidden, take a spoon and carefully pour some batter over top. Cover the pan for a minute while the pancake cooks. Once the bubbles pop and the flapjacks are ready to flip, you can turn them to finish cooking the other side and fully seal the meat.

If you just cooked your bacon and still have it in the pan, another option is to pour the batter right over the pieces. If you wish, you can use a tool to fold the slices in half first so the ends of the bacon don't protrude. With this method, keep an eye on how much grease is in the pan. If it is excessive, the batter soaks it up like a sponge. On the other hand, a small amount can benefit the flavor.