A Baker Tried 12 Store-Bought Pancake Mixes & This Was The Best One

If you've always wondered what the absolute best pancake mix is, you're not alone. There's a wide variety of premade pancake mixes on the market, and identifying which product is the best choice for making a delicious Sunday morning breakfast (or any day of the week, really) can be difficult. To help guide you on your next trip to the grocery store, I tested — and ranked — a number of popular premade mixes to determine which brands rival restaurant-quality, ultra-fluffy hotcakes.

To keep things fair, I followed the precise directions listed on the box for each brand. I used the same size scoop for each pancake, as well, to compare how much the batter spread and rose while cooking. Moreover, I kept the skillet on medium heat and gave it occasional breaks to prevent it from getting too hot or affecting how the pancakes cooked or browned. I also made sure to enjoy the finished flapjacks while they were still warm since that's how they're best enjoyed.

After taste-testing each of these pancakes (both with and without syrup), I learned each brand's strengths and weaknesses. While I was surprised to discover not all premade pancake mixes are as similar as one might assume, one stood out as a clear winner. After considering taste, convenience, and price (among other factors), here is the ultimate ranking of store-bought pancake mixes.

Like the Pillsbury Funfetti mix, Walmart's Great Value premade pancake mix also tasted quite artificial. The desire to have some level of sweetness in a flapjack may be understandable, but a mix shouldn't be so sweet that adding maple syrup makes the pancakes unpalatable. Still, compared to Pillsbury, the consistency of the batter and final product was slightly better, which helped Great Value avoid last place.

The batter was quite thick and did not spread on its own, so I had to use a spatula to manually (and gently) spread it on the skillet after pouring. Otherwise, I would've had a mound in the center of the pan. Additionally, once they had cooked, I found the crumb was dense, which made the pancakes feel almost gummy when chewing.

Although the taste and texture was underwhelming, Great Value ranks above the Pillsbury Funfetti pancake mix because the Walmart brand is cheaper. It can be great when you're on a budget (though it's not better than the brands ranked higher).

Simple Mills markets its pancakes as nutritious, non-GMO, gluten-free, and made with no artificial ingredients — which may be why it was among the more expensive pancake mixes on this list. Now, while the pancakes weren't terrible by any means, the high price (and smaller box) hurt it overall. Additionally, a couple of other factors contributed to Simple Mills coming in ninth place.

First, the brand's hotcakes require milk and eggs in addition to water, which removes the convenience factor many consumers look for in a boxed mix. Frankly, if you're already going through that much effort for a costly pancake mix? It might be better (and potentially cheaper) to simply make a batch of pancakes from scratch. You can even make almond flour yourself to match the Simple Mills version.

I felt the texture of the pancakes was good — particularly for a product marketed as healthy — though they had a slight graininess since the mix is made with almond flour. The flavor wasn't bad, but the pancakes had a distinct earthy taste, which may not be everyone's preference. At the end of the day, Simple Mills might be worth the money for someone looking for a gluten-free alternative since those are hard to come by. But it's definitely not the ultimate pancake mix or the best choice for everyone, so it ranks in the bottom half.

I grew up eating pancakes and syrup from Pearl Milling Company (though the food brand was known as Aunt Jemima before famously changing its name in 2020). I was curious to see whether the product lived up to my childhood memories. Unfortunately, this pancake mix wasn't quite as amazing as I remembered, and ends up in the middle of the ultimate pancake mix rankings as a result.

The pancakes are simple to make and only require water, and there was nothing noteworthy about the batter when I mixed it; it was neither too thick nor too thin. They did have a noticeably sweet flavor, though it wasn't overpowering, so there was room to add as much syrup as I wanted, or other toppings like quick and easy homemade jam.

On the other hand, while the hotcakes were soft, I felt they could have been fluffier. The texture was slightly springy, but they were still heavy and had a cakey mouthfeel — an issue I'm sure can be fixed by playing with the amount of water added to the mix. Although I'd certainly eat pancakes made with Pearl Milling Company mix again if someone made them for me, I wouldn't necessarily choose it myself while grocery shopping. There are more impressive options, so this average pancake mix ranks in seventh place.

Bisquick is a household name when it comes to pancakes — one I've tried before. In fact, I was fairly confident it was a quality product for its price, and it turned out to be almost exactly that. While this pancake mix requires milk, oil, and eggs to make, I could let that aspect slide because it's such an affordable product. More than that, the need for additional ingredients was the only major drawback and, in general, Bisquick had a pleasing flavor worthy of a fifth-place ranking.

These pancakes weren't too sweet or bland; rather, they were somewhere in the middle. When enjoyed with syrup, the texture of the pancakes was light and fluffy, as it should be. However, when I ate one without syrup, it had a somewhat tacky or chalky mouthfeel. This is something to consider if you like to enjoy your flapjacks plain or with fewer accompaniments, but I assume most people like to dress up their hotcakes one way or another.

Since Bisquick was both better-tasting and considerably less expensive, it easily outranked Bob's Red Mill. It might not have bested the top four pancake mixes, but it's a great option (and Bisquick is the secret to nostalgic chocolate chip cookies in a pinch, too).

Hungry Jack is another well-known brand in the world of pancake mixes. It was my first time trying this product, and I was amazed at how silky the batter looked. It may have looked a bit on the thin side when I mixed it, but that wasn't an issue because it didn't spread too much in the skillet. More than that, when I performed the taste test? The final product was nothing short of decadent.

This product held a classic pancake flavor that the lesser-ranked brands seemed to lack in some capacity. Additionally, the sweetness level of Hungry Jack pancake mix was nearly perfect, and I had zero complaints about the taste. The reason it's at number three (and below the top two pancake mixes) is that the texture was somewhat deceiving. While the hotcakes looked quite fluffy, they weren't as tender as I hoped. If they had been a tad airier, they might've earned the number two spot. But considering the remarkable taste, affordability, and ease of use, Hungry Jack is well placed in third.

Coming in first place is Krusteaz buttermilk complete pancake mix. Not only does it taste phenomenal, but you also get the most value for your money, as it was one of the cheaper options I purchased. The batter was thick but spreadable and cooked effortlessly on the skillet, with the pancakes growing in height and creating many bubbles. More importantly, one bite of these hotcakes made me feel like I was enjoying a perfect diner-style pancake.

I could taste the malted barley flour in them (which provided a toasty, caramel-like undertone), and the mix contained just the right amount of sugar. The end result was essentially what you dream of when thinking of a fresh buttermilk pancake.

The most mouthwatering part was the texture: soft and pillowy inside with a crispy, golden brown outer crust. Although the other pancakes had nice browning, they didn't form the same type of crust — so I suppose "Krusteaz" lives up to its name. With a classic pancake flavor and the convenience of just adding water, you really can't go wrong with this mix. Krusteaz produced a truly irresistible pancake, and this mix comes out on top in every way.