14 Unexpected Ways To Use Store-Bought Pancake Mix

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What do you use your store-bought pancake mix for? We're gonna go out on a limb here, but we'd guess it's probably for pancakes. That's hardly a shock: store-bought pancake mixes are designed for this very purpose, and produce pancakes that are both tasty and easy to make. However, that's just the tip of the iceberg. For the enterprising out there, there are actually dozens of different uses for this simple combination of flour, sugar, and leaveners, and the specific concoction of ingredients in store-bought pancake mix can give your bakes a light, fluffy texture.

With the right ratios, store-bought pancake mix can be turned into pretty much any other flour-based food. For fans of a firmer foodstuff, pancake bread or pizza crust can be an awesome alternative use, and unlock different meal options. You can also create pancake-like foods with your store-bought pancake mix, like pancake cannelloni, which flips the very idea of the breakfast dish on its head. Plus, cupcakes, corn dogs, onion rings, apple fritters, and biscuits can all be made using this humble ingredient combo and a few choice additions. If you've been trying to figure out how to use that box of mix in your pantry, this article's for you.

The problem with cornbread is that it can just be a little lacking in flavor. Although cornbread is intended to be served as a side with other, more punchy dishes, you still want it to have a little bit of pizzazz, right? That's where pancake mix comes in. Pancake mix, which usually has some degree of sugar mixed in and occasionally other flavorings, has just that bit more punch than regular flour. Plus, its leavening properties mean that your cornbread comes out pillowy and airy, and doesn't sink into being too dense.

When making cornbread with store-bought pancake mix, you should aim for roughly a 1 to 1 ratio of cornmeal to mix. Then, add in your milk, eggs, and butter. If you like your cornbread especially sweet, you may wish to add in some extra sugar or honey, but if your pancake mix is already quite sugary, this may not be necessary. Once you've mixed everything together, your cornbread will bake in about 20 minutes, and will be fluffy and bouncy when it comes out of the oven.

If you don't have the energy to measure out all your different ingredients for cupcakes, we've got a tip for you: You can just use one. Store-bought pancake mix is the perfect all-in-one option for any cupcakes you're making, thanks to its combination of dry ingredients that provide both substance and levity. No need to add baking powder, or loads of sugar: The pancake mix usually has it all in there for you.

Additionally, because pancake mix is relatively neutral-tasting, you can create a host of different cupcakes with it without fear of them having a weird flavor. If you like simple vanilla cupcakes, just combine your pancake mix with your wet ingredients and some vanilla extract. For chocolate cupcakes, you can add in some cocoa powder. You can even make pancake-inspired cupcakes, by chopping up some bacon and mixing it with a buttercream frosting. Add in a little bit of syrup for that classic sweetness, and then spread the combo over the cup of your cupcakes. It's a full breakfast in every bite.

If you're anything like us, corn dogs probably aren't on your weekly dinner rotation. For a lot of people, they seem like way too much effort to make at home, with the dual annoyance of deep-frying and having to whip up a batter just being too much. Thankfully, you can get rid of one of these frustrations by using store-bought pancake mix. Pancake-battered corn dogs are an easy breakfast option, and give your hot dogs a pancake-like, sweet coating that contrasts the sausage incredibly well.

To make pancake corn dogs, you just have to dip your hot dogs in your ready-made pancake batter, and then cook them up. You might want to play with your ratios here to make the batter slightly thicker, so that it clings to the hot dogs more capably. Make sure you have plenty of oil ready to go in your pan, too: You'll want the oil to completely cover the dogs, so that they cook equally on all sides. As for how to serve them, we'd recommend placing some syrup on the side for dipping.

If you're out of dumpling mix, you're in luck: Your store-bought pancake mix can do the job just as well. If you look at the ingredients lists for dumpling and pancake mix, they're pretty similar. Both of them are made primarily from flour, with some form of fat and leavening ingredients inside, as well as some additional flavorings. Although dumplings made from pancake mix can taste slightly different, and may be a little sweeter or slightly more sour (if you're using a buttermilk-flavored pancake mix pack), they're almost a straight swap.

Just bear in mind that if you're making dumplings from pancake mix, you'll have to think about the consistency of your batter. Dumpling batter is way thicker than pancake batter, as it needs to hold its own in the soup, stew, or broth it'll be cooked in. Therefore, you might want to ignore your package's cooking instructions slightly, and add less water or milk than is instructed. You'll need about a third of a cup of liquid for every cup of pancake mix to achieve the right density.

We bet you never thought that you could make onion rings with pancake batter, but it's true. Think about it: Both onion ring batter and pancake batter are made from a fairly simple concoction of flour and some additional ingredients, and need little more than a splash of liquid to come together. Because pancake mix also contains baking soda or powder, it'll give your onion rings a crispy, bubbly exterior, without a lot of effort.

Plus, if you want to amp up your onion rings with some extra flavor, that's easily done. Buttermilk beer battered onion rings are a breeze with pancake mix. You just need your favorite buttermilk-flavored boxed mix and a little bit of beer to mix it with. To give your onion rings more savoriness and depth, add in some garlic granules, or hit your batter with some paprika or cayenne pepper for a little extra spice. Just make sure that you're balancing out the sweetness of your pancake mix with some additional salt, as otherwise, they'll come out way too sugary.

If you're used to spending all your money on bakery cinnamon rolls, it's time to save those pennies and wield the power of store-bought pancake mix. The batter that pancake mix produces has a lightness and sweetness to it that perfectly complements the cinnamon and icing. Plus, it's often filled with extra little flavoring components, which give your cinnamon rolls a little extra pizzazz.

You just have to combine your pancake mix with milk, and a little extra sugar if you want to sweeten it up even more. You should aim for the consistency of Play-Doh with it. Then, roll it out, add in your cinnamon butter, roll it up into a log, and then cook. You can then cook them in the oven or an Instant Pot — using the latter gives them a steamy bounciness that the oven might not provide — before covering them in icing and serving them to your friends and family. If you want to give the rolls a little more flavor, try mixing some cinnamon or vanilla directly into the batter itself.

If you haven't had pancake bread yet, you're seriously missing out. This bread is what your breakfast sandwiches need, and gives a pillowy, soft sweetness to your morning eats that regular bread can't replicate. Pancake bread can be a little cumbersome to make when you're doing it from scratch, but with pancake mix it's super simple. You just mix the dry goods with water, pour it into a loaf pan, and bake.

It's important to note that doing this can produce a pancake bread that just tastes like, well, pancakes — and while that might not be a bad thing in your book, you may want to spruce things up a bit more for a more homemade taste. Adding in some butter or additional buttermilk can give your pancake bread a rounder flavor, while eggs can provide both more richness and extra lift. If you want to add some extra spice, a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice will give the bread some further complexity. Just ensure that you don't go overboard with added ingredients, you can quickly weaken the structure of the bread and ruin its ability to bake properly.

In the modern world, anything's possible — and that includes making pizza crust from store-bought pancake mix. You might not think it, but pancake mix makes an excellent pizza base, thanks to its combination of lightness and a fuller flavor. Naturally, you'll want to make your dough pretty thick so that it can withstand the weight of your ingredients, and doesn't turn into a puddle in your oven.

Pancake mix pizza crust is sweeter than a regular dough, but if you're using a buttermilk version, it'll have a delightful sourness that somewhat emulates a sourdough crust. However, you do need to think carefully about which toppings you'll pair with it. If you want to keep things safe, going for a breakfast pizza is a solid option, and allows you to combine all of your favorite breakfast ingredients in one go. Once you've made your base, top it with some eggs, pieces of bacon, and chopped-up sausage (and a bit of cheese, of course — it wouldn't be a pizza without it!). Bake until everything's cooked and the cheese is bubbling, and you're good to go. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup to make it extra special.

Sometimes, an ingredient that seems like a substitute can actually make a food better. This is precisely the case when it comes to apple fritters, which can be made even better by using pancake mix instead of your regular dry items. Standard apple fritters are made with a yeast dough that requires several hours of proofing, but can still end up heavy and dense. Conversely, apple fritters made with store-bought pancake mix have an easy lightness to them, thanks to the baking soda and other leaveners in its formula, and you don't have to wait around half the day for them to be ready.

If that wasn't enough, pancake mix apple fritters also crisp up beautifully, and the mix's inherent sweetness helps to lift up any sourness from your apples. They develop a perfect brownness when they're cooked, and the gently caramelized note adds an undertone of maturity to the sweeter flavors. Just be careful not to thin out your apple fritter better too much, as this can stop them from having enough body.

If you've run out of biscuit mix, there's no need to worry — store-bought pancake mix is here to save the day. The difference between pancake mix and biscuit mix really isn't that big, and they often use pretty interchangeable ingredients. Plus, if you're using a buttermilk pancake mix, you can get that delicious sour flavor without the use of actual buttermilk, making this the perfect substitute for when you don't wanna head out and get any extra ingredients.

If you're just working with a regular pancake mix, though, there's still a way for you to achieve the slightly bitter notes of buttermilk. Just use vinegar. A dash of vinegar mixed into your milk or water amps up the acidity of the dough, adding complexity during the process. It's best to go for a white vinegar to ensure that there are no additional flavor notes added; you can also use a spritz of lemon or lime juice if you wish, which may give a slightly cleaner sour taste. Oh, and don't forget to add some butter for a dose of extra richness.

Store-bought pancake mix isn't just for breakfast dishes — you can also use it to make a host of desserts, including homemade donuts. One of the best things about store-bought pancake mix is how adaptable it is, meaning that you can add pretty much any extra flavorings you like to it. This is perfect for donuts: You can dash some vanilla extract into the batter to give them a sweet, spicy note, go for strawberry extract for brightness, or even add in some lemon extract for a touch of acidity. Match your flavors with your donut glaze, and you've got an after-dinner treat that your friends will love you for.

Store-bought pancake mix provides the airiness that's key to a good donut, while a buttermilk-flavored mix will give them an extra shade of flavor that stops them from being one-note. Although homemade donuts can be a little daunting, remember that you don't have to bust out the hot oil to make them. Grab yourself a Baker's Friend Mini Donut Maker Machine, which operates with the same principle as a waffle iron: Pour your batter in, clamp on the lid, and wait for your delicious baked treats to pop out.

Churros are one of those desserts that's super fun to make, and one that people just don't try to do themselves enough. The truth is that making them is incredibly simple, especially when store-bought pancake mix is involved. Using store-bought pancake mix prevents you from having to measure out all of your dry ingredients, with the formula being ready-made for cooking. Additionally, it's awesome for achieving the puffy, slightly bubbled texture that's emblematic of an awesome churro, with the leaveners activating in the hot oil and creating pockets of air.

With churros, it's important to remember to make your batter slightly thinner than you think. It will need to be easy to squeeze out into the hot oil, and if it's too thick it'll just clump up. Try not to overcrowd your pan, as the leaveners in your store-bought pancake mix will increase the volume of each churro — if you're not careful, you'll end up with a huge mass of cooked batter. Finally, don't forget to whip up cinnamon sugar to roll them in once they're cooked. That's kinda the best part.

Thought you couldn't make chocolate chip cookies out of pancake mix? Think again. Standard chocolate chip cookie recipes call for a combination of all-purpose flour, leaveners, and sugar, as well as a host of other wet ingredients and flavor additions that make them so tasty (including, of course, those all-important chocolate chips). Store-bought pancake mixes have those three dry ingredients, meaning that your cookies will be both sweet and light — although you'll probably want to add some more sugar in. They are cookies, after all.

Using a buttermilk pancake mix will give your chocolate chip cookies a touch of extra flavor, and the slight sourness of the mix contrasts excellently with the sweet chips. You don't have to settle for chocolate chip cookies alone with your pancake mix, either. You can use it to make virtually any kind of cookie you like. Leave the chips out for a simpler affair, add cocoa powder for double chocolate chip cookies, or toss in some cranberries and white chocolate.

What do you do if you want to make cannelloni, but don't have any pasta lying around? You reach for store-bought pancake mix. This may sound like the worst idea in the world, but bear with us and we'll explain. Pancake cannelloni is a fluffy twist on the classic dish, and is an awesome way to use up the leftover pancake mix sitting in your pantry. Instead of stuffing your fillings into tubular pasta, you stuff them into a pancake and roll them up like a burrito, before dousing them with sauce and putting them in the oven.

Because most store-bought pancake mixes are pretty light in their sweetness, any sugariness won't overpower your savory fillings. Instead, it will provide a nice counterpoint to what can be a fairly heavy dining experience. Having said this, that's no reason not to go small on whatever you're stuffing in your pancakes. For a hearty dish, try a combination of pork meatballs, ricotta, egg, and pesto. Top the pancakes with tomato sauce and mozzarella, and bake until everything's cooked through. Just ensure you don't drench your pancakes too heavily, as this can cause them to disintegrate.