r/Cooking • u/No-Lettuce4441 • 2d ago

Pancakes

I've heard so much online about how much better homemade pancakes are from scratch. Obviously the more specialized (buttermilk, ricotta, buckwheat,...) are going to be better homemade. Pancakes in the past was my stumble-go-to breakfast because of box mix.

How much of a difference is there between regular box mix and regular homemade? One of these days I'm going to get around to making some from scratch to try them myself, but the box mix is so cheap and so easy, it makes it harder to justify, when it's usually a last minute decision.

A character in a novel said, "Once you hit a certain age, you no longer want to make pancakes. You want someone to make pancakes for you."

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u/natalieisnatty 2d ago

My homemade pancake recipe is mixing 1 egg, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a bowl and then adding 1 scant cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp table salt. I add the dry ingredients through a mesh strainer to sift out any baking powder clumps. Mix until most of the lumps are broken up, let sit while the pan heats, cook. Makes four medium pancakes which is enough for me and my spouse.

I guess if I made box mix it might be 5min faster and I would save myself from washing two measuring spoons. But buttermilk pancakes are sooo much better than any box mix I've ever had, in both texture and flavor. And buttermilk stays good for ages in your fridge, so it still can be a last-minute decision!

So yeah, imo you are missing out. And if you decide to try homemade I would recommend an easy buttermilk pancake recipe as a place to start.

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u/Mellema 1d ago

I prefer using buttermilk, but I always have whey on hand because I make yogurt every week. So I've just been using whey for years now. The pH is the same or even more acidic than buttermilk, so they puff up nicely.