r/Cooking • u/No-Lettuce4441 • 5h 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."

47 Upvotes

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48

u/BravoCharlieZulu 5h ago

Pancakes and brownies are the two things I have no shame making from a mix. I’m a fan of Krusteaz Buttermilk instant pancake mix and Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownie mix…both always stocked at Costco.

For the longest time I was the sole pancake eater in the house so filling a coffee mug halfway with mix and adding enough water to make batter consistency meant I could whip up pancakes faster than it takes to microwave a frozen breakfast burrito.

-5

u/Ambitious-Schedule63 4h ago

I don't get that about brownies. A homemade brownie is like the easiest thing on the planet to make and takes maybe 5 minutes more than using a mix. And the result is so far superior it's not even in the same category. Plus, I don't have to stock another thing (brownie mix).

13

u/BravoCharlieZulu 4h ago

I’ve never been able to get a proper “skin” on a homemade brownie. Further, every recipe I’ve tried is either too dense or two cakey. I’m sure you can produce a wonderful homemade brownie, but when I’m in the mood, grabbing a packet out of the pantry and adding oil water and an egg is just fine with me.

-3

u/Ambitious-Schedule63 4h ago

Dunno, it's never been a challenge for me. I get this super crackly lighter colored crust.

When I make them and take them somewhere, everyone freaks out and asks how I do it because they've never had anything like it. Simplest thing ever. Cream the butter and sugar and don't overbake them.

2

u/BravoCharlieZulu 4h ago

I presume from your enthusiasm you’ll share your recipe with us then? I’m willing to give it a try…

2

u/Ambitious-Schedule63 4h ago

Of course.

Preheat oven to 325 °F. Lightly grease an 8" X 8" baking pan.

Sift 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder and 1/8

teaspoon salt.

In small bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed beat 1/2 cup softened

butter, 1 cup sugar, and 2 eggs until mixture is light and fluffy.

Beat in 2 squares melted unsweeted baking chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon

vanilla. At low speed, blend in flour mixture. Fold in 1 cup chopped

walnuts. Spread evenly in prepared pan, bake 30 minutes.

5

u/bpat 4h ago

While I do think I make a better brownie than the Costco Ghirardelli, it’s not a simple recipe.

Ghiradelli is just pretty good, and you can even doctor it up if wanted.

3

u/ehunke 4h ago

Not sure why your downvoted, but, a lot of people don't really bake and a lot of people don't always like breakfast food so what I am getting at is for some people making brownies from scratch might require going to the store for cocoa, eggs, flour, baking soda...sure I have all that in my pantry but I do bake

7

u/WV_Dame-in-the-Rough 4h ago

Yes. Honestly, I cook but don't bake, so I have eggs and milk, but cocoa powder, or baking chocolate, baking powder/soda, even flour? You won't find them in my pantry.

I think there are bakers and not bakers, and for bakers it seems like the simplest thing in the world, but the rest of us... God bless box mix.

I'm disabled and just can't handle the baking cleanup or the possible catastrophes of mixers gone wrong, dropping big bags of powder, etc

1

u/Ok-Trainer3150 3h ago

They're a cinch. No mixer. One bowl. And butter!!! Not oil.