If you love pancakes but hate paying “convenience tax,” this Homemade Pancake Mix Recipe is about to be your new weekend (and weekday) hero. It’s fluffy, consistent, and ready whenever you are—without the mystery ingredients or the store-bought price tag.
Bonus: we’re doing a real cost breakdown so you can see exactly how this mix ends up cheaper + better than the boxed stuff. Keep a jar in your pantry and you’re basically 5 minutes away from pancake peace.
Why You’ll Love This
This mix is simple, customizable, and seriously budget-friendly—plus it makes pancakes that taste like you tried harder than you did (the best kind of cooking win).
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (36g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- Optional: 2 tablespoons powdered milk (adds a cozy, “diner pancake” vibe)
How to Make It
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and powdered milk (if using) until evenly combined.
- Store the mix: Pour into an airtight container (a big jar, canister, or zip-top bag). Label it with the date and the “to make pancakes” directions below.
- Make the pancake batter: For one batch (about 8–10 pancakes), add 1 cup pancake mix to a bowl.
- Add wet ingredients: Whisk in 1 cup milk, 1 large egg, and 2 tablespoons melted butter (or neutral oil). Stir just until combined—lumps are totally fine.
- Rest the batter: Let it sit for 5 minutes. This helps the flour hydrate and gives you fluffier pancakes.
- Heat the pan: Warm a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter or oil.
- Cook: Scoop batter (about 1/4 cup per pancake) onto the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set, 2–3 minutes.
- Flip + finish: Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until golden and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t overmix: Overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes tough. Stir until you don’t see big streaks of dry mix.
- Resting matters: Even 5 minutes makes the batter thicker and the pancakes fluffier.
- Control your heat: Medium heat is the sweet spot. If pancakes brown too fast, lower the heat a bit.
- Fresh leaveners = better lift: If your baking powder is older than 6–12 months, your pancakes may come out flat.
- Measure the mix correctly: Spoon into the measuring cup and level it off. Packing it in can make batter too thick.
- Keep them warm: Hold cooked pancakes on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven while you finish the batch.
Variations
- Buttermilk-style: Use 1 cup buttermilk instead of milk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, rested 5 minutes). Your pancakes will be extra tender and lightly tangy.
- Whole wheat: Swap in up to 1 cup whole wheat flour (out of the 3 cups) for a heartier vibe.
- Protein boost: Add 1–2 tablespoons hemp seeds or ground flax to the dry mix (start small so you don’t dry out the batter).
- Vanilla + cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the batter and/or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the dry mix.
- Chocolate chip or blueberry: Sprinkle add-ins onto the pancake right after you pour the batter (instead of mixing in) to prevent sinking and streaking.
Storage & Reheating
Store the dry pancake mix airtight in a cool, dry pantry for up to 3 months (longer is possible, but the leaveners slowly lose power). For cooked pancakes, refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in the toaster for crispy edges, or microwave in 20–30 second bursts until warm.
FAQ
How much does homemade pancake mix cost compared to store-bought?
It depends on your pantry prices, but here’s a realistic example: flour ($0.50/lb), sugar ($0.90/lb), baking powder ($2.50/8 oz), baking soda ($1.00/16 oz), and salt (pennies). This recipe makes about 3 1/2 to 4 cups of mix. At typical budget grocery prices, it lands around $1.50–$2.50 total (roughly $0.40–$0.70 per cup of mix). Many boxed mixes run $2.50–$5+ for a similar amount, especially the “just add water” ones.
How many pancakes does this mix make?
The dry mix recipe makes about 3 1/2 to 4 cups total. Using 1 cup mix per batch yields around 8–10 medium pancakes, so the full jar makes approximately 3–4 batches (about 24–40 pancakes, depending on size).
Can I make this pancake mix “just add water”?
Kind of. For true just-add-water, you’d need to add powdered milk to the dry mix (this recipe includes it as optional). You’d still be missing the richness from egg and butter, but you can do: 1 cup mix + 1 cup water + 1 tablespoon oil. The pancakes will be a bit less tender and flavorful than the egg-and-milk version, but still totally solid.
Why are my pancakes flat or dense?
The most common reasons are: overmixing the batter, batter sitting too long (leaveners lose power once wet), old baking powder, or a pan that’s too hot (outside browns before the inside can rise). Mix gently, rest 5 minutes, cook on medium, and check that your baking powder is fresh.
Can I double or triple this recipe for meal prep?
Yes—this is perfect for scaling. Just keep the ratio the same and whisk very well so the baking powder and salt distribute evenly. Store in a large airtight container and label it with the per-batch directions: 1 cup mix + 1 cup milk + 1 egg + 2 tablespoons melted butter.