Homemade Pancake Mix

Introduction

Pancakes are already pretty simple to make from scratch, but having all of the dry ingredients measured and mixed together makes them even easier.

This Homemade Pancake Mix is one of those pantry staples I love having ready on the shelf. Instead of pulling out the flour, sugar, baking powder, milk powder and salt every time we want pancakes, I can grab one jar and measure out what I need.

To make a batch of pancakes, you simply take 2 cups of the dry mix and add water, an egg and a little vanilla. That’s it.

What I especially like about this mix is that it isn’t only useful for pancakes. I also use it as a base for waffles, pikelets and fritters, so it’s one of those versatile mixes that actually gets used rather than sitting forgotten at the back of the pantry.

Simple, useful and easy to make in bulk — exactly the sort of recipe Make, Store & Save is all about.

Watch the Video – Make, Store & Save

In this week’s Make, Store & Save, I’m making one of the most useful mixes to keep in my pantry — Homemade Pancake Mix.

In the video, I show you how I make up a batch of the dry mix ready to store in the pantry, and then how easy it is to turn 2 cups of that mix into a batch of homemade pancakes by adding just water, an egg and vanilla.

This is one of those mixes I love because it isn’t limited to one recipe. I also use it for waffles, pikelets and fritters, so having a jar already made up gives me a really handy starting point for all sorts of quick meals and baking.

Watch this week’s Make, Store & Save here: One Homemade Pancake Mix, So Many Ways to Use It!

Other Recipes You May Like

If you enjoy making your own pantry staples and mixes, you might also like:

• One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Pantry Mix
• The Best Scone Recipe for DIY Pantry Mix
• No-Bake Apricot Slice Pantry Mix
• Anzac Biscuits Pantry Mix
• Homemade Baking Powder

Why Make Your Own Pancake Mix?

For me, the biggest benefits are convenience and huge savings. It is only 21 cents per 100g to make your own compared to $1.14 for shop bought.

You’re not really doing anything different from making pancakes from scratch. You’re simply doing the measuring ahead of time, when you’ve already got all the ingredients out.

Once the mix is made, there’s one jar to grab instead of five separate ingredients.

It’s particularly handy on busy mornings, weekends when everyone decides they want pancakes, or when you need to quickly make something for afternoon tea.

I keep mine in a 1½ litre glass jar, which holds a triple batch of the dry mix.

And because the recipe isn’t limited to pancakes, it becomes a genuinely useful pantry staple rather than something you only reach for occasionally.

How to Make Homemade Pancake Mix

One full batch almost fills my 1½ litre glass jar and gives you enough dry mix to make several batches of pancakes.

Ingredients for the Dry Pancake Mix

• 3 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 8 Tbsp milk powder (If you don’t have milk powder, just leave it out and use milk instead of water when making up a batch.)
• 1.5 tsp salt

Add all of the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl.

Mix everything together really well, making sure the baking powder, milk powder and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour.

Transfer the finished pancake mix to a clean, completely dry glass jar or another suitable airtight container.

Label the jar Homemade Pancake Mix, along with the date you made it.

I also like to put the instructions for making one batch directly onto the jar. That way, anyone can grab the mix and make pancakes without needing to find the full recipe.

Write on the Label

To Make One Batch of Pancakes:

• 2 cups Homemade Pancake Mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla essence

How to Store Homemade Pancake Mix

Keep your prepared dry mix in a glass jar or suitable airtight container in a cool, dry pantry.

Make sure the container is completely dry before adding the mix. As with any homemade dry mix, moisture is something you want to keep out.

Because the mix contains milk powder and baking powder, check the best-before dates on the ingredients you’re using. Use whichever ingredient has the shortest best-before date as your guide for how long to keep the finished mix.

How to Make One Batch of Pancakes

Once you’ve got your jar of Homemade Pancake Mix sitting in the pantry, making pancakes is really quick.

You Will Need

• 2 cups Homemade Pancake Mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla essence

Add 2 cups of dry pancake mix to a bowl, followed by the water, egg and vanilla essence.

Combine everything well with a whisk.

The batter should be nice and thick, almost like paint. If you like thinner pancakes, feel free to add a little more water. If you prefer thick and fluffy pancakes, keep the batter nice and thick.

Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat and grease lightly with butter or oil.

For each pancake, place 1 tsp of batter into the pan.

Cook until you see bubbles forming on the surface. Turn and cook for a further 1–2 minutes, or until the pancake is cooked through.

Serve with your favourite toppings.

Dairy-Free Version

For a dairy-free version, leave the milk powder out when preparing your large batch of dry pancake mix.

When making up a batch of pancakes, use your favourite dairy-free milk instead of the regular water volume.

What to Serve with Homemade Pancakes

There are plenty of ways to serve pancakes, and everyone seems to have their favourite.

You could serve them with fresh fruit, stewed fruit, yoghurt, jam, maple syrup, golden syrup, sliced bananas or berries when they’re in season.

For something a little more special, add whipped cream alongside fresh fruit.

My personal favourite is much simpler though — lemon, sugar and butter.

Stacey’s Kitchen Tips

• Mix the dry ingredients really well. You want the baking powder, salt and milk powder evenly distributed throughout the mix.
• Use a completely dry container. Any moisture introduced to a dry pantry mix can affect how well it stores.
• Write the instructions on the jar. Add “2 cups mix + 1 cup water + 1 egg + ½ tsp vanilla” to your label so you don’t need to look up the recipe.
• Keep the batter thick for fluffy pancakes. Add a little more water if you prefer thinner pancakes.
• Look for bubbles before flipping. When bubbles begin appearing on the surface, your pancake is usually ready to turn.
• Don’t forget the other uses. The mix is also handy for waffles, pikelets and fritters.

Variations & Substitutions

Dairy-Free Version: Omit the milk powder from the dry mix batch. When you’re ready to make pancakes, use your favourite dairy-free milk instead of the regular water volume.

Thinner Pancakes: Add a little extra water to the prepared batter until it reaches the consistency you prefer.

Waffles: Use the dry mix as the base for homemade waffles.

Pikelets: Spoon smaller portions of batter into the pan to make pikelets.

Fritters: The mix can also be used as the starting point for savoury fritters.

Storage & Make-Ahead Notes

Pantry Storage: Keep your Homemade Pancake Mix in a glass jar or suitable airtight container in a cool, dry pantry. Keep the container tightly sealed between uses.

Shelf Life: Check the best-before dates of the ingredients you’re using, particularly the milk powder and baking powder. Use the earliest date as your guide for the finished dry mix.

Prepared Batter: I prefer to make up only the amount of batter I need. Because the dry ingredients are already measured and waiting in the pantry, making another batch only takes a couple of minutes anyway.

Make Ahead: The dry mix itself does all the make-ahead work for you. Once you’ve prepared a jar, you only need to measure out 2 cups and add three ingredients when you’re ready for pancakes.

Final Thoughts

This is exactly the sort of recipe I want to share through Make, Store & Save. It’s not about filling the pantry with things you might use one day. It’s about making the everyday things that genuinely make life in the kitchen easier.

A jar of pancake mix might seem simple, but that’s the point. I’ve already done the measuring, and when we want pancakes, I can have the batter mixed together in a couple of minutes.

And because I can also turn the same mix into waffles, pikelets or fritters, I know it’s something we’ll actually use.

Make it once, store it in the pantry and you’ve got one less job to do next time.

Stacey