Save Time And Money In The Morning With DIY Pancake Mix

Life's too short to only enjoy delicious breakfasts on the weekends. While classic indulgences like golden waffles and perfect French toast can be time-consuming when made the traditional way, with a little planning, a hot stack of pancakes can easily be yours any morning. Truly — and in not much more time than would be required to cook an egg or make a smoothie. 

To have this dream be your morning reality, the must-try time-saving hack is to make your own pancake mix. Sure, the grocery store shelves are adorned with many such options ready for purchase, but you can also easily whip up the exact same thing at home. Then, when the craving hits, all you need to do is pull your jar or bag of DIY mix out of the pantry, heat up a skillet, and pour in your choice of milk or even water to the mix. 

To make, gather the usual suspects of dry ingredients – flour, sugar for a bit of sweetness (though this is optional), salt, and baking powder – and mix together for later use. Use 1 to 2 cups of dry mix depending on the size of the batch you're making (you can always mix up more as you're cooking). Not only will you save time in the morning when the day demands a hot stack of syrupy cakes, but you'll also be saving money at the grocery store by whipping up a mix with ingredients you already have on hand.

When making your mix, think ahead for your future self and triple or quadruple the recipe. As long as the dry ingredients are properly stored like in an airtight plastic bag or a jar with a well-fitting lid, the mix will stay good on your pantry shelf for a good long while. Compare this to other attempts to make pancakes ahead of time that fall flat, like making extra batter and storing it in the fridge (it doesn't last long and may get funky tasting), or making extra pancakes (which often go dry and tough), and this is the clear winner. 

With a mix, you can make just one pancake or however many you're craving. Simply scoop your dry mix into a bowl, add enough milk to make the desired pourable consistency, add eggs if you'd prefer (though they aren't strictly required, thanks to the leavening agents and moisture from the milk) and you're ready to go. For the fluffiest, lightest pancakes, be sure to thoroughly pre-mix your dry ingredients until they're well combined before you add the liquid, after which you should only mix minimally. Overdoing it can result in a tough texture and is one of the most common pancake-ruining mistakes.

It's your DIY pancake mix, and what you add or subtract from it is totally up to you (outside of the non-negotiables of course, including a leavening agent like baking powder and a pinch of salt). A basic all-purpose flour is the standard fare, but if you prefer using chickpea flour, buckwheat, or a mix, you can. Just be mindful that any time you're experimenting with alternative flours, the results will vary. If gluten is no concern, use a self-rising flour (which already has leavening agents) and the process will be even easier and the ingredient list even shorter. 

Wanting to add some healthy fats? Add ground flaxseed while you're mixing up. For the protein-minded, you may want to add a boost to your cakes and use protein powder (vanilla flavored is best), or even a bit of vital wheat gluten which is loaded with protein, for a breakfast that'll keep you fueled and full.

Pancakes, no matter how you make them, are themselves a bit of a blank slate. Once you've added wet to dry and combined your batter, the sky's the limit for other unexpected updates that make pancakes even more delicious. Toss in chocolate chips, blueberries, add a mashed banana for extra moisture and sweetness, or keep it simple and doll up your quick and convenient stack with the classic butter plus syrup.