Mexican Pancakes Are The Luxurious Breakfast You Need To Shake Up Your Weekend

Fluffy, piled high, and topped with butter, fruit, and syrup, pancakes are a breakfast or dessert dish that transcends borders or national affinity. Here in the U.S., we have a tendency to use tried and true mixes — brands like Bisquick, Krusteaz, and Hungry Jack — but it's always good to shake things up with unexpected upgrades once in a while. Our southern neighbors in Mexico have their own preferred brands resulting in a subtly different, but no less delicious pancake, especially with unique toppings such as caramel-like dulce de leche, sweetened condensed milk, and honey. 

While brands like Gamesa, Pronto, or Tres Estrellas certainly aren't the definitive pancake mixes for all of Mexico, they are quite common. When comparing the ingredient list of say Pronto with a box of Krusteaz, the differences are notable. Pronto uses wheat and soy flour, which means a bigger boost of protein. Krusteaz, on the other hand, lists enriched bleached flour, which includes wheat and, more significantly, malted barley flour that gives a slightly sweeter, nuttier flavor profile. But it's interesting to note that unlike Krusteaz or Bisquick, Gamesa uses annatto, the same ingredient that gives American cheese its iconic yellow color, for an orange/yellow tint, but it also offers a slightly nutty, floral flavor with just a hint of spice.

People in the States are all too familiar with fruity mix-ins and toppings for our Saturday morning stacks; blueberries, bananas, strawberries, and lots of maple syrup immediately come to mind. In Mexico they also adore fruit and maple syrup on their pancakes, but there are also differences with the addition of jams or preserves, a drizzle of local honey, Lechera or sweetened condensed milk, or even the heavenly milk caramel dulce de leche.

Like any recipe, ingredients vary from cook to cook, but one uniquely delicious topping for Mexican-style pancakes is cajeta sauce, a richer version of dulce de leche with a deep, complex flavor made with goat's milk and other seasonings such as cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. If you want to make Mexican pancakes at home, you can order Gamesa and Tres Estrellas through Amazon or even at your local Walmart, then try some fruit preserves, whipped cream, cajeta sauce, or sweetened condensed milk on top. Saturday morning breakfasts may never be the same again!