Get Breakfast on the Table Quickly with this DIY Pancake Mix

This homemade pancake mix recipe is your shortcut to a hot breakfast on a busy morning. Keep a jar in your fridge and you can have pancakes from scratch whenever you feel like it. 

Be sure to try these delicious pumpkin pancakes, too!

We’re all busy, but you know what? We all need to eat! This make-ahead kitchen shortcut will have you eating freshly made homemade pancakes from scratch even on the busiest of weekday mornings. You can skip the famous yellow box with its unpronounceable ingredients and make your own ready to use pancake mix.

This easy recipe comes together in a hurry and can be stored in the refrigerator for a month or two, making a pancake breakfast easy to pull together whenever you feel like a stack! It’s one of those must-have pantry staples for busy parents.

Flour —When I use all-purpose flour I opt for the unbleached option. Bleached flour is very white, but it’s also treated withbleaching agentsthat I don’t really need in my food. 

Sugar— Use your favorite brand of granulated cane sugar. I prefer organic.

Baking powder — This is what gives the pancakes their lift, making them light and fluffy. 

Salt — Use your favorite table salt or finely ground sea salt. If you’re on a low sodium diet, you can skip the salt.

Butter — You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. I tend to keep salted butter on hand, and using it doesn’t make these pancakes too salty. 

Start by combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk together until well blended, then cut in the butter. 

Store the mix in an airtight container in the fridge for a month or two. 

When you’re ready to eat pancakes, combine 1 cup of the dry pancake mix with 3/4 cup of milk and an egg. Whisk until smooth and cook. 

I use a cast iron griddle to cook pancakes, as I find it’s easier to flip the hot cakes and I can cook more at one time. Heat the griddle or a large skillet well before beginning to cook. 

Once the pan is hot, drop a pat of butter onto its surface and spread it around. The melted butter prevents the pancakes from sticking. 

Use a ladle to spoon pancake batter onto the greased pan. 

Let the pancakes cook on the hot surface until air holes begin to form and pop. The edge of the pancake batter will begin to look dull. 

When most of the air holes have popped and are holding their shape, use a spatula to flip the hotcakes. The underside of the pancake should release easily and be nicely browned.

This recipe results in a fluffy pancake with no bells and whistles. Like your pancakes with a bit more oomph? Once you’ve ladled the batter onto the hot griddle, sprinkle the batter with fresh blueberries or chocolate chips. 

When it comes to topping your ‘cakes, the sky’s the limit. Maple syrup is, of course, the most common topping, but check out these other ideas to mix things up!

Once the dry mix is put together, making pancakes from scratch is a snap, but to really speed things up, here’s a trick. Plan a day to make a double (or triple) batch of pancakes using this pancake mix. (I love Sunday mornings for this.) Eat what you need and then save the rest, cooling them completely before freezing the pancakes.

Using your favorite waxed paper (if you’re being extra careful to avoid toxins, try a soy based wax paper) cut wax paper into squares and place a piece in between each pancake. Store pancakes in a freezer friendly container. Place a layer of waxed paper on the bottom of the freezer container so the pancake doesn’t stick to it.

Another option for freezing pancakes would be to place the cooled pancakes on a baking sheet and freeze.When the pancakes are frozen, place them into your freezer-safe container and put them in your freezer. By freezing pancakes on a baking sheet first, you reduce the chances of the pancakes sticking together and you don’t have to use waxed paper.

Simply place frozen pancakes in a toaster or toaster oven straight from the freezer until completely thawed and warm. Serve with freshly made warm applesauce for a yummy breakfast!

This post was originally contributed by Loriel Adams from Naturally Loriel in September 2015. It has been completely updated.