The Pan Hack That Turns You Into A Pancake-Flipping Master

If you have ever woken up with a pancake craving and decided to make a stack yourself, you have probably also had your fair share of mishaps. You go to flip the pancake by carefully lining and shuffling the spatula between the batter and the skillet, lift, only to misaim, hit the side, or miss the pan entirely. But maybe it is all a matter of perspective because rather than trying to master the art of flipping the pancake, we could just flip the pan instead. The pan or skillet is, after all, a big part of the pancake-making process. 

This pancake-flipping hack works best with a nonstick pan because you don't need to use oil or butter, which could splatter or drip onto the stove. All you have to do is wait for your pancake to cook until those bubbles begin to form, then slide your spatula beneath the pancake and lift it. With your other hand, firmly grip the handle of your skillet, and turn it over the pancake, so the uncooked side of it is in line with the center of the pan. Gently tip them both over, so the raw side of the pancake is now against the surface of the pan, and place it back on the burner.

The good news with this pan hack is that you can also use it if you don't have a nonstick pan on hand. You just need to prime your pan well. Firstly, heat it all the way through — on medium heat. Once this is done, lightly brush it with some butter. If you are using oil, you can dab a paper towel with the oil and wipe it onto the surface of the pan. You want to ensure that there's no excess fat so that your pancake has a nonstick yet non-greasy pan surface to cook.

To get the best results, make sure that your pancake batter is also made well. You can switch to bread flour for the fluffiest pancakes of your life; this is an easy substitution as you can simply forgo the usual all-purpose flour without adjusting the measurements. Other delicious ingredients that will change the way you make pancakes include Greek yogurt, warm spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, or even a little rum. Once the batter is mixed, let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to avoid the one batter mistake that kills fluffy pancakes.