A Home Chef Gives Us 13 Ways To Upgrade Boxed Pancake Mix

Boxed pancake mix is tasty as-is. However, with a few helpful tricks, tips, and additional ingredients store-bought pancake batter has the potential to be just as good as a homemade one. From swapping out the water for something more flavorful to incorporating spices to layering with sweet and savory ingredients, there's a lot of potential when it comes to upgrading boxed pancake batter.

Word on the street is that making pancakes from scratch isn't all that complicated. But I like to make things easy for myself, so I always buy boxed pancake mix. Starting with a tried-and-true batter is a great base, and I also enjoy upgrading it with fun ingredients and flavors. As a result, I've experimented with many of these additions. To ensure I didn't miss anything super tasty, I also combed through chef recommendations, food blogs, Reddit threads, and more. I compiled a list of 13 ways to upgrade boxed pancake mix that you'll want to try right away. That is, if you're ready to take your boxed pancake mix to the next level — and why wouldn't you?

Adding fruit and other tasty morsels to pancakes is typically the first place people start when experimenting with boxed batter mix. Not only is it incredibly easy, but pancakes are essentially a blank canvas ready for sweet and salty ingredient additions. Some people opt to top their pancakes with fruit, chocolate, or nuts, but mixing them into the batter before cooking is just as tasty, if not more so. When you combine the toppings and batter, they infuse the batter with more yummy flavor than simply spreading them over the top of the finished pancake.

Chocolate in particular is beyond delicious when mixed in because it spreads throughout the batter. Chocolate chips and cocoa powder are my favorites. Slightly less sweet than chocolate, berries, bananas (sliced or mashed), pineapple, raisins, and citrus zest also make wonderful additions to pancake mix. Pumpkin puree straight from the can leads to spectacular results as well.

When you load pancake batter with scrumptious upgrades it can make flipping them a bit trickier due to the extra weight and ingredients. If you're not a pro at this crucial step, there's a simple hack for flipping pancakes that minimizes the chance of a mess. Instead of flipping the actual pancake, flip the pan. Start by lifting the pancake off the pan with a spatula. Hold it steady and rotate the pan so it is now above the pancake. Then, press the uncooked part up to the pan's hot base, and flip them all together.

One of the most convenient things about boxed pancake mix is that the dry ingredients are pre-mixed. For many products, all you need to do is add water, whisk, and cook. However, if you take an extra minute or two to sift boxed pancake mix first, it leads to better, fluffier results. Similar to other baking recipes, sifting flour (or in this case pancake mix) helps remove clumps as well. It also aerates the powder, resulting in lighter, less dense pancakes in the end. Let's face it, fluffy pancakes are where it's at, so why wouldn't you take a moment to sift your mix first?

If your box of pancake mix has been sitting in the cabinet for a while, simply sifting it can help bring it back to its full fluffy potential. Just like with flour, holding your sifter about 12 inches or more above your mixing bowl is recommended. This gives the mix plenty of space to separate before hitting the bowl and also breaks up any remaining clumps. In the end, you'll have a lump-free batter without excessive mixing — sifting your ingredients may save you some time in the long run.

Whether it comes from a box or is homemade, over-mixing pancake batter is a big mistake. You want to make sure the ingredients combine smoothly and don't have any lumps, but if you mix for too long, your flapjacks will likely turn out dense, thin, and tough. Even if you take the time to sift the dry ingredients before adding water (or any other wet ingredients), flatter, denser pancakes are pretty much unavoidable. Why, you ask? The answer is simple: The more you stir, the more air escapes from the mix.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But how do you get the perfect blend without going too far? Well, sifting your mix adds air and breaks up clumps (as we just learned), so it gives you a pretty good head start. After that, you can also mix any wet ingredients separately and then add them to your pancake mix to minimize the amount of whisking needed. If you are using a boxed option that only calls for water and aren't adding anything else, this won't be much help. Still, as long as you keep in mind that minimal mixing is ideal, you should be just fine.

Ordinarily, I'd never recommend adding mayo to anything. I'm not a fan, but I tried adding a spoonful to a batch of pancake batter and was astounded at how much they fluffed them right up. Interestingly enough, the eggs aren't why, either. Apparently, it's the vinegar. When the small amount of vinegar in mayo combines with the baking powder in the pancake mix it reacts by expanding. The result is pillowy, delicious pancakes. Don't worry about the flavor either. I couldn't taste it all, and that's saying something since I typically detest the taste — the tangy mayo flavor was lost among the other ingredients. I did top them with maple syrup and butter, but the mayo was completely undetectable.

Depending on how many pancakes you're making, between one and three spoonfuls of mayo should be plenty. Play around until you get the perfect results for your preferences.

Mayo and pancakes may sound like a strange combination, but once you give it a try, you'll be blown away by the results. In fact, Japanese pancakes are best known for being super tall and fluffy and one of the secret ingredients used to achieve this feat is mayo. The recipe also calls for buttermilk (which helps), but you get the point.

For many store-bought pancake mixes, all you need is what is in the box and a bit of water. However, if you swap out regular water for something richer, like buttermilk, or a liquid with a bit more oomph, like fizzy water, you won't regret it. A small difference like this has the power to completely transform the texture and taste of your pancakes.

Buttermilk is a classic choice. It's creamy, a bit tangy, and slightly thick. Even so, you can swap out the water in your boxed pancake mix with buttermilk using a 1:1 ratio. While the denser consistency may make you think it would lead to denser pancakes, the opposite is true. Buttermilk is more acidic than water and thanks to the presence of baking powder or baking soda in a batter, the acid acts as a leavening agent when the ingredients combine. The end result is fluffier, softer pancakes. Yum!

Another quick, easy way to make boxed mix produce fluffier pancakes is to switch flat water for fizzy water. It instantly infuses the mix with bubbles, leading to beautifully aerated batter and even more gorgeous pancakes. I have a Soda Stream at home, so I'm always trying to add fizzy water to stuff, some with better results than others. Pancake mix is one place where I know it pays off. I've only tried adding plain soda water, but I bet flavors would taste great too.

For the most part, boxed pancake mix has a fail-proof recipe: Add water, mix, and cook. No eggs, milk, or other ingredients are necessary. Even so, including an egg won't hurt your batter. In fact, it'll only make your pancakes lighter, fluffier, and richer flavor-wise. Adding one egg per batch of pancakes has actually been credited as one of the easiest ways to upgrade boxed pancake mix. It contributes fat, which is tasty in any recipe. An egg also gives your batter additional structure while cooking, leading to fluffier flapjacks overall.

Boxed pancake mix is supposed to be incredibly simple to make, but if you want to go the extra mile, separating and whipping the egg whites is also recommended if you're looking to create super fluffy flapjacks. Use a hand mixer or whisk to whip the whites until they form peaks. Then, gently fold them into the mix. You still want to add the yolk, too. It just gets stirred in separately.

Melted butter also makes an excellent substitute. It works similarly to an egg, giving your pancakes a richer flavor and fluffier, moisture texture. Plus, who doesn't love a super buttery-tasting pancake?

I've spent a lot of time discussing fluffy pancakes so far, but what if you want a heartier, more textured pancake? If so, rolled oats have you covered. They can be tossed straight into the batter and they really bulk up your flapjacks. They also add a slightly nutty taste and hint of sweetness, both of which lend themselves perfectly to the flavor of pancakes and maple syrup. While the resulting flapjacks won't be super fluffy or soft, they'll have a unique textured bite. They'll also fill you up quite a bit more.

Rolled oats straight from the box are great for this but so are instant ones. A commenter on Reddit recommends using one packet of instant oatmeal for every ½ cup of pancake mix. They note that brown sugar and maple is their favorite flavor, but any instant oatmeal flavor will work wonders.

In addition to rolled oats, other small grains like fonio, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, or even quinoa can be mixed into your boxed pancake batter. They add texture, flavor, and in some cases (like fonio), nutrition too.

Fizzy water and buttermilk make fantastic substitutions for water in pancake batter, but you don't have to stop there. As it turns out, swapping out water for something else is an outstanding way to infuse boxed pancake batter with a myriad of flavors as well. Apple cider is my favorite, but that could be because I grew up near apple orchards. Regardless, when you add apple cider instead of water, your pancakes get a bold flavor infusion throughout. Top them with cinnamon and butter and you're in for a serious treat.

For more adult-themed pancakes, you can also infuse your boxed pancake batter with alcohol, like beer or rum. Beer adds a bit of lift to your pancakes, thanks to its carbonation. It also infuses flapjacks with malty, hoppy, flavors that taste delectable with pancakes, maple syrup, and other common toppings. If you want to give it a go, light-colored beers without a ton of additional flavor are best because they won't take over the dish. Whether you use half beer and half something else or do a full switch is up to you — both work.

Rum also makes a great addition to pancake batter. It has a slightly sweet, caramel, and vanilla taste that brings a nice flavor and aroma to pancakes. I wouldn't make a 1:1 swap here, though. Instead, reduce the recipe's liquid by 2 ounces and make up the difference with rum.

If you are less worried about achieving the fluffiest pancakes and prefer to aim your efforts toward creating creamy, rich ones, you have a couple of delectable add-in options. Greek yogurt, ricotta, and mascarpone cheese all mix into boxed pancake batter with ease, and the results are astounding.

Greek yogurt and mascarpone cheese are somewhat less common, but chances are good you've had (or at least heard of) ricotta pancakes before. They are a favorite at upscale breakfast restaurants (at least where I live), and once you get a taste you'll understand why. The texture is super soft and the addition of the creamy, wet cheese makes the flavor out of this world. It also pairs well with citrus, so I like to make lemon or orange ricotta pancakes.

You can also take a tip from celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentiis and infuse your pancake batter with mascarpone cheese (which is basically the Italian version of cream cheese). She also adds almond paste and vanilla and almond extract, but the mascarpone cheese is the true star of the show. Like Greek yogurt or ricotta, it leads to decadent (and delicious) pancakes every time.

Stirring an array of seasonings into your boxed pancake batter is a simple way to infuse your flapjacks with flavor. A dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla are fairly common pancake seasonings, but feel free to play around with anything that strikes your fancy. I like to use all three plus a bit of powdered sugar. Any of these seasonings can also be sprinkled over the top of your finished pancakes, but infusing them into the batter before cooking leads to more uniform flavor in every bite. You can still add some to the top for aesthetic appeal, but putting them in the batter as well upgrades it from the ground up.

If you are looking for tips that will make your pancakes taste like they came from a diner, adding malted milk powder is a fantastic place to start. It lends a sweet, malty flavor to pancake batter that deliciously shines through in the final product. The reason this simple addition evokes images of diner-like pancakes is because many breakfast joints start with a sourdough-based batter that is fermented or malted. Fortunately, you don't have to go that deep with a boxed pancake mix. Instead, simply add a small scoop of malted milk powder to your batter and you'll wind up with strikingly similar results.

Another fantastic way to take pancakes to the next level is to layer them with yummy toppings. Sweet ingredients, like Nutella, peanut butter and jelly, sliced fruits, or sweet syrups are a no-brainer. They all make great choices. Or, you can take a different approach and stuff your pancakes with bacon for the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and savory flavors. Either way, stuffed pancakes are undeniably drool-worthy.

Admittedly, this upgrade doesn't make any changes to the actual batter, but it definitely changes the flavor in delicious ways. It also ups the presentation by a considerable amount. A stack of plain pancakes looks appealing as-is, but sandwich slices of crispy bacon, gooey peanut butter and jelly, or both between the layers, and it'll be hard to take your eyes off of them. And if you don't want a full stack of pancakes, you can also add the toppings to each pancake and roll them, kind of like tacos or cannolis. Bonus style points if you have a taco holder to serve them in.

It's pretty much guaranteed that you've tried pancakes topped with fruit and whipped cream before. Or, at the very least, you've seen them served this way. If not, you're seriously missing out because there's no denying these ingredients make a fantastic combination. Whipped cream on top of pancakes slowly starts to melt and adds a rich, creamy texture with a blast of sweetness. Sounds great, right?

Many people opt to add fresh sliced fruit to their pancakes. However, rich, sugary pie fillings are also perfect as flapjack toppings. They have a syrupy sauce that spreads out and seeps into the pancakes in a delicious way. Plus, you get all the fruit along with it and all you have to do is open a can and spoon it over the top of your flapjacks. Anything from apple to raspberry to strawberry to blueberry pie filling and beyond ups the flavor and tastes phenomenal with pancakes. You probably won't need any maple syrup, thanks to the syrupy sweet sauce — but no judgment if you want both!

The final way to upgrade boxed pancake mix doesn't require any extra tools or ingredients. All you have to do is leave your batter to rest for a few minutes after mixing. The extra time allows the flour and other dry ingredients in the batter to better soak up the wet elements, leading to fluffier, lighter cooked pancakes. About 10 minutes should do the trick. Ideally, you'll be able to execute other kitchen tasks during this time, like making bacon, coffee, or something else. However, even if you don't have anything else to do, leaving your batter to rest is still recommended.

If you're in a hurry and trying to get breakfast on the table as quickly as possible, skipping this step could be tempting. After all, you still get tasty pancakes if you choose not to wait. However, the difference is actually quite noticeable. I've seen restaurant cooks use this tip many times and it seemed to pay off. Of course, restaurants often prep foods before service, so leaving pancake batter to rest before cooking is not really a question in fast-paced kitchens. It happens regardless. Even so, the cooks I discussed this with said they do it at home too because of how much it helps the batter fluff up.