The Best Basic Homemade Pancake Mix

Preparation Time: 5 minutesCooking Time: 10 minutes

Basic dry pancake mix that you can make now for quick and easy pancakes later. To make pancakes combine 1 1/2 cups pancake mix, 1 slightly beaten egg, 1 cup water, and 3 tablespoons of oil. Cook on a hot oiled griddle for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Makes 10 to 12 4-inch pancakes. You can find the original recipe in Make-A-Mix Cookery published in 1978.

Pancakes are an inexpensive way to feed a lot of hungry people in a hurry. As of June 2022, purchasing 10-pound bags of complete buttermilk pancake mix and big box stores enables you to make 4-inch pancakes for only 3 cents each. We discovered that you can make a better mix from scratch for slightly more money.

This recipe comes from a Make-A-Mix Cookery book published in 1978. You may be able to find this book on Amazon. I love all of the wonderful basic recipes that this book makes possible. I was gifted mine from my grandmother.

Don’t limit yourself to simply serving pancakes for breakfast in the morning. With a little bit of creativity, you can serve all kinds of delightful pancake combinations! These are just a few ideas to get you excited about pancakes.

  • Apples with cinnamon
  • Corn pancakes (add part cornmeal or canned creamed corn)
  • Pumpkin chocolate chip
  • Pumpkin spice (replace with squash from the garden)
  • Chocolate pancakes
  • Oatmeal chocolate chip
  • Cranberry orange pancakes
  • Banana Oat pancakes
  • Strawberry pancakes
  • Zucchini pancakes (Cinnamon, zucchini, walnuts, dried fruit)
  • Zucchini chocolate chip
  • Lemon raspberry
  • Lemon poppyseed
  • Chocolate chip pancakes
  • Sweet potato pancakes
  • Parmesan and herb pancakes – parmesan cheese, chives, thyme, garlic, black pepper
  • Spinach, bacon, cheddar cheese pancakes
  • Feta and Chive pancakes

Toppings add another delightful dimension to traditional pancakes.

  • Fresh berries
  • Honey
  • Brown sugar syrup – ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup water – stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved (1-2 minutes) cool to room temperature.
  • Preserve syrup – mix jam, jelly, marmalade, or preserves with a little bit of water and whisk over medium heat until the right consistency.
  • Homemade maple syrup – 2 cups granulated sugar and 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup honey or corn syrup, 1 ½ cups hot water – boil over medium heat and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes then add 1 teaspoon maple extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
  • Orange sugar syrup – 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, peels from 4 oranges with white pith removed. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. The mixture thickens as it cools. (add a pinch of salt, pinch of cinnamon, and ¼ tsp vanilla for added flavor)
  • Buttermilk syrup – Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cube butter, and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Absolutely delicious! Serve hot!
  • Powdered sugar and syrup
  • Peanut butter and bananas
  • Bacon bits and syrup
  • Sausage gravy
  • Chocolate chips
  • Yogurt
  • Applesauce
  • Pie filling (thicken cooked fruit with cornstarch or tapioca flour)
  • Chocolate syrup
  • Strawberries and cream
  • Sprinkles
  • Pineapple with syrup
  • (Churro) Cinnamon and sugar with chocolate sauce
  • Whipped cream and sprinkles

Leftover pancakes are ideal for lunch and snacks

  • Roll with cinnamon and sugar
  • Roll with chocolate frosting or Nutella
  • Roll with jams or jellies
  • Use for sandwich bread

Ingredients

  • 10 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups instant nonfat dry milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup baking powder
  • 2 Tablespoons salt

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Makes about 13 cups.

Kylene

Kylene Jones is a blogger, content creator, published author, motivational speaker, homesteader, prepper, mother, and grandmother. She practices self-reliance, provident living, and emergency preparedness in her everyday life. She loves working with her husband, Jonathan, and is committed to helping our community be prepared to thrive during the challenges that lie in our future.