No, “Dreaded Pancakes” is not the nickname of my nemesis.
Here’s the deal.
I bought a waffle iron (cue readers saying, “Buh buh buh but he said pancakes) and have been enjoying the unholy fuck out of it. It’s a Presto something-or-other. Pretty standard Belgian waffle-maker. Gets hot. Cooks the waffles in three minutes. Bam. Boom. Deliciousness. (I am at present using a recipe, aptly called The Best Ever Waffles, supplied to me by the wise @xiehicks on the Twitters.)
(Cue readers saying, “Uhh, he’s still talking about waffles. Does this dim-bulb know the difference between a waffle and a pancake? Honey, I think this guy’s a real dum-dum. So sad.”)
The point: I’m getting to it.
The reason I wanted to procure a waffle-maker is that my pancakes never turn out right.
I’ve made pancakes for years. Years. I’ve tried dozens of recipes — and, let’s be frank, it’s not like you have that many varieties of pancake recipe out there. It’s not like you find that one special recipe where you’re suddenly all, “OH MY GOD, this recipe uses seal blubber and oregano! That’s the secret! Holy shit!” And after that it’s just an endless reiteration of perfect motherfucking pancakes, right? Right.
My pancakes, to clarify, are not bad, per se. They’re edible. They’re sometimes even good. This is where you’re likely asking, “So what’s the problem, moron? Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
To which I say, “Yes, good point.” Except — when I go to a diner, or frankly any establishment that makes pancakes, I get these big pancakes that are light and fluffy and porous and heavy too at the same time and really, they’re just great. They are restaurant-quality flapjacks.
I cannot achieve this at home no matter how I try.
Mine are always these little puffy urinal pucks (though one presumes better-tasting).
A little thick, a little cakey.
So, I demand to know your secrets.
Someone out there is making kick-ass pancakes, and it ain’t me. Are you making diner-quality pancakes? What’s your trick? Is it a batter thing? A heat component? A matter of cooking surface?
Gun to your head: GIVE UNTO ME YOUR SWEET PANCAKERY.
Sparky says:
If my preferred greasy spoon is any indication the secret is to use the same giant flat heating surface to cook everything. Eggs, burgers, pancakes, giant scones all the same presumably greased up surface and all equally delicious. Or they make a sacrifice to a demon to make the food from the souls of the damned. One of the two.
Now my mother had a trick involving pancakes, and she used to work in the restaurant my grandparents owned so I guess it’s also a diner trick. Large evenly heated cooking surface. A proper or improvised griddle, not a pan. Cast iron works rather well. After mixing batter (box mix works fine) pour liberally and quickly onto hot surface in one smooth motion. With luck the batter will bubble quickly and spread evenly.
March 26, 2012 — 12:34 AM
Josin says:
My grandmother used to put plain yogurt in hers. It was like eating clouds. Big fluffy clouds.
March 26, 2012 — 12:35 AM
mythago says:
Make sure whatever leavening you’re using is still good. You’re not going to get fluffy anything if your baking powder was canned back when Eisenhower took office.
And yeah, the cooking surface is important. I have one of those big flat grill things that goes over two burners. You can get an electric griddle, too.
March 26, 2012 — 1:25 AM
Peta says:
Try using buttermilk, not regular milk and chill the mixture before you cook it.
March 26, 2012 — 1:28 AM
Anna Lewis says:
Mmmm, pancakes. My grandma’s recipe is older than God and the bestest ever. It calls for 5 teaspoons of baking powder and a mix of buttermilk and milk that makes these awesome ‘jacks unbelievably tall and fluffy. She also swore by either butter or bacon grease in the pan, instead of oil (and we were farmers, so that was home-grown butter & pig fat. Nomz).
Couple years back I made up my own recipe for sweet cornbread pancakes that came out *really* good, which was surprising ’cause I’m not in the habit of making up stuff in the kitchen. If you need another couple recipes for your pancake collection, I’d be happy to share….
March 26, 2012 — 1:35 AM
Kristin Nador says:
Buttermilk does the trick for me. You can buy a quart or get the dried kind that lasts forever (6 months). Use instead of regular milk for a lighter creamy taste. Plus I agree with Sparky the evenly heated cooking surface makes a difference. I use an awesome tramontina stainless steel pan coated with real buttah. And you have to say it like that when you’re cooking pancakes. Used to use any old pan and they never came out consistently good. Plus real maple syrup. Yum.
March 26, 2012 — 2:42 AM
Jenna says:
When I make them from scratch I use the basic pancake recipe from marthastewart.com. If I use a mix (which I do much more often) you just have to be careful not to overstir it because that will kill the air bubbles that give it that lightness you want. My dad made the best pancakes ever and all he ever used was Bisquick with an extra egg.
The real trick is the surface, and this is a trick I also got from Martha Stewart: heat your cooking surface, then let some butter melt on it. Once that’s melted, wipe up the excess with a paper towel, then bake your first batch.
Also remember not to flip them until the air bubbles stop closing up after they pop when they reach the top of the pancake. if an air bubble stays open that means the bottom is cooked completely.
March 26, 2012 — 3:56 AM
copybeard says:
I find a little structural integrity helps. Try dicing a pear and adding that. And don’t put too much batter on the hotplate.
I hear the true secret is something to do with air. But I hate air.
March 26, 2012 — 5:16 AM
Terry says:
You won’t need any baking powder if you beat the egg whites to a thick foam, then *very gently* and *very slowly* add the yolks with the flour, sugar, milk, etc.
March 26, 2012 — 5:29 AM
Shiri Sondheimer says:
Alton Brown’s recipe. He includes a dry mix that keeps for a while, what wet stuff to put in, and how to cook them. Good science = fluffy pancake.
March 26, 2012 — 6:48 AM
Katemiya says:
Replacing the liquid with 7up or a similar carbinated drink is also good for creating fluffy and light pancakes. The extra egg trick is also good.
March 26, 2012 — 6:51 AM
Abby says:
I’ve had trouble with pancakes for a long time. If you get the recipe right (so, truth time, I use a boxed mix, it works.) then heat and surface are really what make the pancake turn out right. I have a flat square griddle, which is a good pancake cooking surface. You have to heat it at about medium, medium-high temp. Heat that griddle for a couple minutes, then rub a stick of butter all over it and let that melt (I think I learned that from Alton, can’t be sure.). Then and ONLY then, scoop your batter out onto the griddle. You don’t need to rebutter each time, only about every third or fourth batch, really. Cook them on the first side till they have the bubbles and the edges are dry (another confession: my first batch always looks weird, like they aren’t sure they want to be pancakes. I take it in stride, and the next ones turn out fine.). Then you flip them and let them cook about the same amount of time on the other side. Again, I think I learned all this from Good Eats. Before that, my pancakes were either underdone or burnt. And anyway, I think restaurants use crack in their batter, which is how they get us to come back.
March 26, 2012 — 8:19 AM
robert bucchianeri says:
Your quest has ended.
Here is the one:
1 & 1/2cups flour( But I prefer an equal mix of white or wheat, corn meal, and oatmeal. Try it you’ll like it)
1-3 tablespoons sugar
A touch salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
3 tablespoons canola or like oil
1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk
t tsp vanilla
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl
In second bowl beat the eggs, add oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Pour wet stuff into dry, stir just too combine. Not too much.
Voila. Simple. Amazing. The key is the nutmeg, although buttermilk is always important.
By the way, have you tried overnight waffles where you add yeast and let it sit and finish in the morning–best waffles ever.
Ciao
Bob
March 26, 2012 — 8:33 AM
Kelly Hitchcock (@KellyHitchcock) says:
My recipe out of my Fannie Farmer cookbook makes perfect pancakes. And you just successfully made me want to go out and buy a waffle iron.
March 26, 2012 — 8:36 AM
Sarah Z. says:
I share your pain with the pancake struggles. Mine are always like heavy little hockey pucks while my mother makes divine creations that would tempt angels to sin. One thing I have heard is that you should never pat a pancake after you flip it with the spatula because you’re compressing all the fluffy air bubbles out of it. I never even realized I do it until someone pointed it out to me. My batter is usually really thick as well while my mother’s batter is much more liquid. Unfortunately she’s one of those people who never measures and just throws things in a bowl and they taste perfect. I think she’s a wizard.
March 26, 2012 — 8:50 AM
Sarah says:
Chuck, I think it’s really easy to over think pancakes. You might just be over mixing the batter. Let it be a little lumpy and they will come out more fluffy. If you mix the batter until it’s smooth, the pancakes will be more dense.
Good luck! And let us know how your pancake experiments go. 🙂
March 26, 2012 — 9:04 AM
Lindsay Mawson says:
My pancake mix comes from the Betty Crocker box. When I cook it, I use oil and the spatula to flatten a bit b/c I hate the gooey fat areas. I don’t have any special secrets, but I never did put too much thought into them. I just slather them with maple syrup (yes, the fake stuff) and strawberries or blueberries, whatever works.
My husband loves them with diced apples, because that’s the way his grandmother makes them. Gives them a little something. I love blueberries in mine. No secrets. Sorry.
March 26, 2012 — 9:06 AM
Vanessa says:
White Lily self-rising flour. Better with buttermilk but it does okay with regular milk too. Use less baking powder or omit the bp altogether because the White Lily flour has what you need already.
I sound like a commercial. Martha White would work just as well. I just happen to use White Lily…
March 26, 2012 — 9:13 AM
Clark Valentine says:
Here’s a neat trick that gets you really fluffy flapjacks every time: whip the egg whites. Separate out the yolk and white and beat the ever loving hell out of the white, until it’s opaque and fluffy and holds a point when you take out the fork; not quite meringue, but not far from it. Fold that into the batter, wight the yolk, and proceed as usual.
March 26, 2012 — 9:15 AM
Kim Foster says:
This is one of the best pancake recipes ever. Easy, fluffy, and the sour cream gives it a little kick of flavor that is unexpected, but awesome. Just make them. You will love them. I swear. Go to the stove now…
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/edna-maes-sour-cream-pancakes/
She also does a pretty cool “Pancake 101” here:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/blueberry-pancakes-pancake-101/
Kim
March 26, 2012 — 9:16 AM
Jerry Bloomfield says:
Buckwheat pancake mix. We find it here in the organic section of the store. Don’t be afraid more milk or mix then the instructions say. They are rarely right. Have a griddle, either electric or one that fits on the stove, use that. Otherwise ise a cast iron skillet. If you are having bacon cook that first and cook the pancakes in the grease. If not use butter. Don’t need a lot. I use a scoop and make smaller pancakes. Want them big I just scoop more on. Don’t press down and flip only once. Put the oven on 200 and you can keep them in there to stay warm.
March 26, 2012 — 9:23 AM
Steve McCann says:
In any recipe, it isn’t just the ingredients, it’s how you put the ingredients together. With pancakes, remember two important things. You want to add bubbles and avoid “toughening” the gluten.
To add bubbles you might try separating the egg whites first and beating them to a soft peak stage. Then add the yolks and the other wet ingredients. Beat the crap out of them too. Also, don’t add too much leavening. If you add too much baking powder, the bubbles will get too big, pop, and leave you with flat pancakes.
To avoid toughening the gluten, mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients as little as possible. Lumps in the batter are OK. The gluten in wheat is strands of protein with little dangly ends. If you mix too much, the ends tend to latch together and create a rubbery texture. This is good in bread, but bad in pancakes.
And ALWAYS use ingredients that are as fresh as possible.
March 26, 2012 — 9:24 AM
Patrick says:
I just pour the water into the plastic pancake bottle. OR I make french toast. The secret is all in temperature of the stove.
I LOVE YOU MORE THAN SCALZI
March 26, 2012 — 9:37 AM
Karla says:
I was once told by someone who worked as a cook at a diner that lemon juice is the secret ingredient in their pancakes as it activates the leavening to create the light-as-air effect. I believe buttermilk works the same way. I use an old recipe out of a Better Homes and Gardens barbecue (!) cookbook from the 1960s and it works like a charm for me.
March 26, 2012 — 9:42 AM
Mary Alice Kropp says:
Had the same problem with pancakes for years: good, but not light, fluffy greatness. Then we found this recipe in Michael Ruhlman’s amazing little book. “Ratio: The Simple Codes Bdhind the Craft of Everday Cooking.” If you cook, and you don’t have this book, Go. Get. It. Now. (no, I am not affiliated with Ruhlman at all. Just a fan.)
The best pancakes ever:
8 oz. milk
2 large eggs
2 oz. butter (1/2 stick) melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
Combine wet ingredients, and whisk until thoruoughly combined.
Combine dry ingredients, pressing baking powder through a fine strainer if pebbly)
Combine wet and dry, and whisk till smooth. This is a thick batter and results in thick, cakey pancakes. You can thin with a 1 or 2 more oz. milk if you prefer.
Cook on a lightly oiled griddle or cast iron pan.
Makes about 8 four-inch pancakes
The ratio is: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1/2 part fat: 2 parts flour
March 26, 2012 — 9:54 AM
Lauren B. says:
I have not tried it myself, but I’ve read that use carbonated water instead of tap water will make pancakes fluffier.
March 26, 2012 — 10:02 AM
Serena says:
I know where you are coming from. I am a sad failure at pancake making. One thing I have learn is that you can’t be lazy. Make the pancake dough from scratch, pancake mixes never turn out right for me. But then, maybe it’s just me.
Also I find blueberries or chocolate chips do a lot to improve sub-standard pancakes.
March 26, 2012 — 10:04 AM
ruined says:
Over-mixing was my problem with pancakes early on. That simple, just don’t blend the shit out of the mixture like you’re used to doing with most other recipes. There’s some science to it, like over mixing creates more gluten and turns your pancakes to rubber. Look up the Alton Brown pancake episode for more details, but it certainly helped me. I’m sure all of the above tips will make for tasty goodness as well.
March 26, 2012 — 10:07 AM
Christie (@xiehicks) says:
My go to recipe is Alton Brown’s. It’s a little bit of a pain in the ass, makes more dirty dishes than I’d like, and I have to go out and buy buttermilk for it, but it’s totally worth it – completely delicious and the perfectly composition.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/instant-pancake-mix-recipe/index.html
Video of the episode – worth a watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpSqyOF0tes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALhX2MXmjxw
I know lots of people swear the canned dried buttermilk is just a s good as fresh, but that has not been my experience. The key in this recipe is not overmixing it – Alton recommends whisking for 10 seconds max. Trust him – the more you mix the more your pancakes will be like hockey pucks because of the gluten development.
When I want pancakes but don’t feel like going out for buttermilk, I use this recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/petes-scratch-pancakes-5170
It achieves the light and fluffy with a ton of baking powder (just make sure yours is in date) and the crucial 10 minute rest of the batter after you’ve finished mixing it. They don’t have the complexity of flavor you get with the buttermilk pancakes – but the texture/density/fluffiness is damn near perfect.
I also use an electric griddle – I don’t trust my stove to keep a consistent temperature, plus it’s easier to serve a table full of people when you can cook 10 at a time.
Good luck!
March 26, 2012 — 10:20 AM
jdp says:
There is a free kindle book today about pancakes 🙂
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0071ZW6PY/?tag=afbm-20
March 26, 2012 — 10:32 AM
Clark Valentine says:
Three tricks I’ve seen.
1. I respectfully disagree with people who say boxed mixes are fine. Liberate your breakfast from the tyranny of Bisquick! Scratch-made just isn’t that much harder, and it’s well worth it in the final product.
2. Before you add the eggs, whip the ever loving hell out of the whites. Not quite meringue, but opaque and able to hold a point for a moment after you pull the fork. Makes ’em nice and fluffy.
3. Experiment with different blends of flours. Wheat flour, yes, but toss in a bit of barley flour or oat flour. Best part of this is experimenting to find your sweet spot = MOAR PANCAKES.
March 26, 2012 — 10:43 AM
Sky says:
I am as bad as you at making pancakes, Chuck, but I will say this… My great-grandmother made the BEST pancakes in the freaking universe. No lie. She always said that the secret to great pancakes was a cast iron skillet and lots of butter in the pan.
You could give that a try. Or do what I do now and get the kind you put in your toaster. 😀
March 26, 2012 — 11:34 AM
R.J. Keith says:
Here’s the deal: you need a griddle. A frying pan, a ridiculously large pan that you might sometimes use to cook pork chops or chicken or that guy who keeps calling you Steve just won’t cut it. If you HAVE a griddle, put a thin layer of butter on it. DO NOT use oil. Oil is crap. Oil is for wimps who don’t know the deliciousness butter gives pancakes when they are cooking. Having said components; you need a pancake pourer thingy. I’m not sure what they’re called, I do know they probably sell them on late night television or the Pampered Chef has it. Maybe even Martha Stewart. It’s this crazy thing you put the batter into and has a plunger on top that you push the batter down through a nozzle and it automatically stops when you’ve poured enough. Anyway. Get yourself one of those things. It sounds lame, but they do give you the exact amount of batter needed to make said pancakes. Pancakes on the griddle you must watch them like you would your stock portfolio until they start to bubble. When bubbles form at the edges and the batter starts to puff FLIP THEM OVER. The flipped pancakes will then puff all the way up and the batter will continue cooking into goodness. Tops may be golden or a dark brown. Butter and syrup optional.
March 26, 2012 — 12:14 PM
wickedmurph says:
From a previous short-order and firehall cook – there isn’t a bulletproof recipe, but there are some good guidelines you can use:
1) mix the dry and liquid ingredients separately, then add the liquid to the dry.
2) if you really want them fluffy, separate out the egg whites, whip them to a stiff peak, then fold them (read about folding in Joy of Cooking) into the finished batter.
3) don’t over-mix and try for a specific consistency – not too thick (or they hockey puck) and not too runny (or they crepe). This might take some experimentation. You may need to add extra milk. I like buttermilk, myself.
4) not too hot. On an electric stove or griddle, cook at 3-4.
5) temper the pan. Even a non-stick pan can use a quick skiff of oil (I use a folder paper towel to apply it.
6) don’t make them too big – they are harder to flip and can cook unevenly. About the size of a saucer is optimum, in my experience. The big ones you get at a diner are cooked on a flattop, which is much bigger and easier to flip things on than you will have at home.
7) Cook them until the bubbles break and stay open, then flip. You don’t have to cook them for very long on the flip side, just long enough to brown.
8) Eat them hot. The longer they sit, the worse they are.
March 26, 2012 — 2:15 PM
Lynna Landstreet says:
OK, now I feel vaguely guilty, because making pancakes seems to be really easy for me. I’ve almost never had a batch turn out badly. Though I should perhaps add, I’m not really a huge fan of diner pancakes. I didn’t get to be really fond of pancakes until I started making them myself, because now I can make them the way I like.
One thing I firmly believe is that pancakes should taste good all by themselves — before you’ve put any syrup or anything on them. If I can’t snack on one, freshly cooked, with nothing added yet, while I’m cooking the others, and find it enjoyable, then I have not made good pancakes. And I find that most restaurant pancakes are really tasteless unless you drown them in syrup, and then they’re too sweet. I like to make them so that they’re tasty to start with, and any syrup or jam or fruit or whatever you may feel like topping them with is an enhancement, not a requirement in order to make them edible.
So: ways of getting some flavour into your pancakes. Here are few things that I do:
1. Add a teaspoon each of cinnamon and and vanilla to whatever recipe you’re using, assuming it doesn’t call for them already. Also, a dash of nutmeg is nice.
2. Use something other than white flour. White flour tastes, in the immortal words of my uncle when he was a lad, like hanging your tongue out the car window at 40 miles an hour. I use a mix of whole wheat pastry flour (which is lighter than regular whole wheat flour), some oatmeal buzzed for a few seconds in my little coffee grinder, and some nuts (any kind you like – I’ve used several) likewise buzzed to grind them up a bit. The oatmeal and nuts don’t have to be totally powdered, just ground up a bit. A few chunks is fine.
3. My current favourite pancake recipe uses maple syrup in the batter, as the only sweetener. This gives them a lot nicer taste than if you just used sugar.
Other tips:
1. Yes, as others have said, how you cook them is important. I find an old-fashioned cast-iron frying pan works way better than stainless steel or non-stick. It holds the heat much better.
2. It is absolutely crucial to make sure the frying pan is preheated. You want it quite hot when you put the first pancake in. If you have an electric stove, turn the heat on before you start mixing up the batter. If you have a gas stove, you can probably wait a bit longer, but not too long. If it isn’t hot enough, they’ll stick. Different stoves vary, so it’s impossible to say exactly what temperature anyone should use, but on my stove it’s a bit higher than the middle of the dial. You want the pan to be radiating heat, but you don’t want the oil to be smoking. This may require some experimentation to figure out what setting is best on your particular stove.
3. You don’t need too much oil (or butter, or whatever fat you’re using). If your cast-iron pan is well seasoned, and hot enough, it just needs the faintest slick of oil on it, nothing more. Putting the oil in a spray bottle can be helpful. Too much will make the pancakes greasy and heavy.
4. Again seconding other commenters – don’t overmix! The more you mix it, the more gluten comes out, and the tougher your pancakes get. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk (or fork if you don’t have a whisk), mix the liquid ingredients together in another bowl, then pour the wet into the dry and mix (again with the whisk) just enough to make a smooth-ish batter, not one stir more. Be gentle with it. And do not even think about using an electric mixer on pancake batter. That way lies hockey pucks.
5. Letting the batter rest for 10 minutes before using will, as others have mentioned, result in softer pancakes, because the gluten relaxes. But if you do that, you don’t want to turn the heat on before mixing up the batter as I recommended earlier – wait and turn it on about halfway through the resting time. Me, I usually don’t bother to rest the batter, because I usually have a hungry four-year-old clamouring for pancakes now, so I do just turn on the heat, mix up the batter, and plop them straight into the pan. They’re still good.
6. When you pour the batter into the pan, do it with a circular motion, spiralling out from the centre of the pancake. If you just pour it straight in in the middle, they’ll be thicker in the middle than on the sides, and the middle won’t cook properly.
7. The liquid-to-solid balance in pancakes is a tricky thing, and sometimes needs to be adjusted in mid-batch. If your pancakes are coming out too thick, add more liquid (of whatever sort your recipe uses) to the remaining batter and stir just the bare minimum needed to incorporated it. If they’re coming out too thin (though that never seems to happen to me), sift in a bit more flour and likewise stir minimally.
8. Many of the above comments focused on the treatment of eggs in the batter – I’ll just add that it’s also possible to make good pancakes without any eggs at all. If you or anyone you’re cooking for is vegan or allergic, or you just happen to be out of eggs, there are some good recipes out there that don’t use them. I’m particularly fond of the ones in the cookbook Vegan with a Vengeance.
That’s pretty much all I can think of right now… But I make pancakes twice a week on average, on the mornings that my son is here (he normally lives with my ex-wife), so I get in a fair bit of practice with them, and the above is what works for me.
March 26, 2012 — 2:35 PM
Angela says:
In my family, we use this recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook, but we add a lot of extra milk. As in, an extra half cup of milk. And I think they taste delicious. Maybe it’s just the whole associate-it-with-home-no-on-will-make-pancakes-like-this-right, but that’s just me.
March 26, 2012 — 2:58 PM
Natalie says:
I too suffer from pancake dysfunction. I can cook just about anything well except pancakes. This makes me sad, but I’m also secretly happy that I’m not alone in my pancake inadequacies. Thanks so much for the post and all the comments. These look like fantastic suggestions for helping all of us pancake challenged individuals achieve ultimate fluffy and delicious.
March 26, 2012 — 3:07 PM
terribleminds says:
First: I’m thrilled so many others have trouble with pancakes. I am not alone. We should all have some kind of meeting. “The Crappy Pancakery Club.” It could be a series of mystery novels!
Second: So many good ideas here. Some I already do (I don’t use mixes, f’rex), but others — others I may try.
To be continued.
— c.
March 26, 2012 — 3:15 PM
James Orr says:
Okay, this is what we do in my house, and what we learned from my friend’s dad.
We use sour milk. Like, if milk goes bad in our house, we seal that bitch up, and wait for pancake day. Separates? That’s okay, just need to shake it up before you use it in the batter. Sure, you could use yogurt or sour cream in them… or you could use sour … cream… in them.
It’s worth a shot at least once. After that point, if you’re not hooked, then be along your way.
March 26, 2012 — 3:26 PM
Deanna Ogle says:
Ever since my Dad used to make them every Saturday morning through my childhood, when I want fluffy, delicious pancakes I use Bisquick. I know, I *know*. It’s cheating.
However, even when I’ve deviated and made variety pancakes, here’s the secret that cooks them just right for me. Let go of the idea of having perfect pancakes right off the bat. The pan will probably be too hot or not hot enough for the first couple, so just let them go right now.
Pour your first pancake onto the griddle/pan. When you see bubbles forming in/on the pancake, flip. If the pan is too hot when you see the bubbles it will be too late and you’ll end up with burnt pancakes, and if the pan isn’t hot enough you’ll barely be able to flip the layer of goop. So, adjust the heat as necessary.
Also, a great additive to pancakes is a touch of lemon juice. (A tablespoon or less.) It adds a lightness, sweetness, and just a hint of citrus that kicks the flavor up a notch.
March 26, 2012 — 3:53 PM
John Murphy says:
The trouble may be your tap water — water varies pretty widely in mineral content, and pH will affect ability to rise. Just for shits and grins, try a batch using bottled water and see if that makes a difference.
March 26, 2012 — 3:54 PM
Peggy says:
I would second the recommendations of WickedMurph, additionally, if you are getting small pancakes that are higher than they are wide; you might not have them runny enough. Add a little more liquid.
Good luck. Myself, I’m a waffle girl. I use the recipe from the older version of the Joy of Cooking.
March 26, 2012 — 4:29 PM
TL Stone says:
The only trick I have, other than the pancake recipe, is to mix the batter just until wetted (lumps okay, if you mix unti there are no lumps your pancakes will be dense) AND let the batter then sit for 10 minutes so that they come out fluffy (for less fluffy, let sit less). Also, there must be dairy in the pancakes. No dairy, no fluffy. Don’t know why.
Best damn pancakes ever:
Orange Griddlecakes
Servings: 6 (~16-18 pancakes)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup flour
5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk (or 1/4 cup Greek yogurt & 1 1/4 cup water)
1 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed)
3 Tbsp grated orange rind (just the orange part, none of the bitter white)
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix milk, orange juice, orange rind, and vegetable oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients.
4. Mix until just wet (no need to get out all lumps).
5. Heat frying pan/griddle (pancakes will be fluffier if batter sits for ~10 minutes while pans heat).
6. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into pan for each pancake.
7. Cook ~ 2 minutes each side.
Eat with maple syrup (real, not fake) or berry syrup.
March 26, 2012 — 5:27 PM
SR says:
The big fluffy pancakes you get at restaurants, I’m assuming, are probably dutch pancakes. What? There’s a difference in pancakes? No, there isn’t. American pancakes are simply not real pancakes. Much like your cheese isn’t cheese, and most of your foods are largely made out of corn.
Let’s be honest, that hockey puck sized crap? That’s just some unholy crossbreed of Poffertjes and Pannekoeken (wiki it and be amazed at us dutch-folk)
So here, I have for you the ultimate DUTCH SECRET. Not really, just a few days back I had this talk with a Canadian friend who demanded dutch pancakes because De Dutch Pancake House stopped making her favourite pancakes (she wants to know if you also order the Ogopogo there).
This is a “grandma” basic recipe and if you’re feeling frisky and daring, you can add to it or make substitutes to taste. Excuse me, and whip out a kitchen scale, because I’m european and we don’t do this “cups and ounces” shit. We use accurate measurements! This is THE EASIEST RECIPE ever. And literally the thing Dutch kids learn to make before they learn how to poop on the toilet (which may say more about our toilet habits than our kids or this recipe).
200 grams of plain flour
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
500 ml (half a liter) of milk
Some oil (or butter, or bacon grease, if you’re naughty) for baking.
Flop the salt and the flour together, add the eggs and the milk. Stir together until smooth. Cover the bowl with foil (cling, aluminium, golden fleece, whatever) and let it rest for about 20 – 30 minutes in the fridge.
Done. But since you’re a self-proclaimed failure at pancakes, I’ll walk you through some more secrets of the Dutch Pancakeness.
Heat a skiller/frying pan and melt some butter or heat some oil in it. You want the pan hot, but not smoking.
Give your batter a quick whisk or stir (the more you whisk, the fluffier the pancakes) and then add a big laddle (soup spoon, just hand pour it, whatever floats your boat) of the batter to the hot pan.
You want to coat the bottom just a bit, but don’t make it too thick. You’ll figure out how much is perfect for your skillet/taste once you’ve made a few.
Now you wait, until the top of the pancake is dry and then you flip it and bake the other side really quickly.
BUT! And this is the thing of legends. Notoriously, the first pancake generally fails to come together. It’ll be scrambled and awful and you just discard it and eat that slowly while making the rest of your glorious pile of success.
So don’t be discourage, and just start a second. Keep your pan a little greasy (not splashes of grease ,we’re not FRYING the pancakes) and if it gets too dirty, quckly wipe it down with a paper towel. Don’t forget to give your batter a whisk between pancakes to keep the airy quality. Oh, and don’t try to flip the pancake if the top is still moist. Batter will be EVERYWHERE and it’ll be a mess.
To keep your baked pancakes warm, you put on a pot of water and bring to boil/simmer. Place a plain old plate on top of it, keep your pancakes there until ready to serve and place a second plate on top of the pancakes (upside down) to keep the heat in.
As I said, this is a very VERY basic recipe. You can add anything to it. My father loves it when I fry up some bacon, pour the batter over it and then he’ll have it with syrup. You can make it with cheese, apples, cinnamon. If you want you can add an egg for extra fluff, or substitute the milk for buttermilk (1:1). Add a splash of lime juice, or vanilla, coconut milk (a splash, not half a liter), actual coconut shavings, cacao powder, fruit, chocolate chips, coffee, BOOZE (pro-tip, exchange half the milk for Baileys Cream Whiskey and serve pancakes with some ice cream).
GO NUTS with it once you get the hang of it.
The recipe makes about 8 large pancakes or 10 smaller ones and the batter will keep well in the fridge for up to two days. The pancakes (if you make more than you can eat) you can just put under foil in the fridge and eat cold, or for breakfast. Yes, breakfast, because dutch pancakes are a DINNER thing. 😉
Hopefully you’ll be a pancake star in no time, if so, I may decide to charge you for my secrets.
March 26, 2012 — 6:28 PM
Timothy John Whitcher says:
Use more water than you think you should (not milk, buttermilk, heavy cream, yogurt or plaster of paris). You know whenever they say, “the consistancy of pancake batter”? Well, that’s about twice as thick as it should be. Trust me, I write horror stories.
March 26, 2012 — 7:42 PM
Joi_the_Artist says:
I *have* found the best ever pancake recipe. Pumpkin Gingerbread Pancakes: http://benstarr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31:pumpkin-gingerbread-pancakes&catid=13:breakfast&Itemid=34 (if for some reason that link doesn’t work, it’s at http://benstarr.com Click on the Recipes tab, then click on “breakfast”)
It’s like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast, except that they’re perfect pancakes.
March 26, 2012 — 7:57 PM
Tash says:
You said ‘pancakes’ and I felt immediately compelled to share this recipe:
Gingerbread Pancakes with Butterscotch Apples.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gingerbread-Pancakes-with-Butterscotch-Apples-355874
Obviously, they’re more work than regular pancakes, but they are my go-to for special occasion breakfasts (birthdays, etc.). Incidentally, I *always* fuck up regular pancakes, but for some reason, these turn out really well. Maybe you will have the same luck!
March 26, 2012 — 8:05 PM
Elisabeth Crisp says:
Try this: http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/classic-buttermilk-pancakes
It’s great because the eggs are beaten separately. And of course, buttermilk. Creamy heaven in your mouth.
March 26, 2012 — 8:41 PM
Your Mother says:
First of all, I cry. Then I throw a plastic toy onto the stove. I watch as it melts meticulously, pretending it is my hated mother… erm what’s the question? Pancakes. I just throw in a half a gallon of cooking oil, butter, and eggs, into a frying pan, then I throw that shit out or use it to feed schoolchildren and get my lazy ass off the couch and buy a box of Betty Crocker Pancake Mix.
March 26, 2012 — 9:54 PM
Monabookgirl says:
Bisquick standard recipe to which you add two eggs, two tablespoons fresh lemon juice, one tsp baking powder, two tablespoons sugar. Makes them light, fluffy, and really really good. I also add lemon zest and blueberries, but that is personal preference
March 26, 2012 — 10:10 PM
travis cole says:
The key to pancakes are the PAN. You need a huge ass griddle like the restaurants have. Failing that get a CAST IRON Griddle pan. (lodge 40 bucks) heat it up to 375 degrees. when it is HOT but not too hot, make the pancakes. The show GOOD EATS has a how too that is amazing.
March 27, 2012 — 9:17 AM