Homemade Pancake Mix
by Sommer Collier — on Jan 28, 2026 Flippin’ flapjacks, my homemade pancake mix recipe is simply brilliant! It makes the softest, fluffiest, and most flavorful pancakes that taste way better than box mixes, with only a few basic ingredients. Use this recipe to make a batch of mix to cook right away, or whip up several batches and keep them on hand for whenever you need to make a stack of hotcakes in a flash!
Does your family call them flapjacks, hotcakes, or pancakes? No matter the name, we can all agree that there is nothing quite like a stack of sweet, fluffy, and tender pancakes smothered in butter and maple syrup to start the day right. There are many variations of the basic concept – I’ve put my own spin on several versions, including my diner-style malted pancakes, which is a slightly more complex pancake recipe using malted milk powder. However, today’s homemade pancake mix recipe is meant to mimic the no-fuss boxed pancake mix that everyone knows and loves. My recipe is lightly sweetened and yields soft, tender pancakes with only 4 dry and 4 wet ingredients, all of which are basic kitchen staples. Use this quick and easy guide to make as many batches as you want, either for breakfast today or to keep on hand!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Time Saver – Making pancakes is not rocket science and isn’t a day-long labor of love. In fact, my pancake mix recipe comes together in as little as 10 minutes. But I’m sure you’ll agree that on busy mornings, or weekend mornings when your brain is a bit fuzzier than usual, it’s super helpful to have this handy-dandy mix ready to use.
Money Saver – Most boxed pancake mixes aren’t exactly expensive, but I wouldn’t say they are cheap, either. A box can run you several dollars per batch; however, with the same amount of money, you can buy a few pantry basics and make batches of pancakes for just pennies each.
Sweet Gift – I’m showing you the ingredients and steps to make one round of flapjacks, and the quantities can be doubled or tripled (or more!) to prepare as much mix as you like. Around the holidays, I love to make a batch or two to keep, and also mix up batches to put into cute mason jars with a bow and give as homemade gifts. To make it an extra-special, sweet gift, sometimes I’ll add sprinkles or baking chips to the mix, too!
Key Ingredients and Tips
Dry Mix – You might be *actually* shocked to learn that there are only 4 pantry staple ingredients in this classic pancake mix recipe. (I know I was!) It includes just all-purpose flour, cane sugar, baking soda, and salt. To note, I use aluminum-free baking soda, so the mix doesn’t have a metallic taste.
Wet Ingredients – When I’m ready to make the pancakes, to the dry ingredients I add milk (whole or 2% is fine, but you can also use buttermilk), an egg, melted butter or oil (like canola or vegetable oil), and vanilla extract. The extract is optional, but including a quality vanilla extract makes the pancakes extra flavorful and almost decadent, like a baked treat.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
I’m showing you first how to put together the homemade pancake mix. You can either store it for later or use it right away to make a batch of pancakes per the recipe instructions below.
Measure – I usually go ahead and make the whole mix in a large glass mason jar. Then all you’ve got to do is shake everything up and ta-da it’s ready to use and/or store. But you can also combine everything in a bowl and transfer to whatever airtight container you want.
To start, I use my spoon to first stir around the flour in the bag before scooping it into a measuring cup, spoonful by spoonful. Once the flour is measured, I pour it into the jar, followed by the sugar, salt, and baking powder.
Combine – I put the lid on the jar and shake-a shake-a shake-a, or use a whisk to mix everything in the bowl.
Tip – If you are making this mix in advance to use later, I would make a little tag that reads: “Measure out 1 3/4 cup of mix, then the wet ingredient measurements.”
Now, time for pancakes! First, I preheat the skillet or griddle to medium heat while I make the batter.
Scoop Mix into Mixing Bowl – As I mentioned above, to make a batch of pancakes, I use 1 3/4 cups of mix. One batch makes roughly 12 pancakes, or 4 servings.
Pour the mix into a large mixing bowl.
Add the Wet Ingredients – Now into the mixing bowl I add the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter (or oil).
Whisk – I use a whisk to blend the wet and dry ingredients together until most of the clumps of pancake mix are gone. The pancake batter should be slightly thick, but flowing and pourable.
Stir it well, but don’t overmix! Overmixing the batter will make the pancakes flat, dense, and frankly sad.
Cook the Pancakes – Once the griddle is ready to use, I add a tablespoon of butter and use my spatula to smear it around the hot surface. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour a pool of thick(ish) batter on the griddle. You can use a larger measuring cup and eyeball 1/4 cup, but I like to use the dedicated measuring cup to get the same amount of batter every time.
I suggest testing a couple of “throwaway” pancakes on the griddle first to make sure the temperature is perfect. I adjust the heat up or down depending on whether it seems too hot or not hot enough. And when I get it just right, the Goldilocks point, you might say, then I make the pancakes I plan to actually serve.
Pancakes only need to cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Keep an eye out for when the edges are set, and little bubbles start to form across the top of the batter. Once I see the signs, I use my spatula to carefully lift up the first side of a pancake and check for doneness… If it’s pale, let it cook for another minute. Check again, and when the underside is golden brown, time to flip! Get your spatula under the pancake as much as possible, then quickly lift it and flip it upside down. I leave the pancakes alone for another 2 minutes or so before checking the underside. Use a spatula to pull the pancakes off the griddle as soon as they get that beautiful light brown color on both sides.
Expert Tips
Fluff the Flour – It’s extremely important to measure all ingredients properly! Especially the flour. Make sure to stir the flour in the bag to fluff it up before using a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cups, then level the top of the measuring cup with the flat edge of the spoon.
Make More Mix – You can make one batch of homemade pancake mix in a pint jar or a double batch in a quart jar. Or use a large Tupperware container to keep in the pantry, and make as many batches as you like and store for later.
Sweet Mix-Ins – You can add baking chips or sprinkles to the jars, if you’d like, for a fancy pancake mix. I would add around 1/3 cup per batch. These should fit in the same size jars.
Serving Suggestions
I’m not sure you can consider them pancakes if you don’t add a large pat of butter and a lots of maple syrup on top… So load ’em up!
If you do want to change things up, that’s ok, you little rebel you! My kids also love fluffy pancakes topped with fresh berries or a sweet berry compote.
When I’m feeling extra extra, sometimes I’ll squirt on a mountain of whipped cream or even a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Because I deserve it.
Storage Notes
Store the Mix – Store the dry mix in an airtight container (like a glass jar or ziplock bag) in a cool, dry place and enjoy instant pancake access for up to 3 months!
Store the Pancakes – When my kids were younger, we always loved to make a batch of pancakes on a Saturday or Sunday, and then they’d enjoy leftover pancakes for a quick breakfast before school. The best way to store them is, first, let them cool completely before placing all together in a ziploc plastic bag or another airtight container. They’ll keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Pancakes made from scratch also freeze well! I wrap each one individually in a layer of plastic wrap, then place them together in one ziploc freezer bag or wrap a stack in a layer or two of aluminum foil. Keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months, and thaw them in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for 20-30 minutes until soft.
Reheat – In my opinion, the best way to reheat leftover pancakes is in the microwave so they don’t dry out. (If they do seem a bit dry out of the fridge, wrap each one in a lightly damp paper towel before microwaving.) I microwave them in short 10-second bursts at 50% power until they are warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
That depends, what kind of mix-ins are we talking about? Dry add-ins like chocolate chips or chopped nuts can be included in the dry pancake mix. But “wet” mix-ins, like blueberries or other chopped fruits, should be folded into the wet batter before cooking the pancakes. Don’t try to just stir them in, or you run the risk of overworking the batter.
After many (many) tests, I recommend setting the griddle or skillet over medium heat, which is about 350 degrees F. However, keep in mind that every stovetop and griddle can be a bit different in how it heats, so definitely plan to flip up a few of those test pancakes first.
Yes, you can! While fresh batter does make the best and fluffiest pancakes, the batter will keep well for 2-3 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. When ready to cook, I suggest letting the container sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, so the batter won’t be so cold and pancakes will cook more evenly. And you might need to gently stir in a tablespoon or two of milk if the homemade pancake mix batter is a bit too thick.
More Breakfast Recipes
Homemade Pancake Mix Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Dry Mix –
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking soda aluminum free
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients –
- 1 cup milk any type
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract optional
- 4 tablespoon melted butter or oil
Instructions
- To make the dry pancake mix – Set out a mixing bowl or glass jar for storage. Measure the flour thoroughly by stirring the flour to fluff it in the bag, scooping the flour with a spoon into the measuring cups, and leveling the top. Then pour it into the bowl or a jar. Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well, or screw the top on the jar and shake vigorously to combine. (Multiply to make as many batches as you want.)
- When ready to use the pancake mix, preheat a large griddle or skillet to medium heat.
- Scoop 1 ¾ cups of the dry pancake mix (one whole batch) into a mixing bowl. Add the milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk well until all clumps are gone. Then add the melted butter and whisk again until smooth.
- When the griddle is hot, butter the griddle. Use ¼ measuring cup to scoop pancake batter onto the hot griddle. *I usually like to do a test batch with one pancake first to make sure the griddle is at the right temperature. If it seems a little too hot, turn to medium-low.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes. Once bubbles form over the surface of the pancake, flip the pancake over and cook for another 2 minutes. Continue with the remaining batter, buttering the griddle as needed. Serve hot.
baking powder or soda? (powder in the directions but soda in the ingredient list.) it should be powder, right? 🙃