You have to make a few decisions before you pick a pancake mix. Do you want buttermilk or classic? What about buckwheat, multigrain, or protein pancakes? Are you looking for a “complete” mix (just add water) or one that requires milk, eggs, and oil?
We faced these same questions when deciding which mixes to test. Here’s what we settled on:
Buttermilk: If companies have both buttermilk and classic mixes, we decided to test the buttermilk version. Buttermilk pancakes are usually more tender and flavorful, and we guessed that most people would reach for the buttermilk mix if presented with an option.
Not complete: Some companies offer “complete” mixes that contain ingredients like powdered milk, so you only need to add water.
If a company offers only a complete, water-only mix, we tested it. But we tried to focus testing on non-complete versions that call for ingredients like milk and eggs, as these additions do wonders for flavor and texture.
Nationwide availability: There are many lovely pancake mixes from small independent mills. Unfortunately, these mixes tend to be hard to access in many parts of the country. We focused on mixes that most people could find at grocery stores coast-to-coast.
We ultimately decided on sampling 16 popular pancake mixes in a brand-concealed taste test. I prepared all the pancakes for the tasters, following each box’s basic instructions: I mixed the ingredients until they were just incorporated and then left the batter to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, I preheated our favorite electric griddle, setting it to 375 °F, since all of the mixes that specified cooking temperatures called for that. I then used a quarter cup to spoon the rested batter onto the griddle, with no butter or oil, allowing us to taste the pancake as they are.
Tasters first tried each pancake completely plain, then with salted Kerrygold butter and maple syrup. I asked them to consider these qualities for each pancake:
Appearance: A short stack of pancakes is an iconic American image. It may bring to mind Saturday morning cartoons, roadside diners, and pitchers of syrup. While a pancake’s flavor and texture may matter more than its appearance, there’s no denying that its presentation is an inextricable part of its appeal. Thus, tasters noted how appetizing each pancake looked, considering everything from its height to its browning.
Flavor: Although pancakes are typically a base for toppings or mix-ins, that doesn’t mean their flavor should be overlooked. Our tasters preferred pancakes that had a good balance of sweetness and saltiness and that weren’t too floury and bland.
Texture: I don’t believe in fluffy pancake supremacy — pancake texture is a spectrum and preferences rightly vary. But pancakes shouldn’t be gummy, claggy, or too dry. Our tasters noted which textures they favored and kept an eye out for any unpleasant ones.
Butter and maple syrup pairing: Pancakes are made to be adorned, whether with the classic combo of butter and maple syrup, or with fruit, chocolate chips, lemon curd, nut butters — the list is endless.
After sampling each pancake unadorned, tasters then tried the most promising ones with butter and maple syrup, noting whether the additions melded well with the flavor and texture of the pancakes.
Once we had decided on our finalists, two kid testers stepped in to help us with the final rankings, making and tasting a few of the mixes that divided us. They also gave us insight into what kids might appreciate in pancakes. The best takeaway? “Pancakes are supposed to absorb the syrup, so children can ask for more,” one said. “That way, they can get more syrup than their parents ever imagined.”
