This easy homemade pancake mix comes together in 5 minutes with four simple ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a small batch for 8 pancakes, or make a big batch to keep in your pantry for up to 3 months. No boxed mixes required!
Just want a pancake recipe? Skip the mix and make my easy pancakes from scratch instead. This homemade pancake mix uses the same ingredient ratios, so with a batch on hand you can have a stack of light, fluffy pancakes in about 15 minutes: just add the mix to a bowl, crack in an egg, and stir in the milk and a little oil. Top with a dollop of butter and a drizzling of maple syrup for the best hot breakfast any day of the week!
Why You’ll Love This DIY Pancake Mix
- It’s always ready when you are. Keep a jar in the pantry, and a stack of light, fluffy pancakes with crispy edges is minutes away on busy mornings.
- It makes a perfect gift in a jar for a birthday or Christmas gift swap. Hang a little gift tag off the side with instructions on how to make the pancakes!
- While I wouldn’t call pancakes “healthy,” homemade pancake mix is way healthier than grocery store box mixes. You can actually pronounce all 4 ingredients!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
This recipe uses 4 pantry staple ingredients. You probably already have everything you need.
- All-Purpose Flour – I just use white all-purpose flour for this recipe. Make this a gluten free homemade pancake mix by swapping out the flour with a cup for cup gluten-free all-purpose flour. Or make my gluten-free American pancake recipe instead.
- Cane Sugar – Regular granulated sugar works too.
- Baking Powder – I’ve learned the hard way that baking powder can go bad, causing pancakes to fall flat. Check the date on the container, and replace it if it’s old.
- Sea Salt – Table salt works too.
How to Make Homemade Pancake Mix
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and sea salt in a large bowl until well combined.
- Store your pancake mix in an 2-quart airtight container or in a glass jar with a lid. DIY pancake mix has a shelf life of 3 months at room temperature in a kitchen cabinet or pantry.
Can You Freeze Homemade Pancake Mix?
Yes, you can freeze homemade pancake mix. Stored in an airtight container or freezer bag, it’ll stay good up to 12 months. You can just measure out what you need when you need it, so this is a great option for long-term storage potential, especially if you don’t make pancakes very frequently.
How to Make a Big Batch of Pancake Mix
Making a big batch is the same recipe with a bigger bowl. The ratio is 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt for every 1 cup of flour. For example, a 6-cup batch uses 6 cups flour, 6 tablespoons sugar, 6 tablespoons baking powder, and 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) salt.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Whisk well for a full minute or two. The baking powder needs to be evenly distributed, or some pancakes will rise more than others.
- Store the mix in an airtight container or large glass jar in your pantry or freezer. Label it with the date and the wet ingredients to add later.
- Stir before using. Pancake mix can settle, so give it a quick stir or shake before you scoop.
How Much Mix to Use Per Batch
One small batch of pancakes uses 1 1/8 cups of pancake mix, plus 1 egg, 3/4 cup milk (or buttermilk), and 2 tablespoons oil. That makes about 8 pancakes.
Easy Pancake Recipe With Homemade Pancake Mix
This DIY pancake mix uses the same ingredient ratios as my tutorial on how to make pancakes from scratch. Follow that recipe for step-by-step instructions with troubleshooting FAQs.
Lightly oil a griddle or large skillet with cooking spray. Set it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. If you’re using an electric skillet, plug it in and dial the knob to 350ºF.
- Whisk together 1 1/8 cups homemade pancake mix (small batch) with 1 whole egg, 3/4 cup of milk (or buttermilk), and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, ’til just combined.
- Scoop 1/4 cup pancake batter onto the hot, lightly oiled griddle. Let cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low heat, ’til the batter bubbles through and the bottom is a deep golden color.
- Flip your pancakes, and let them cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
Transfer each pancake onto a baking sheet in a 170ºF oven as they finish cooking. The oven will keep them warm until you’re ready to eat.
How to Serve Homemade Pancakes
I like to top homemade pancakes with a dollop of butter. Then I drizzle maple syrup all over the top until it drips down the sides of the stack and pools up on the plate. You can also add whipped cream, top them with fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, banana slices, etc.), or dust them with powdered sugar.
We always pair our pancakes with a protein, like scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage. This mixed berry salad makes a great side. Don’t forget a piping hot cup of coffee or tea!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use baking soda instead of baking powder. For this recipe, you’ll sub 3/4 teaspoon baking soda for the 1 tablespoon baking powder. Baking soda needs an acid to work, so you’ll want to add 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar with it. When you mix up your batter, I’d recommend buttermilk instead of regular milk, for a little extra acid to help them rise.
This usually happens if you over-mix the pancake batter. Whisk it up only ’til just combined to keep from weakening the structure; a few lumps are perfectly fine. Also make sure that your baking powder is in date, because old baking powder can most definitely cause your pancakes not to rise in the first place.
Yes, you can use a dairy-free milk instead, like almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
Yes, you can make homemade pancakes without eggs. Swap the egg for 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce, or make a flax egg instead. To make a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water. Let it set and gel up for about 10 to 15 minutes, and then use it in place of the large egg in the recipe.
Pancake Mix Variations
If you’re looking for ways to switch things up, here are a few ideas as to what you can add to your pancake mix.
- Add warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice or homemade apple pie spice for a spiced pancake mix. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste on your next batch.
- If adding blueberries or chocolate chips, I recommend waiting until your pancakes are on the griddle. Then just sprinkle fresh or frozen blueberries, or mini chocolate chips on top.
- You can add nuts, like chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, or sliced almonds. Just keep in mind that they can go rancid if you’re storing your mix at room temperature, so you might just add a small handful to the batter before cooking.
- Add a little cocoa flavor. Shoot for about 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to 1 cup DIY pancake mix. Cocoa powder is naturally bitter, so I’d add a couple tablespoons sugar to balance it out.
- Add about a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to your pancake batter before you scoop it onto the griddle, for extra flavor.
More Breakfast Recipes & Homemade Mixes
- Homemade Biscuit Mix
- Freezer-Friendly French Toast Sticks
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Banana and Nutella Muffins
- Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. And subscribe to my email list too!
Homemade Pancake Mix
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Cane Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
How to Make Homemade Pancake Mix
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and sea salt in a large bowl until well combined.
- Store your pancake mix in an 2-quart airtight container or in a glass jar with a lid. Homemade pancake mix has a shelf life of 3 months at room temperature in a kitchen cabinet or pantry.
Easy Pancake Recipe With Homemade Pancake Mix
- Lightly oil a griddle or large skillet with cooking spray. Set it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. If you’re using an electric skillet, plug it in and dial the knob to 350ºF.
- Whisk together 1 1/8 cups homemade pancake mix (small batch) with 1 whole egg, 3/4 cup of milk (or buttermilk), and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, ’til just combined.
- Scoop 1/4 cup pancake batter onto the a hot, lightly oiled griddle. Let cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low heat, ’til the batter bubbles through and the bottom is a deep golden color.
- Flip your pancakes, and let them cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Transfer each pancake onto a baking sheet in a 170ºF oven as they finish cooking. The oven will keep them warm until you’re ready to eat.
These were delicious! I substituted butter for the oil and left out the egg.
Hi! this is just what I was looking for but I have two questions:
1. Have you tried this with Spelt flour?
2. Do I need to do anything different to make it into waffles?
Thanks so much!!!
8 perfect pancakes! My daughter and I wanted to try out her electric griddle and decided to make pancakes. We followed the recipe except for the oil; we were out of vegetable oil and substituted 2 tablespoons melted butter. The pancakes were golden brown, light, and delicious! The measurements were for a perfect amount of pancakes for one meal for the 3 of us.