Love Pancakes for Breakfast? Here is the Best Pancake Mix for You!

What is a Pancake Mix?

Pancakes are flat and thin cakes prepared by cooking a thick batter on a frying pan. A pancake mix is often a blend of ingredients including flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and optionally milk and egg in powdered form. The flour may be either all-purpose (maida) or different kinds of whole-grain flour such as oats, sorghum (jowar), buckwheat, etc.

What are the Most Common Types of Pancakes?

Pancakes are a popular breakfast choice all over the world and every country has their own version. Pancakes may differ in their shape, size, type of ingredients, used and toppings used. Pancakes are easy to make and also a treat to your taste buds. Some of the most popular types of pancakes include:

1. American Pancakes

The difference between a normal pancake and American-style pancake is that the latter is made thick and fluffy using a raising agent. This raising agent can be baking powder, whipped egg whites, or both. American pancakes are often served by stacking a few pancakes one over another and topping them with a syrup of choice and fresh fruits.

2. Scotch Pancakes

Also known as drop scones, Scotch pancakes are similar to American pancakes but make for a smaller version of them. They are light and fluffy but crispy on the outside. They are often served with jam or fresh cream. For a fruity twist to your pancakes, you can add in fruits such as blueberries and dry fruits such as raisins.

3. Fluffy Japanese Pancakes

These pancakes have recently gained popularity. No denial about the American-style and Scotch pancakes being fluffy, but Japanese-style pancakes seem to be the lightest and fluffiest of them all. These have a souffle-style appearance, which makes each pancake look taller and “jigglier” than the usual pancakes.

The Best Pancake Mix Options

A pancake mix is a specially formulated complete mixture that can be used to make pancakes easily and quickly. Some of the best instant pancake mixes are:

1. Multigrain Chocolate Pancake Mix

This pancake mix is easy to cook and loaded with whole grains such as whole wheat, ragi (finger millet), jowar (sorghum) and bajra (pearl millet). Cocoa and brown sugar in this mix enhance the flavour of this mix. It is made from natural ingredients and contains no added preservatives, artificial flavours or colours. The multi-grain mix makes it a satisfying breakfast as the grains are a rich source of fibre, both soluble and insoluble. Each serving of these pancakes provides about 3 g of fibre and 5 g of protein, which will keep you full for longer and may reduce your calorie intake.

2. True Elements Chocolate Pancake Mix

This is a no maida ready-to-cook breakfast mix with the goodness of oats and jowar (sorghum). It makes a great breakfast and snack, perfect for kids and adults alike to get their dose of nutrition. This mix consists of lotus seeds instead of baking soda, jaggery instead of sugar, and alkalised dark chocolate instead of cocoa powder, making it a guilt-free option. The high fibre content can also help in better digestion.

3. True Elements Pancake Mix

If you are looking for an easy and fuss-free dose of protein and nutrition this pancake mix is the way to go. It is a mix of oats and jowar flour and it contains jaggery instead of sugar which makes it a guilt-free snack. This mix is gluten-free and it contains lotus seeds instead of soda to give you fluffy pan cakes. You can top these pancakes with fresh fruits, raw honey or some chocolate sauce, the options are endless. As it uses healthy flours this mix is beneficial for better digestion, weight management and heart health.

How to Make Your Pancakes Healthier?

Pancakes can be a part of a healthy and nutritious breakfast if you take care of these small things.

• As the flour used is the basic ingredient for your pancakes, switching from all-purpose flour to fibre-rich options such as multigrain or whole wheat flour is a smart way to make your pancakes healthier. You can also add in some nut flour that is made by grinding nuts such as almonds or walnuts.
• Adding 2 to 3 tbsp of ground flax seeds or chia seeds to your pancake mix can add up to your fibre intake.
• Pancakes are like a canvas that you can add any flavour to by adding ingredients such as fruits and nuts. Add 1 cup of fruits or seeds or both to 1 ½ cup of pancake mix. Fruits are rich in fibre and naturally sweet. Some fruits such as berries and citrus fruits can also be added to your pancakes for that extra dose of vitamin C.
• Everyone loves their pancakes with a dollop of butter and syrup but it is not recommended if you are watching your weight and health. So, keeping in mind how much you add, do not exceed butter by 1 tsp and syrup by 1 to 2 tbsp for your pancakes.

Tips and Secrets for Making Fluffy Pancakes

If you are looking for fluffy pancakes, keep reading to know the tricks to make them

• Try not to overmix the pancake batter. It makes the batter turn doughy and the pancakes will not cook evenly. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients for the time mentioned on the label of the pancake mix.
• Once mixed, let the batter rest for about 30 minutes for it to rise. If your pancake mix does not already contain baking powder, you can add it separately as a leavening agent.
• The secret to the fluffiest pancakes is adding an egg or two to the mix. Make sure to separate the yolk from the white and add the yolk to the dry ingredients first. Once it is mixed well with the other ingredients, you can add in the egg whites and whisk the mixture. This gives you fluffy souffle-like pancakes. 
• Do not pat your pancakes with a spatula after flipping them. This compresses the air that was inside the pancake batter and makes the pancakes flat and dense.