How to make better pancakes

It seems so simple – drizzle batter onto a hot pan, flip, eat, repeat. But sometimes even simple dishes like pancakes can go horribly wrong.

You may have accidentally set off the smoke alarm while preheating the griddle. Or maybe you made a whole batch with the consistency of well-chewed Double Bubble. Hey, we're not here to judge – we're here to help.

We gathered all the pancake experts from around the world and they gave us all the insider tips you need to make amazing stacks of pancakes on any Sunday of your choosing.

Get ready. You have many opinions.

Almost every type of cuisine has some variation of pancakes, said food historian and chef Ken Albala, author of “Pancake: A Global History,” who wishes someone would create a truly global version of the International House of Pancakes. “You could serve aebleskiver, injera, socca, Breton galettes, pikelets and blinis,” he said.

No matter what kind of pancakes you want to make, the best ones start with the best ingredients, said Paul DiBari, chef and culinary arts instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education's New York campus. “Get the highest-quality ingredients possible, such as organic flour, farm-raised eggs, and milk and butter from grass-fed cows,” he said. “It really makes a big difference in the finished product.”

Albala suggested experimenting with flours other than wheat. “Chickpea flour is lovely, as is lentil and pea flour,” he said. “Buckwheat is a very traditional choice.”

“I added vanilla and powdered sugar And fresh berries in the batter,” said Chef Sandy Davis. “These ingredients add a lot of extra flavor and pop to the pancakes.”

And don't forget all the additions that make eating pancakes so enjoyable, Davis said: “Use real maple syrup and melt your butter in the syrup. Then serve this combination warm in a gravy boat.”

Chef and ambitious foodie blogger Imene Senouci said this is one of those moments when owning a whisk can make a difference. “It helps to mix the dough without overworking it,” she said. “When adding ingredients like egg whites, you'll need a silicone spatula, perfect for gently folding.”

While there are fancy griddles you can buy, many cooks stick with the classic cast iron skillet.

“I love a well-seasoned cast iron pan for pancakes because it can get very hot but distributes the heat well,” said Erika Kwee, the blogger and content creator known as The Pancake Princess. “They’re also great for Dutch Babies or oven-baked pancakes.”

When it's time to flip, you'll appreciate having the perfect spatula on hand. What should you pay attention to? “The right size spatula is key,” he said Ronnie RuffaloCo-owner of all-day brunch spot in Chicago Disco pancakes. “If your spatula is too small for your oversized pancake, it will result in a flipping disaster.”

“While the size of the spatula is important, its shape also matters,” Senouci said. “A wide, thin spatula makes flipping pancakes easier, especially larger ones. Look for one with a slight curve so it slides smoothly under the pancakes.”

When mixing the dough, be sure to use precise measurements. Ruffalo said that's because there's science at work here. “People don’t realize there’s chemistry involved because the ingredients react with each other,” he said. “It is so important to use the right amounts of ingredients, otherwise you can end up with an unintended result of a volcano science experiment.”

Every expert we spoke to warned us about the dangers of over-mixing pancake batter. Rizwan Asadwho runs it Chocolates and chai The recipe blog described what you should aim for: “The ideal batter for American-style pancakes is 'almost combined,' meaning the batter is almost completely mixed but still thick. You may be able to see a few streaks of flour.”

Albala explained why proper mixing is such a problem: “If you over-beat a wheat-based batter, a gluten chain forms, resulting in tough, rubbery pancakes,” he said. Another suggestion from Albala was to beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold them into the batter. “This creates the lightest, fluffiest, flakiest pancakes,” he promised.

Senouci has a suggestion that not only makes your dough better, but also allows you to preheat a pan and pour yourself another cup of coffee before you start cooking. “Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes,” she said. “This activates the baking powder and relaxes the gluten, resulting in fluffier, more tender pancakes.” It's a small step that makes a big difference in texture and ensures even cooking. Skipping this resting period can result in dense pancakes.”

You should lightly grease your cooking surface before heating it up. Kwee said that both oil and butter would work, but she has another suggestion that might help you and keep your smoke alarm quiet: “The milk solids in butter tend to burn if the temperature gets too high Ghee is a better option,” she said.

“Don’t fuss with the pancakes too much when cooking,” DiBari said. “Try to resist the urge to flip them too soon and let them get a nice golden crust first. If bubbles form on the surface of the pancake and the edges begin to brown, these are good signs that the pancake is ready to flip.”

You can mix the dough in advance, but only to a point, Senouci said. “For optimal consistency, mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) in one bowl and the wet ingredients (milk, eggs, melted butter) in another the night before. Combine them just before baking the pancakes the next morning. This prevents the baking powder from losing its raising power overnight.”

For an even quicker preparation time, they say you can skip the stove altogether Cynthia Christensen des But first let's have brunch Blog. “If you're cooking for a large crowd, are in a rush in the morning, or just don't feel like standing at the hot stove flipping pancakes for 30 minutes, try baking your pancakes in the oven,” she suggested. To do this, mix the dough as usual, spread it in a tray lined with baking paper and greased with butter and bake it at 200 ° C for about 15 minutes or until the center of the pancake feels elastic and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once you've made all of these pancakes, you'll need to find a way to deal with the leftovers. Here is an idea of Joanne GallagherRecipe developer and co-founder of the recipe site Inspired taste: “Pancakes freeze so well,” she said. “You can even make two portions at once and freeze the leftovers. I line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the pancakes in there so they don't touch each other, and freeze them until they're hard. Then I put them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer.”

Finally, Cookbook author Misty Bell Taurus gave a pep talk to those who are struggling, especially with the first few pancakes off the tray.

“Can we all agree that the first pancake you make should be ugly, misshapen, and maybe a little raw in the middle?” she asked. “From your first few pancakes, you can tell if they're cooking too quickly because your pan is too hot, or if they're sticking to the pan because it's too cold, for example.”

This experimentation can be a learning experience as you move through the dough, she said.

“It's not often that we get the chance to really screw something up on the path to perfection in such a delicious way,” she said. “So enjoy the morning and the time you can spend flipping pancakes and filling your home with the smell of a great home-cooked breakfast, and relish the fact that, like almost everything about a home, there are imperfections are what make it so incredibly wonderful.”