This handy homemade pancake mix is a quick-to-make pantry staple…perfect for busy moms who want a simple way to get a hot breakfast on the table in under ten minutes.  Hot breakfast or cold cereal…What do mornings look like at your house? If you’re anything like us, mornings–especially school day mornings–can get a little crazy with getting kids dressed and out the door, trying to get myself a shower, and managing the general hoopla of the beginning of a new day. 

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I really try to give my kids a hearty, balanced breakfast as often as possible (that’s not to say that we don’t also keep a healthy supply of cereal boxes in the pantry).

Still, as much as I want to start the day off right, making big breakfasts from scratch is just not in the cards every day of the week. So I’ve been experimenting with shortcuts to make things easier without compromising taste and texture (because I just can’t get on board with freezing eggs to reheat them…yuck).

In the make-ahead department, this pancake mix is such a winner!

My boys LOVE pancakes…they would eat them every day if I would agree to it. In fact, we’ve already had them twice this week.

By throwing together all the dry ingredients ahead of time, all I have to do in the morning is add eggs, milk, and oil/butter. You can even add the oil ahead of time to the mix, but then you need to store it in the fridge and it doesn’t last as long. My fridge space is at a premium, so I opted to keep the mix dry ingredients only. That way I can keep it in my pantry for up to a year! (Not that it ever lasts that long…we go through it much faster than that.

Sure, I could buy a box of Bisquick and call it good, but this easy-to-make mix is so much better! It’s made with a variety of whole grains that provide fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, antioxidants, and all sorts of good-for-you vitamins and minerals.

Don’t worry…I’m not talking about weird ingredients that will be hard to find at the store or be crazy expensive. We’re talking about wheat flour, oats, and ground flax seed–all of which can be found at your standard grocery store. If you have trouble finding the flax seed, look in the bulk bin section (cheapest option usually) or in the specialty flour section (I like Bob’s Red Mill brand).

What’s so healthy about this DIY pancake mix?

Rather than using all white flour, this mix uses mostly whole grains. Here’s the lineup:

Oats: Oats have tons of fiber, antioxidants, and iron. They also have more protein than most other grains, so they make your pancakes more hearty and filling. 

Whole wheat flour: Wheat flour has much more fiber than it’s white counterpart. 1/2 cup of white flour contains 1.3 grams of fiber, while the same amount of whole wheat flour contains 6.4 grams. That’s a big difference! The processing of white flour also removes many of the other valuable vitamins and minerals found in whole wheat flour. I’ve left some white flour in the recipe to keep the pancakes fluffy, but replacing half the white flour with wheat boosts their nutritional value significantly.

Flax seed: Ground flax seed is one of my favorite healthy baking secrets. I add it to almost all my baked goods, replacing 1/4 cup flour with 1/4 ground flax. Flax is full of fiber (are we sensing a trend here?), lignans, and Omega 3 fatty acids. Those omegas are especially good for lowering cholesterol, reducing inflammation, and even fighting depression (just learned about that last one). 

All that healthy goodness without sacrificing taste…really! 

Okay, hopefully now I’ve convinced you that you’ve GOT to try these pancakes. Now, let’s get to the logistical details…

How many batches of pancakes does one recipe of the mix make?

One recipe of the mix will make 9 batches of pancakes. I often double it because we go through it that fast.

How many pancakes does each batch make?

Each batch (using 1 cup of pancake mix) makes approximately 7 pancakes (5-6 inches diameter). 

How should I store the pancake mix?

I LOVE these plastic screw-top jars (see above picture). They are perfect for all sorts of pantry storage: rice, sugar, flax seed, goldfish crackers, pretzels…and pancake mix! I bought mine at a local health food store, but they’re really similar to these jars on Amazon. 

How long will it keep in the pantry?

Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place for up to a year.

Where can I get the label you have on your container?

Right HERE! It’s a free download you can just print and tape on your container. You may want to laminate it to make it last longer.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE LABEL

Whew! Did I anticipate all your questions? If I missed something you’re wondering about, let me know in the comments and I’ll answer it ASAP. Otherwise, let’s get to the pancakes!

Homemade Pancake Mix

Notes: Depending on the texture you desire you can leave the oats whole, or you can blend them up. I typically grind them up so it makes oat flour…that way they resemble “normal” pancakes more and my kids don’t complain about the texture. Try it both ways and see what you like!

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups quick oats, ground (see note)
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 3 cups white flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon salt

Directions:

1. Place quick oats in a blender (I used my Vitamix) and grind until you have more of a flour texture (basically, you’re making oat flour).
2. Add ground oats and all other ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together thoroughly, making sure all ingredients are evenly distributed. If your blender is big enough, you can just do the whole thing in the blender and save yourself from washing a bowl.
3. Place in an air-tight container, and store in a cool, dry place for up to 12 months.

To make regular pancakes:

Combine the following:

• 1 cup prepared pancake mix
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk (more or less, depending on how thick you want the batter)
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter or oil

To make banana pancakes:

Note: My family LOVES this perfect banana pancake recipe. It’s my go-to way to use up overripe bananas. To make it even simpler and more doable for weekday breakfasts, I adapted this mix to make banana pancakes. It requires a couple of extra ingredients, but it’s super delicious and faster than starting from scratch. Hooray for multi-purpose mixes!

• 2 cups prepared pancake mix
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 mashed banana
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 Tablespoons butter or oil

Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. I added the flax seed, altered various ingredient amounts, and omitted the oil to make it a long-lasting mix that can sit in your pantry for up to a year.