11 Tips on How to Make Betty Crocker Pancakes Mix Better!
Betty Crocker pancake mix is ready-to-use; all you need to do is add water. That’s how I used to make them up until I started mixing and matching. Since then, I have found some tricks more useful than the others, so I decided to put them all together in one place so that they could be of use to others, too. So, how to make Betty Crocker Pancakes mix better?
Adding baking powder, butter, vanilla/rum extract, eggs, ricotta, spices, sparkling water, and chocolate chips can significantly improve your Betty Crocker pancakes. Using a non-stick pan, sifting the dry ingredients, and timing the flipping are also essential.
Although making pancakes isn’t rocket science, you still need some skill to do it right. The Betty Crocker pancake mix makes things significantly easier, leaving you enough space to get creative and improvise with the flavor. In the following paragraphs, I will share my best tricks on how to make your Betty Crocker pancakes taste better.
Baking Powder
Baking powder raises the Betty Crocker pancake batter by creating small bubbles inside. I like to add the baking powder to the dry mix before adding the liquid ingredients. Just mix the dry mix well, ensuring the baking powder is equally distributed.
Adding baking powder to your Betty Crocker pancake mix will make you fluffy, airy, light pancakes.
Vanilla/Rum Extract
If you aren’t exactly a pancake expert but still want to enjoy some more flavor, the easiest solution is to add vanilla or rum extract. Done in a few seconds, this idea will significantly improve your Betty Crocker pancake mix.
Add the extracts to the water before you activate the mix. Stir the mixture before you add it to the dry ingredients. This will add flavor and charm to your pancakes, making them taste somewhere between pancakes and cake.
Ricotta
Ricotta is a soft and neutral cheese addition to Betty Crocker pancakes. Creamy, gentle, and rich, ricotta cheese will make your pancakes fluffy and airy without overburdening the flavor.
If you don’t have ricotta, I usually just use crème fraiche as a substitute. The lacto bacteria from the crème fraiche may even trigger some additional rise in the batter, making your pancakes lighter than air.
Spices
Spices are your best option if you only want to make the flavor better without tampering with the texture and consistency. Add a pinch of cinnamon, baking spice, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice to the batter to make your kitchen smell like a bakery.
Another great idea is to grind almonds and hazelnuts and add them to the batter in powdered form. They will act as a spice, but they will also improve the nutritional quality of your pancakes, and add some crunch. Yum!
Sparkling Water
Switching tap water with sparkling water for pancakes makes them significantly lighter and fluffier. You can also combine tap and sparkling water and add both to your Betty Crocker pancake batter.
The carbonated bubbles in the sparkling water create many tiny air-filled pockets in your pancake batter, which prevent it from getting too dense. The result are exceptionally fluffy, spongy pancakes, easy to fold and cut, and absolutely delicious.
Eggs
Eggs are another great idea to enrich your pancakes. Add an egg or two to your Betty Crocker pancakes mix, and enjoy nutritious, satiating, and fluffy pancakes. However, if you add more than one egg, do it one egg at a time and never add two or more eggs in one pour.
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and make sure they are foamy before you merge them with the dry ingredients. It is best to separate the yolks from the whites, beat them separately, and add them to the dry mix.
Milk
Instead of using warm water to develop the Betty Crocker pancake mix, I always use warm milk to make them even richer. The milk fat makes my pancakes smoother and creamier, giving them a rich flavor and a soft interior.
Chocolate Chips
Add some chocolate chips if you want your Betty Crocker pancakes to taste sweet, with the occasional chocolate chunk. You can substitute the chocolate chips for chocolate shavings; the result will be equally delightful.
This idea takes a bit more time, though, as you will need to allow for the chocolate chips to melt to some extent into the batter, so they don’t stick when you bake the pancakes. Nevertheless, don’t let the chocolate chops melt all the way, as the extra sugar will make the pancakes stick to the pan.
Non-Stick Pan
Choosing the right pan is as important as making the batter right. If you use the wrong pan, all your efforts will be in vain, as your pancakes will be ruined. Therefore, I like to use a non-stick pancake pan made of Teflon or cast iron.
You can also make your pancakes in an air fryer, layering pancakes and parchment paper, so you put a piece of parchment paper and one pancake on it. This way, you can bake up to five pancakes simultaneously.
Sifting
Before adding ingredients to the dry mix, sift the mix to ensure no lumps. Sifting the dry ingredients before mixing them with the liquid ones will give you smooth and airy pancakes.
Flipping
Flipping is the final step of the pancake-making process. If you try to flip your pancake too early, it will stick to the pan and fall apart, and if you flip it too late, it will burn. I’ve come a long way from burning pancakes, so I’m almost a professional flipper now.
If you don’t master flipping, you will be getting lousy pancakes. Therefore, time the flipping right by observing the pancakes at all times. Once the pancake edges start to separate from the pan, the pancake is ready to flip.
How to Make Betty Crocker Pancakes Mix Better
Ingredients
- 1 pack Betty Crocker Pancakes Mix
- 3 eggs
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup ricotta
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tbsp rum
Instructions
- Grease or spray non-stick pan. Heat over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F.
- Stir all ingredients until blended.
- Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupful onto hot pan.
- Cook until edges are dry; about 1 minute 30 seconds.
- Turn; cook 1 minute 30 seconds or until golden.
