12 Ideas To Make Krusteaz Pancakes Better
Krusteaz is a boxed, ready-made pancake and waffle mix, and all it requires is water to activate the ingredients and make the batter. Even though you will get perfectly good pancakes using just the mix and water, still, there are things you can do that won’t complicate the procedure by much but will drastically improve the taste. So how to make Krusteaz pancakes better?
Baking powder, melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, cheese, spices, sparkling water, flour, vanilla flavoring, or rum are great ideas to improve Krusteaz pancakes. To get even better results, choose the right pan, sift the dry ingredients, and time the flipping carefully.
It’s incredible how little it takes to improve pancakes by far. Krusteaz pancakes are great even if you add water, but with a little extra effort, they will turn out heavenly. Therefore in the following paragraphs, I will share some ideas on ways to improve Krusteaz pancakes and how to combine and serve them.
How to improve Krusteaz pancakes?
Since Krusteaz pancake mix has been made to yield excellent pancakes, you need to improve an otherwise impeccable recipe. Simply make minor adjustments to get great results. To improve Krusteaz pancakes, you should mainly focus on juggling the ingredients that are already in the mix. Therefore, adding more of something, such as eggs, milk, or butter, can make all the difference in the world.
Still, introducing a new ingredient is also a great idea; just be careful with how much you add and how you add it. The consistency of the batter needs to be soft but not drippy. You should be able to pour it into the pan with a ladle, but it isn’t supposed to be runny.
Extra eggs
Separate the yolks from the whites and beat them separately, and then add the whites to the yolks. Although the mix doesn’t require extra eggs, the foamy and airy egg mix will add fluffiness and airiness to the pancakes. Also, the eggs will help the other ingredients bond better, resulting in a more consistent batter.
No matter how much of the mix you use, don’t add more than one egg. Add the egg, mix the batter, and then decide whether you need one more egg or not. Never add more than one right away.
Extra butter
Adding some extra melted butter to your Kristeanz pancake mix is a slam dunk. When it comes to pancakes and baking in general, you cannot go wrong with butter. Use about half a cup of melted butter, but use that it isn’t hot, but more on the warm side.
When baking the pancakes, the butter will create a film layer around them which will help them bake better, giving them a nice, soft, and buttery crust and a creamy, spongy, and airy interior.
Extra milk
Krusteaz pancake mix already contains milk, so adding half a cup of full-fat milk will make your pancakes soft, even more buttery, and fluffy. It would be even better to mix the milk and butter together and add the dry ingredients to it.
Include cheese
Cream cheese, ricotta, or mascarpone are all great ideas to add to your pancake batter. The pancakes will be fattier, denser, fuller, and more satiating. Therefore, a scoop or two of these creamy cheeses will significantly improve the pancakes’ taste and consistency.
Add vanilla or rum flavoring
It sounds ridiculously simple, and it really is. Adding a few drops of rum or vanilla will significantly improve the taste of your Krusteaz pancakes. Not only will you introduce new flavors, but you will amplify the tastes already in the mix.
Opt for spices
Some nutmeg, cinnamon, or lemon zest could do wonders with the Krusteaz pancake mix. Add the spices to the dry ingredients and mix well before merging them with the rest of the batter. This way, they will even distribute through the batter, and each pancake will be evenly spiced up.
Add some extra flour
If your pancake batter is a bit runnier or lacks substance, you can add some extra flour to absorb the extra moisture and bring the balance back. If you decide on using flour, sift it before adding it to the batter and mix it all the time until the flour homogenizes to avoid lumpy pancakes.
Opt for sparkling water
Krusteaz pancake mix requires nothing else but water. However, replacing the still water with carbonated sparkling water will be a game-changer. The air bubbles from the carbonated water will create incredible airiness and fluffiness in the batter, making your pancakes light, creamy, and delicious.
Add baking powder
Not adding baking powder to your pancake mixture might be the reason for standing behind your flat pancakes. If you want puffy pancakes, add some baking soda to make the batter rise and bubble up.
Sift the Kristeaz pancake mix
When handling flour or ready-made pancake and cookie mixes, sifting these dry ingredients is always a good idea to make the pancakes as fine and as soft as they can be. Sifting is often omitted as irrelevant, but it is simple and quick enough for you to implement into your pancake-making procedure.
Mixing
Both overmixing and undermixing the batter will result in poorly made pancakes. If you overmix the batter, the bonds between the ingredients will break, and the batter will start separating. If you under-mix the batter, it will result in a lumpy batter that will burn once it touches the bottom of the pan.
Timing is important
Make the batter about 15 minutes before baking the pancakes. Do not bake the pancakes right after making the batter, but don’t wait too long. The pancake mix and the possible added flour will start curling, creating lumps in the batter, even though you made it perfectly smooth.
How to serve Krusteaz pancakes?
Whether served as a breakfast pancakes pile, or a light between-meal snack, Krusteaz pancakes offer endless serving options.
A fruity combination is always a good idea. Some orange slices, banana circles, strawberries, cherries, or berries topped with honey, whipped cream, or perhaps chocolate topping will give you a full and nutritious breakfast.
You can never go wrong with the good old bacon. Whether bacon bits or bacon strips, you will turn your Krusteaz pancakes into a decadent meal. Add some cheese or sour cream to this equation, and you’ve made yourself a delightful pleasure corner.
Honey, nuts, and dried fruit are yet another great idea for serving your pancakes. Not only delicious but nutritious too, served like this, your pancakes will add elegance to your table.
How long do Krusteaz pancakes last?
Pancakes, in general, don’t last very long. On the counter, they will be ok in terms of safety and quality for up to 24 hours, but I wouldn’t advise you to leave them this long, especially if your kitchen is warm and has lots of light.
In the fridge, they will be good for two-three days. They won’t go bad, but their quality will significantly diminish. The pancakes will dry out, and their edges will split, which will make them worse.
Store them in airtight containers and ensure they are covered, so they are protected from the fridge air. On the counter, it is enough to keep them in a place covered with another plate or a lid. Don’t wrap or cover the pancakes with plastic, as they will get soggy and moist.
What happens if you add baking soda to a pancake mix?
Adding baking soda to a pancake mix is a great idea. The baking soda will trigger a reaction in the mixture, which will cause air bubbles to form inside the batter. These bubbles will add volume to the mixture resulting in airy, fluffy, and incredibly light pancakes.
Can you add sugar to a pancake mix?
Although adding sugar to a pancake mix wouldn’t be the worst idea, I still don’t recommend doing that. Pancake mixes are sweet enough as they are, and if you want a sweeter taste, you can compensate by combining the pancakes with sweeter toppings instead of adding sugar to the mix.
How to Make Krusteaz Pancakes Better?
Ingredients
- 1 cup Krusteaz Pancakes Mix
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Heat pancake griddle to 375°F (medium heat). Lightly grease the griddle.
- Measure mix by lightly spooning it into measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Whisk pancake mix and water. Do not over-mix.
- Let batter stand 2 minutes.
- Pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle.
- Cook 1-1 1/2 minutes per side.