How to Upgrade Your Pancakes In Time for National Pancake Day

Whipped egg whites can add major height to your pancakes. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form, meaning when you pull the whisk up, a peak of whipped egg white forms and stays put. Once they’ve reached this consistency, you can fold them into your pancake batter carefully before scooping some of the batter onto a hot griddle. An electric mixer makes light work of whisking the egg whites.

You add spices to your roasted veggies and grilled meats, but don’t forget to spice up your pancake mix, too! Adding a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger and cloves can give your pancakes a flavor boost, even without adding your favorite mix-ins, like fruit or chocolate chips.

Rather than firing up the griddle while you’re mixing the batter, wait. Then, once the batter is together, set it to the side and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Use that time to start warming the griddle or pour yourself a cup of coffee. This gives the rising agents, like baking powder, time to work, thickening the batter and leading to a fluffier batch.

Whether you’re making pancakes from scratch or you’re using a handy boxed mix from the grocery store, pour the dry ingredients through a sifter into a bowl. In addition to breaking up any clumps of dry ingredients, this process can also help aerate the dry mix of ingredients for fluffier pancakes.

When you’re mixing up your pancake batter, try to find a recipe or adapt your store-bought mix to incorporate fats like buttermilk and butter. This will give your pancakes that rich flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. You can even add in a little ricotta cheese for more moisture and fluffier pancakes.

Add a subtle or bold burst of flavor by adding in some extracts to your pancake batter. Vanilla extract is a good go-to, but don’t be afraid to test out some almond, hazelnut, maple, coconut or citrus extracts for different flavors.