There’s always a morning where time is of the essence. That’s the morning this pancake mix was made for.
Instead of reaching for a boxed mix full of ingredients you can’t pronounce — you make one big batch of dry mix ahead of time and keep it in the pantry. It lasts up to three months, costs a fraction of store-bought premix, and turns a from-scratch breakfast into a five-minute job. Scoop, add a few wet ingredients, and cook.
It’s a small thing that makes a busy season feel a little more manageable. And with back-to-school mornings here, it’s the recipe I reach for most.
Why Make Your Own Pancake Mix?
It’s cheaper. You’re buying flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, instead of paying a premium for a branded box.
It keeps. Sealed in a container, the dry mix stays good for up to three months, so a warm homemade breakfast is always minutes away.
You control what’s in it. No preservatives, no fillers, no mystery ingredients. Just simple pantry basics.
It’s faster than the box. Once the mix is made, you only add an egg, milk, butter, and vanilla. That’s it.
How to Make the Dry Mix
Thoroughly combine the following in a large container:
6 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons baking powder
8 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Seal it up, label it, and store it in the pantry. That’s your make-ahead mix, ready whenever the pancake craving (or the morning rush) hits.
To Make a Batch of Pancakes
When you’re ready to cook, you’ll need:
1 cup of the dry mix
1 egg
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whisk the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla together, then stir in the cup of dry mix just until combined. A few lumps are fine — overmixing makes pancakes tough.
Heat a skillet over medium with a tiny bit of butter. I use an ice cream scoop to portion the batter right into the skillet — it keeps the pancakes even and saves the mess of a dripping ladle. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, then flip and cook until golden. This makes about six pancakes.
A Few Tips
Use an ice cream scoop. It portions the batter evenly and makes the whole process faster and neater. This one trick changed how I make pancakes.
Make it Mickey. If you’ve got little ones (or young-at-heart big ones), pour one larger round, then use a small ice cream scoop to add two small dollops at the top for ears. Instant Mickey Mouse pancakes.
Get ahead of your week. Make a double batch of cooked pancakes and freeze them in a freezer bag. Pop them in the microwave or toaster for a quick homemade breakfast on the busiest mornings — no mixing required.
The Story Behind the Recipe
If those Mickey Mouse pancakes feel familiar, there’s a reason.
In my novel Blooming Into Life, Colleen makes her family Mickey Mouse pancakes on a Saturday morning — one of those small moments that hold a family together even when everything else feels like it’s coming apart. It’s a quiet scene, but it’s one of my favorites, because it captures something true about the recipes we make again and again: they’re rarely just about the food.
Blooming Into Life is a heartfelt women’s fiction novel about a mother’s grief, a daughter finding her footing, and the ordinary things that carry a family through.
And if you’d like more cozy recipes, behind-the-story notes, and free previews of both my novels, I send a monthly letter with what I’m reading, writing, and cooking. Subscribe below.