Pancakes might be one of the best breakfast foods ever invented,
but not all pancake mixes are made equally. What's the best mix you can buy?
Stay tuned to find out what the very best store-bought pancake mix is.
Coming in as the worst pancake mix on the list is Betty Crocker's Complete Buttermilk Pancake mix.
It wasn't easy to pick the lowest-performing pancake mix, because if we're being honest,
it's hard to have a bad pancake that's cooked correctly. Something about fluffy dough with
syrup will always be appealing. But these barely made the cut because there's not much to them.
There's little flavor and a lack of texture. So while they don't offend our taste buds,
they don't delight us either.
The good thing about this Betty Crocker mix is that all you need to do is add water. So
if you're on vacation and need an easy mix that doesn't require a lot of extra ingredients,
maybe you'll grab this pack simply for convenience. But
that lack of additional ingredients is likely why these are so bland.
Bisquick was the most popular brand of baking mix products in the United States in 2020,
according to Statista. This is why we were quite
shocked to place Bisquick Pancake & Baking Mix so low on our list.
While Bisquick pancake mix may still be a pantry staple for many, other unsatisfied consumers are
convinced that the company has made updates to the recipe that weren't totally successful.
One reviewer on the Betty Crocker website said,
"I have been using Bisquick every week for over 20 years to make pancakes,
and something definitely changed on their recipe recently. The consistency is way off,
they are not fluffy anymore and they don't taste anything like they used to."
Others expressed concern about the mix possibly containing milk and egg products,
which are allergens for many people. In response to these complaints, the brand assured reviewers
that the recipe has not changed and that Bisquick is still made without those allergens present.
“There’s over 45 years of quality and experience behind every box.
And that’s gotta mean something.”
It seems as though store labels have been giving brand-name products a run for their money.
Some customers choose which supermarket to shop at based on the quality of their store brand.
Walmart's Great Value brand is a stellar example of a competitive store brand.
Its pancake mix is of the "just add water" sort, so you can already guess that it may
need some extra sprucing up. The low price makes it a great option for those looking to cut costs
or are seeking out a cheap pancake mix option. But if you do decide to take the plunge, make sure you
have the salt shaker handy, because you might find that this mix needs that and a whole lot more!
If this were any other brand's mix, we may have ranked this Cracker Barrel Buttermilk
Pancake Mix higher. But because it's supposed to taste at least somewhat
similar to what you can find in a Cracker Barrel restaurant, we had to rank it lower.
Cracker Barrel is a restaurant brand beloved nationwide for its rocking chairs and rich,
hearty cooking. But the disappointment these buttermilk pancakes create is enough to make
anyone reconsider a visit to the restaurant. Perhaps because it's an all-purpose mix that is
supposed to also be suitable for biscuits and other baked goods, the mix is just too salty.
Since 2001, Target's in-house Market Pantry brand has been providing households with
staple ingredients like cereals, snacks, and baked goods. The mix prides itself on making it "easy to
whip up tasty pancakes and waffles quickly." As this is a mix that only requires water,
it's guaranteed to be simple to use but perhaps lack a bit when it comes to flavor.
It seems, however, that the Market Pantry team was trying to balance out
that weakness by adding sugar. And this is exactly what has turned some customers off.
It also has a not-quite-perfect texture, which is why it lands toward the bottom of
our list. If it's your only option, it's not the worst, but it's certainly not the best either.
First things first, this Arrowhead Mills Organic Pancake and Waffle Mix is gluten-free.
It's also organic, so it packs a double health whammy. There are other good things about this
mix but not enough to detract from the pretty major negative points we found.
There has been zero sugar added to this mix, which could be a good thing if you
prefer to add your own or if to cut back on sugar for health reasons. Because of that,
it has more savory notes until syrup is added. The texture is pretty good as well, but because rice
flour is the main starch used in this mix, the pancakes pick up a bit of rice flavor.
It's also surprisingly expensive, so it's not a reasonable weekly pancake option for many people.
This Simple Truth Keto Pancake & Waffle Mix is a great example of what Kroger wants to
accomplish with its Simple Truth product line. It's affordable, tasty, and made with ingredients
that are easy to recognize and pronounce. This particular blend is made with almond flour,
eggs, and the keto-preferred sweetener Erythritol, amongst other things.
While these keto pancakes are a wonderful choice for someone following the keto diet,
if we're being 100% honest, this probably wouldn't be our pancake mix of choice, otherwise.
However, this mix secured a middle spot on our list because people of
all dietary lifestyles need some options, and this is a great one!
When it comes to Trader Joe's products, we're convinced the grocery store company
can do no wrong. Thanks to their vast assortment and delicious flavors,
some items offered by the chain have developed a cult following.
"We travel the world to bring you unique, exciting, exotic products
as well as the basics like milk, eggs, and butter."
With a company that makes so many products so well,
we wondered how their pancake mix would fare. Unfortunately,
it is neither excellent nor horrible, but instead somewhere right in the middle.
Become Betty agreed. The review site's verdict of Trader Joe's Buttermilk Pancake Mix was that
"Nothing really stands out." It's good enough for both pancakes and waffles,
and you can even tinker with the proportions of liquid to get them thicker or crispier based
on your preference, but that's where the excitement ends. You won't regret picking
up this pancake mix on your next TJ's run, but if your card is already full, leave it behind.
If you told us it was possible to make yummy and soft pancakes from almond and coconut flour,
we'd say it was impossible! We're not gluten-free haters, but,
trust us, we have seen firsthand just how tricky it can be to get the texture and
flavor right on gluten-free baked goods. So imagine our surprise at the results
produced by this Simple Mills Almond Flour Original Pancake and Waffle Mix.
We should stress that you might not agree with this assessment, and you might wish you were
eating flour-based pancakes, but this mix is a stellar option for those who have intolerances.
For an extra health kick, this mix is made with coconut sugar,
a big plus for those who are keeping a watchful eye on their glycemic impact.
Krusteaz Light & Fluffy Buttermilk pancake mix seems to be well-rated on many shopping and review
sites. But here's what we noticed: some consumers don't get the results they desire from the mix,
even after experimenting with it. And if the mix isn't prepared properly,
these normally delicious pancakes quickly go from super yummy to questionable.
One reviewer said,
"We found the pancakes too heavy so I adjusted the mix to water ratio. ... Customer's shouldn't
have to second guess directions after paying a premium for a mix."
Maybe you'll have better luck when preparing these and end up with the fluffy,
light pancakes you deserve. But if you run into some trouble, don't say we didn't warn you.
We were really terrified that this Stonewall Kitchen Farmhouse Pancake & Waffle Mix might fall
flat. Instead, what we found were gushing reviews, including one from a Macy's reviewer that read,
"This is the only pancake mix I use now. Perfect pancakes every time."
The special ingredient in this mix is a malted flour, which Stonewall Kitchen
claims makes light and fluffy pancakes, with a luscious vanilla aroma to boot.
There's also a little buttermilk in there, so you already know these will likely be delicious.
While it's still up for debate if these pancakes are good enough to justify
how little you get for the price, you can at least rest assured knowing that
Stonewall Kitchen has stood behind their award-winning brand since 1991.
"When somebody comes to our store, they're not our customer, they're our guest."
Can Annie's Homegrown do any wrong? The brand is practically the innovator of organic food
done well and has been giving Americans high-quality and tasty organic food since
it was founded in 1989. After Annie's was bought out by food conglomerate General Mills in 2014,
many fans of the brand wondered: Would it be able
to keep up its level of quality as well as its high organic standards?
If this pancake and waffle mix is any indication,
the answer is a resounding yes! We like what Annie's has done here,
which is to create a product with unbleached flour and no hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors,
synthetic colors, or preservatives. And the most important factor of all is that Annie's Homegrown
Organic Pancake & Waffle Mix makes some great pancakes. They're big and fluffy and easy to make.
Pearl Milling Company underwent a highly publicized name change in early 2021,
but the brand has made it known loud and clear that the exact same ingredients are in the box.
"Pearl Milling Company isn't new to this. We've been stacking tasty,
fluffy pancakes since forever."
So how do the label's pancakes stack up against other brands on the list?
Well, they're downright delicious.
This is a great pancake mix that would probably work as an all-purpose mix for
other baked goods too. And if you feel as though you want to step it up a notch,
add sugar and oil to make these extra sweet and crispy!
Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to pancake mixes.
Pioneer brand pancake mix doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. Instead, it delivers
flavorful and fluffy pancakes. But this mix also does double duty as a baking mix, so if you want
to throw together some biscuits or scones, you also have these breakfast possibilities.
While this may be a more straightforward pancake mix that doesn't necessarily cater to health food
aficionados, one reviewer wasn't thrilled about the 2 grams of trans fat per serving,
which is the daily recommended limit for those who consume 2,000 calories a day.
These Hungry Jack buttermilk pancakes are mega fluffy,
and they show why this pancake mix has been popular for decades. It doesn't get fluffier
than this, and that's one of the most important factors when rating pancakes.
But here's why we rated it so high on our list: out of all the other complete pancake
mixes that suggest you add only water, this one is the most flavorful. One Influenster
reviewer still suggested adding milk, but for many others, it's perfect as is.
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free pancake mix is one of the best gluten-free mixes out there.
It's tasty indeed, but it's also one of the pricier options on our list.
So what else can you do with a one-pound bag of pancake mix? You could try making other baked
goods as well. This mix will work as a base for biscuits and any other gluten-free baked goods.
But it ranks so high on our list because it makes a darn good pancake,
gluten-free or otherwise. Instead of that grainy and flat texture that can sometimes
come from gluten-free baked goods, these pancakes are simply delicious and fluffy.
"At Bob's Red Mill, we know that simple ingredients are simply delicious."
Maple Grove Farms Buttermilk and Honey Pancake and Waffle Mix is simply delicious. The brand
has not tinkered too much with a good thing and has instead opted to let the quality
ingredients shine. We especially love that while it is a standard wheat flour-based mix,
it contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives,
so it feels a little better than some of the other mass-produced mixes.
It can be tiring to hear about the benefits of healthy food, but studies have shown that
some additives — artificial preservatives, for example — can lead to certain forms of cancer.
So you can enjoy your pancakes, especially knowing they're a little bit safer than other brands.
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