How to Make Boxed Pancakes Better - Leftover Bisquick Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

How to Make Boxed Pancakes Better: a few simple ways to create flavorful and fluffy pancakes with store-bought mix!

I LOVE making things 100% from scratch, but with 3 kids (ages 4 and under), I’ve been in my “how to make boxed things better” era. See: How to Make Box Brownies Better, How to Make Box Cake Better, How to Make Canned Cinnamon Rolls Better, How to Make Jiffy Cornbread Better. It was about time I brought that line of thinking to a breakfast classic. Enter: How to Make Boxed Pancakes Better.

Before we get started, you might be thinking, after adding a bunch of extra ingredients to a box of pancake mix, why even use the box mix to begin with? Great question. There are a few reasons:

1. You have extra pancake mix laying around. If you’ve made my drop biscuits, chicken cobbler, or sausage balls, then you’ve got extra bisquick to be used.
2. You don’t have everything you need for homemade pancakes. Maybe you’re out of flour, who knows?
3. They taste delicious. There’s just something about Bisquick that hits different. Maybe it’s because that’s what I grew up eating, but I think Bisquick pancakes can be…dare I say, better than homemade?

How do you make boxed pancakes better?

1. Swap out some of the milk. Use a combination of whole milk and sour cream for a buttermilk like flavor and ultra moist texture.
2. Use butter. Butter adds flavor and moisture to create a more delicious pancake.
3. Add flavor. Boxed pancakes can be bland, it’s amazing how much more tasty they can be by simply adding in a splash of vanilla, a dash of salt, and a shake of cinnamon.
4. Sweeten them. Adding in a few tablespoons of brown sugar make them almost sweet enough to ditch the maple syrup. *Almost*. 😉 This also adds more flavor to the actual pancake.
5. Give them a lift. Adding in additional leavening such as baking soda help create ultra fluffy boxed pancakes.
6. Let them rest. Letting the batter rest for about 10 minutes after preparing the batter allows the flour to absorb the liquid, which results in a lighter and fluffier pancake.

Ingredients

• Milk – whole milk you give you the richest result, but feel free to use any milk you have on hand.
• Sour Cream – full-fat will give the best flavor and texture, but light sour cream or even greek yogurt will work.
• Butter – unsalted or salted butter will be fine. If using salted butter, reduce the additional salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
• Vanilla – can be omitted if you don’t have any on hand, but you’ll lose out on some warmth and sweetness. Feel free to play around with other extracts such as almond extract.
• Eggs – you’ll need 2 large eggs. Be sure they’re at room temperature to create a cohesive batter. I have not tried this with an egg substitute. I would imagine mashed banana would be ok.
• Pancake Mix – I like Bisquick the best, but feel free to use your favorite variety of pancake mix. Keep in mind, this recipe was tested using a mix that calls for 2 cups bisquick, 1 cup milk, and 2 eggs, so I’m not sure using a “just add water” mix will work.
• Brown Sugar – can be swapped for granulated sugar, maple syrup, honey, or simply omitted if you like a less sweet pancake.
• Baking Soda – not baking powder. The baking soda reacts with the sour cream to create a light and fluffy texture.
• Salt – can be omitted, but I think it makes for a more flavorful pancake.
• Cinnamon – again, can be omitted, but I think it makes for a tastier pancake. Feel free to play around with other spices such as nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, etc.

How to make

1. Whisk together milk, sour cream, butter, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl, stir in bisquick, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and mix until just combined, then rest for 10 minutes.
2. Heat pan of choice over medium heat, scoop the batter onto the pancake, sprinkle with mix-ins, if using, then cook until both sides are golden brown.
3. Serve with your choice of toppings and enjoy!

Best method to cook pancakes

What pan you use and what you cook the pancakes in (such as butter vs oil) can make a huge difference in the outcome of your pancakes!

Pan Options

• Non-stick pan: this is what I always use, because this is what I have on hand, but you may have a hard time with consistency. Often, the first pancakes are too pale whereas the latter batches are too browned. To avoid this, start with the pan on medium, wipe the pan down in between batches, and lower the heat after the first batch or two as the pan continues to heat up. If you have a truly non-stick pan, you shouldn’t need any oil or butter.
• Non-stick electric griddle: you’l have the best results with this. The temperature is consistent and you can make a ton at one time. Bonus: you don’t need any oil or butter for cooking.
• Cast-iron skillet: a great option if you don’t like/have non-stick products. You’ll need oil and/or butter to prevent sticking. Be sure it’s properly taken care of to avoid a metallic taste.

Greasing Options

Greasing a pan adds flavor, prevents sticking, and promotes even browning, although it’s not necessary unless you’re using a cast-iron.

• Butter: adds an amazing flavor to the pancakes, but if your heat is too high and/or you’re not wiping it down between batches, it will burn. That being said, I love the flavor of butter and I don’t a slightly crispy exterior.
• Oil: using a higher smoke point neutral tasting oil such as avocado oil will prevent sticking, promote a browned, crispy exterior without the risk of burning. The downside is that you don’t get that rich, buttery flavor. This can be resolved by the melted butter in the batter, then serving the pancakes with additional butter for topping.
• Clarified butter (ghee): if you have this laying around, this is the best of both worlds; the rich flavor of butter with a higher smoke point like oil.
• Nothing: if you’re using a non-stick pan or griddle, you don’t necessarily NEED to use anything at all. For perfectly browned, even pancakes, using nothing on a non-stick electric griddle is your best bet.

When to flip pancakes

Now that we’ve made the batter and picked out the cooking method, how do we know when to flip the pancakes?

• The bubbles. The batter should be bubbling and slightly firm.
• The edges. Edges should be nicely set and you should be able to easily slip a spatula underneath the pancake.
• The color. The pancake should be a nice golden-brown color.

Can you save extra pancake batter?

Yes, simply store leftover batter in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-4 days.

What to serve with pancakes

Toppings

• Mix-Ins: chocolate chips, blueberries, sprinkles.
• Syrups and spreads: maple syrup, chocolate sauce, buttermilk syrup, strawberry sauce, peanut butter, nutella.
• Fruit: bananas, berries, fruit compote.
• Other: whipped cream, chopped nuts, cinnamon butter.

On the side

• Egg Muffins
• Bacon
• Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
• Quiche
• Fruit Salad

How to store

Pancakes are best fresh, but leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To freeze: wrap completely cooled pancakes in saran wrap, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then store in a large freezer safe baggie.

To enjoy again, warm in the microwave, oven, or toaster until heated through.

– Jennifer