Thick and Fluffy Pancakes From Homemade Pancake Mix Recipe

Around the world, you can find the most delicate French crepes to Japanese soufflé pancakes that are thicker than a biscuit. Even stateside, some prefer their pancakes light and thin, while others, the thicker and fluffier, the better.

These pillowy pancakes can be made from scratch, or from a homemade pancake mix that makes whipping up a batch the simplest of tasks.

Before milk and eggs are added to make pancake batter, the dry ingredients are whizzed in a food processor with refined coconut oil. This allows the oil to coat the flour, and slow hydration. Why is this important? Because it limits the mixing of glutenin and gliadin, which when combined, form gluten. 

In pancakes, gluten forms strands that give the cake its structure. But too much gluten results in a pancake that is dense and gummy. The dry ingredients are rounded out with just a bit of sugar and malted milk powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. The baking soda helps the pancakes turn a beautiful golden brown, due to the Malliard reaction.

Add milk and an egg, and whisk until the batter is smooth, although you'll notice a few flecks of coconut oil here and there. These won't be a problem at all; like flakes of butter in a biscuit, they'll melt out as the pancakes cook, creating little pockets of empty space.

The batter may seem alarmingly thick, especially if you're used to a runnier style, but that's what keeps the pancakes thick in turn. If you prefer a thinner style, that's okay, too—just add a bit of extra milk. This will change the yield of the recipe and some other small details—namely the batter consistency and how much it spreads—but the process remains almost identical overall.

The thick batter can be portioned out in whatever size or shape you prefer, but with a 1/3-cup measure or a #12 scoop, it will make about eight large, ultra-thick pancakes.

Alternatively, the thick batter can be portioned out with a disposable pastry bag, a handy way to pipe out fun, kid-friendly shapes, like hearts and stars, or uniform rounds.

The time needed to griddle each pancake will vary depending on their size, as well as factors related to the size and heat of the griddle itself. But expect about 90 seconds per side for thick, 1/3-cup portions on a 350°F (177°C) griddle.

Truth be told, there's no better way to judge a pancake than with your eyes, so don't hesitate to peek under the hood from time to time to monitor its progress. Look for an even, golden brown color from edge to edge.

Don't forget that the griddle's heat may need to be adjusted along the way. The idea is to get the pancakes evenly browned on each side at a rate that allows the middle to cook through. If the pancakes scorch before they can cook through, the griddle is too hot. If the pancakes remain stubbornly pale, the griddle is too cool.

It takes practice to get the hang of it (especially when it comes to self-regulating the heat of a stovetop griddle), but it's the most delicious sort of practice in the world.

I like to make and serve pancakes right away, but if you need to hold some in advance, slide them onto a wire rack. This can be placed in a low oven (around 170°F) or, in some cases, the rack will be slim enough to slip under the griddle itself, where the radiant heat will keep the pancakes warm.

Serve with loads of good butter and maple syrup, then kick back and relax.