Big-Batch Pancake and Waffle Mix

From the kitchen of Carly

Make a month's worth of pancake and waffle mornings in one go. Frozen butter gets pulsed into flour and leavening for a dry mix that stays fresh in your fridge, then becomes fluffy stacks in minutes with just an egg and milk.

Big-Batch Pancake and Waffle Mix

A make-ahead mix that lives in your freezer and turns into fluffy pancakes or crispy waffles in minutes. The frozen butter stays cold throughout the process, creating steam pockets that give you lift without fussy technique. Mix a batch on Sunday and breakfast is handled for weeks.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 3/4 cupunsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 6 cupall-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cupsugar
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Instructions

  1. Spread the butter pieces across a plate and slide it into the freezer until the butter is very firm, about 15 minutes.

  2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a food processor and pulse until uniform. Scatter in the frozen butter and keep pulsing until the mixture looks like damp sand with no visible butter clumps, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

  3. This mix keeps for up to 1 month in the fridge.

  4. For a batch of 4 pancakes, combine 1 cup of mix, 1 large egg, and either 1/2 cup milk or 3/4 cup buttermilk in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.

  5. Set a griddle or large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush it with butter. Drop the batter in 1/4-cup portions onto the hot surface. Let the pancakes cook until bubbles rise, break open on top, and the undersides are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes more. Work through the remaining batter, adding more butter to the griddle as needed.

  6. For a batch of 4 small or 2 large waffles, crack 2 large eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. In a large bowl, whisk the yolks together with 2 cups of mix and either 1/2 cup milk or 3/4 cup buttermilk.

  7. Pour the egg whites into a medium bowl and beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks hold. Fold them gently into the batter, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible.

  8. Get the waffle iron very hot, then brush it with butter. Pour batter onto the iron so it covers the entire surface (the exact amount will vary by manufacturer), working in batches and buttering the iron between each one. Cook until the waffles are golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 7 minutes depending on your waffle iron.

  9. For a batch of 4 crepes, whisk 2 eggs, 1 cup of mix, and 1 cup of milk together in a medium bowl until the batter is smooth and combined.

  10. Place a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brush the surface with butter. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet and immediately swirl the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Cook until bubbles appear across the surface and the edges turn golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Slide a spatula under the crepe to loosen it, then carefully flip. Cook until a few brown spots appear on the second side, about 15 seconds, then transfer to a plate. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm while the remaining crepes cook.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Freeze the butter pieces hard before pulsing, or it will smear into the flour instead of staying separate and creating texture. If you live somewhere warm or your kitchen runs hot, chill the food processor bowl too.
  • Use buttermilk over regular milk for both pancakes and waffles, it adds tang and tenderness without any extra work.
  • Keep the griddle or waffle iron properly buttered between batches. A dry surface will stick, even with this forgiving mix.
  • Separate eggs for waffles only if you want maximum fluff, stiff peaks fold air into the batter. For everyday pancakes, skip the separation step and just whisk whole eggs into the mix.

Variations

  • Cornmeal pancakes: Replace 1 cup of the flour with polenta and add 1 tsp vanilla to the batter mix for sweetness and crunch.
  • Brown butter waffles: Brown the butter before chopping and freezing it, the nutty flavor deepens the whole batch.
  • Chocolate chip pancakes: Fold 1/2 cup chips into the wet batter right before cooking, skip the mix-in approach.
  • Spiced mix: Add 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cloves to the dry mix for fall vibes year-round.

Make ahead and storage

Store the dry mix in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month, or freeze for 3 months. Cooked pancakes and waffles freeze well for up to 2 weeks, reheat in the toaster or oven.