10 Creative Ways To Use Buttermilk Pancake Mix Beyond Pancakes
So you’ve got a box of buttermilk pancake mix in your pantry, maybe it was for a lazy Sunday breakfast that never happened. Or perhaps you’re just really into making fluffy pancakes (who isn’t?). Either way, if you’re staring at that mix wondering what else you can do with it, you’re not alone.
Turns out that humble bag of mix, often made with wheat flour, malted barley flour, and a few leavening agents like sodium bicarbonate and baking powder, is more versatile than it gets credit for. It’s not just a one-trick pony for golden brown stacks drowned in maple syrup and whipped cream. You can actually use it as a shortcut in tons of other delicious recipes.
1. Savory Waffles
Yes, we’re starting close to home. But not too close. Waffles aren’t pancakes, despite the family resemblance.
Take your buttermilk pancake mix and add water as usual, but then, here’s the twist – stir in shredded cheddar, some chopped scallions, maybe a bit of crumbled bacon. Cook on medium heat in a waffle iron until crisp on the outside, soft inside. The melted butter in the mix gives it richness, while the leaveners (think sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, etc.) keep things airy.
Serve warm with a fried egg on top. Not exactly brunch, not exactly dinner. But definitely worth repeating.
2. Fried Chicken Coating
This one’s a sleeper hit. Pancake mix makes an excellent coating for fried chicken. It’s got the basics already: salt, sugar, baking soda, and all-purpose grains like wheat flour and reduced iron.
Mix it with a little extra milk, hot sauce if you’re into that, and dredge chicken pieces before frying. You get a crunchy crust with a faint sweetness that’s hard to place, subtle but welcome.
3. Doughnuts (Baked Or Fried)
There’s something almost too convenient about this one.
Use the pancake mix as your base, then just toss in an egg, melted butter, a little sugar, and milk. Shape into balls or rings, then either bake them or fry them. Rolling in cinnamon sugar after cooking is… well, optional. But not really.
Top with a quick glaze or even fresh fruit and whipped cream if you’re feeling fancy.
4. Crepes
Not exactly the most obvious use, but hear me out.
Thin out the batter with extra milk and maybe an extra egg. The key is to get it runny, like, much thinner than your standard batter for fluffy pancakes. Pour a bit onto a hot skillet (again, medium heat is your friend), swirl, and cook until lightly golden.
You can go sweet with maple syrup and berries, or savory with spinach and cheese. It’s hard to mess up once you get the hang of it.
5. Muffins
The shortcut muffin you didn’t know you needed.
Combine pancake mix with eggs, a bit more baking powder, and your favorite add-ins like blueberries, chocolate chips, chopped tree nuts, whatever. The leavening from sodium bicarbonate and friends will give them a nice lift, even if you skimp on technique.
Don’t forget to grease your muffin tin, or better yet, use liners. Bake until golden brown and let them cool (or don’t, honestly).
6. Flatbread Or Quick Naan
Ever get halfway through making curry or soup and realize you have no bread? Same.
Mix pancake mix with a bit of milk, melted butter, and maybe a sprinkle of garlic powder. Knead until it just comes together, then flatten and cook in a skillet. You’re not aiming for perfection—just something warm, chewy, and able to scoop up sauce.
Serve warm with anything remotely saucy.
7. Cobblers Or Crisps
You can turn pancake mix into a topping for fruit cobblers or crisps with barely any effort. Just stir in some melted butter, sugar, and milk until crumbly.
Sprinkle over berries or sliced peaches, then bake until the top’s crusty and the fruit bubbles around the edges. Add whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream if you’re leaning sweet tooth.
8. Pizza Crust (In a Pinch)
Okay, it’s not going to win awards, but desperate times…
Mix pancake mix with a splash of milk and olive oil until it forms a dough. Let it rest for a bit, it’s not yeast-based, so you don’t need to wait too long. Roll it out and bake with sauce and toppings. The crust will be more biscuit-y than chewy, but sometimes, that’s exactly what you want.
Is it pizza night? Almost.
9. Gravy Biscuits
Not the southern-style buttermilk biscuit you dream of, but a pretty solid understudy.
Use pancake mix to make a quick drop biscuit dough; just add water or milk, maybe a touch of baking powder if you want extra lift. Bake until golden brown. Top with sausage gravy or even leftover stew.
10. Quick Cake or Snack Loaf
This is a great trick when you want cake but don’t want to do the whole baking-from-scratch routine.
Add eggs, melted butter, and milk to the mix, along with a bit more sugar and baking soda, and you’ve got a sweet batter ready to bake. Pour into a greased loaf pan, toss in some berries or chocolate, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
The texture might be a bit lighter than typical cake, thanks to ingredients like folic acid, reduced iron, and other enrichment additives in the mix, but it works. Honestly, it more than works.
A Few Thoughts Before You Go
Using buttermilk pancake mix for these other dishes might not give you the exact result you’d get from a traditional recipe. That’s sort of the point, though. Cooking creatively means embracing those weird little quirks, where a pancake batter biscuit feels different than a classic one, or a waffle mix cake tastes oddly better than it should.
These mixes, after all, are pre-balanced with things like sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, and just the right amount of salt, which means you can often skip a step or two. You don’t always need a separate measuring cup for flour or baking powder or all that. It’s already done for you.
So the next time you see that box of pancake mix sitting there quietly, think beyond fluffy pancakes. There’s a whole pantry of potential hiding in plain sight.
