Stop Adding Mix-Ins To Your Pancake Batter And Do This Instead

If you're a pancake fan, chances are you enjoy mix-ins like chocolate or fruit (like the mess-free pancakes Alex Guarnaschelli makes). But if you're preparing the fluffy breakfast staple at home, you may want to rethink the way you're making them, because those additions can affect the way your pancakes cook, especially if they're inside the batter before the mixture hits the pan. We spoke to Rachel Farnsworth, creator of the cooking website The Stay at Home Chef, about some tips when it comes to making the breakfast favorite.

Farnsworth says, "Things like fruit or chocolate chips can mess with how evenly your pancakes brown. Any addition that adds extra sugar or moisture is what to watch for, as it tends to brown or burn faster than the batter itself."

That means you can end up with little scorched or underdone spots, depending on what you mix into the batter. But don't worry, you can still add sweet treats to your pancakes; you'll just need to adopt a slightly different method when it comes to incorporating them. If you want to add those coveted berries or chocolate chips, Farnsworth explains that you have to change the order of operations a bit. She says, "The move here is to pour your batter into the pan first, then sprinkle the fruit or chocolate chips on top. That way they don't sink or burn."

That doesn't mean all mix-ins are bad, though. Farnsworth points out that some options — like nuts, cinnamon, or unsweetened shredded coconut — don't add too much sugar or moisture to the dish while cooking, and don't contain the properties that would otherwise alter the way your pancakes cook. (Our secret pancake ingredient may or may not be lemon-lime soda, by the way.) And of course, the other choice with things like fruit or chocolate is to remove them from the cooking process entirely and use them as a functional garnish instead. Farnsworth suggests simply adding them on top right before serving so you can enjoy the flavor and presentation without the risk. 

The moral of the story here is this: Don't stir those high-sugar or high-moisture mix-ins into your pancake batter before cooking, as you can end up with a disappointing end result. Simply pour the batter into your hot pan first, then add the toppings, or just sprinkle them on at the end. If your base pancake isn't great, you're not going to enjoy the final product nearly as much as you should. There's nothing worse than a sad pancake.