If You Aren't Seasoning Your Pancake Batter Yet, What Are You Waiting For?

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Everyone has a different recipe for pancake batter. Some recipes use a large number of ingredients, while others may call for only three ingredients for morning pancakes. No matter what recipe you're using, if you aren't seasoning the batter, you're missing out on a world of possibilities. Seasoning your pancakes doesn't mean adding salt or pepper, unless, of course, that's your choice. When you season pancake batter, you have the opportunity to make it fit the flavors of the season or the flavors you want at that moment. To make a pancake that evokes autumn, add some vanilla extract (I'm a vanilla bean paste person myself) and pumpkin pie spice. This blend is sweet and welcoming on a blustery fall day.

You can also create the perfect winter pancake by adding allspice, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon for a delightful stack of gingerbread pancakes. If flavors of the season aren't your priority, some everyday inclusions to season your pancakes are saffron and cardamom for a floral yet earthy flavor. To make a warm and inviting pancake that you'll want everyone to try, add vanilla and rosemary. There isn't a limit on the seasoning options for pancake batter, and you're truly missing out if you don't try at least one. This isn't the only way to spruce up your breakfast, though.

Seasonings are just the beginning in the world of making pancakes. When creating your new fluffy favorites, take things a few steps further by cooking them in a way that suits the flavor profile you've created. If you have sweet pancakes, like the gingerbread option, try making the pancakes fluffier to match a snowy winter day. You can add carbonated water or club soda (an ingredient Martha Stewart herself swears by for the fluffiest pancakes), and learn the best pancake batter mixing techniques to get the perfect consistency.

For more earthy pancake flavors, go for the perfect crispy-edge pancakes that will make you feel like you're eating at a roadside diner after a long drive. There are a few ways to achieve this result. One way is to cook your pancake on a cast-iron skillet with clarified butter instead of oil or cooking spray. Clarified butter is butter that doesn't contain any water or milk solids. If you're short on cast-iron, Lodge Cast Iron Skillets are a great choice; in the meantime, you can enjoy experimenting with different ways to prepare pancakes. Once you've started down the path of seasoning your pancake batter, you'll never want plain pancakes for breakfast again.