How To Store Pancake Mix Long Term – Is It A Good Idea?
Pancakes, topped with butter and smooth gooey syrup. Yummy! Are your taste buds yelling yet? Pancakes are a delicious breakfast staple that you can make any way you want to. You can create shapes, you can add fruits, you can vary your toppings.
There is absolutely no way for pancakes to be boring. Even traditional pancakes with butter and syrup are delightful to have. And the best part is, you don’t even have to eat them just for breakfast. You can totally make pancakes for dinner too.
Pancake mix sometimes seems to stretch forever. You never use the whole package at one time. It’s designed to provide several uses. And then there is extra pancake batter that you’ve made up but realize you don’t need.
How do you store your pancake mix long term? Pancake mix stores well in the pantry but stores even longer in the fridge or freezer. Since pancake mix is made with dry ingredients, your only concern is to keep those ingredients sealed and dry.
The process of storing pancake mix is rather simple but there are some things you should know. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to give you a simple walkthrough of how to best store your pancake mix for the long haul.
We will cover some various options for storage. We will even touch on storing mixed batter as well. Keep reading to learn everything you should know about storing your pancake mix and more!
Your Guide to Pancake Mix Storage
Pancake mix is a common pantry item. You can buy it in a box or a bag or you can even make your own pancake mix at home.
The nice thing about pancake mix is that it usually comes as a dry product and you don’t add the liquid ingredients until you’re ready to mix it up.
Pancake mixes that you purchase at the store are typically stamped with a best-by date. This does not necessarily mean that it has gone bad after that date but rather that you should be mindful of the date.
The best-by date is literally just that. The quality is only guaranteed through that date. After that, it’s a toss-up whether your pancake mix will be very good or produce the right results.
Why does pancake mix have a best-by date if it’s just dry baking ingredients? Well, the truth is, pancake mix also usually has leavening ingredients (like yeast or baking powder). It is the leavening agent that could potentially not work as well after the date.
Also, these dry ingredients tend to turn somewhat stale and could cause your pancakes not to be as fluffy or as flavorful. If you’re not so worried about these minor factors and just want to know how to save your pancake mix, you’ve come to the right place!
We also want to reassure you that if you follow the tips and tricks we share, your pancake mix should store long-term with no issues.
What is in Pancake Mix?
You can easily go to any local grocery store and choose from a selection of pancake mixes. There are even gluten-free and low carb pancake mixes for those who have dietary limitations.
You can also make your own homemade pancake mix ahead of time. If you do this and you want to use long-term storage options, we recommend you only mix the dry ingredients.
You can add any wet ingredients like milk, water, or eggs when you’re ready to use the mix.
No matter which pancake mix you decide to use (we prefer Birch Benders organic pancake mix), if the wet ingredients are kept separate until time to use, you can store it much longer.
There are some storage options for the fully mixed batter as well, which we will discuss.
Here is a simple pancake mix recipe just to give you an idea of the common ingredients.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sugar
You mix these dry ingredients and store them appropriately. When you’re ready to use the mix, you would add the following.
- Egg
- Milk
Once you mix it up, then you prepare your pancakes.
The difference between homemade pancake mix and store-bought can certainly vary. Some pancake mixes only require you to add water to mix them up. These are commonly called instant pancake mixes.
Again, let us say that your storage techniques will remain the same.
Storing Dry Pancake Mix Long-Term
Dry pancake mix is designed to store for quite some time without having to worry about it going bad.
The best-by date is there to help guide you. One of the biggest things that can go wrong with pancake mix is the baking powder. It loses potency and might cause your pancakes to be dull and flat.
However, there are options. First, if you have an unopened pancake mix in the pantry it will last quite a long time on its own.
This means the package is sealed and unopened and stored in a cabinet that protects it from heat and moisture. Often this set-up is designed to store your pancake mix for up to 12 months with no worries of it “going bad”.
If you are working with homemade pancake mix or pancake mix that has been opened, we recommend putting your fridge or freezer to use. The cold preserves the baking powder and other ingredients for even longer.
Storing Pancake Mix in the Fridge
- Seal pancake mix into a storage bag or airtight container. You can also store it in the original packaging if it seals.
- Place it in the fridge.
- Store in the fridge up to 6 months.
That doesn’t seem like long-term, but that’s where your freezer can help!
Storing Pancake Mix in the Freezer
The freezer is the ideal location for storing pancake mix long-term. The freezer will extend the shelf life of the ingredients astronomically.
The cold air preserves the baking powder or other leavening agents so that they do not lose their potency during storage.
- Seal pancake mix into heavy-duty freezer bags. This is the best option for being sure it is sealed properly. It also takes little space. You can keep the original packaging as well, just close it all into a well-sealing bag or container.
- Label and date your storage device.
- Place in the freezer for up to 24 months.
24 months! Now that is long-term storage at its finest.
Remember that you can continue to store your pancake mix at room temperature if you prefer. But you may notice a difference in how your pancakes fluff or set up after some time because of how the leavening agents are affected.
Storing Pancake Batter
We wanted to quickly cover storage options for your pancake batter as well. If you mixed up too much, you can always save the extra for later.
Unfortunately, the batter will only stay good in the fridge for about 4-5 days. You should seal it well. If it’s in a container, you can place a layer of plastic wrap between the lid and the batter for extra sealing.
Otherwise, we recommend freezing the batter. Here’s how:
- Pour batter into a freezer bag. You can also use a pancake ladle to do this.
- Roll bag down to release and eliminate excess air.
- Seal tightly.
- Label, date, and place in freezer.
- Your pancake batter should last in the freezer up to 6 months.
When you’re ready to use the batter, let it thaw overnight in your fridge. Since you used a freezer bag, you can snip off a corner and use the bag to “pour” your mix into the pan or griddle. This leaves one less dish for you to clean up later.
Related Questions
We hope that you find this guide to storing your pancake mix long-term to be helpful and informative. There are several storage options you can put to use to enjoy your pancakes whenever you like.
Below you will find a question and answer section that has some additional insight. We invite you to take a look and see if anything may be useful to you.
Why is My Pancake Batter Lumpy?
Often, when you mix in your wet ingredients, you find that your batter does not get smooth but contains some lumps.
Not to worry, this is normal. Your pancake batter is not meant to get fully smooth. We promise your pancakes will still be delicious with those lumps.
Could I Leave the Leavening Agent Out of My Homemade Mix?
This is a great option for making up a pancake mix that you want to keep around for a long time.
If you do this, be sure that you notate on your packaging what still needs to be added (like baking powder) to complete the mix. This is just so you don’t forget the mix is still missing a key ingredient.
Can I Freeze Leftover Cooked Pancakes?
Once you have cooked your pancakes, you can freeze any leftovers. Seal them in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze them up to 6 months.