Are you on team French toast, waffle, or pancake? While we won’t discount the merits of how tasty a golden-brown waffle dripping in strawberry compote and topped with a towering whipped cream garnish is, we will admit that we have a special place in our hearts for the humble short stack of pancakes. There’s just something about the way that this buttery breakfast staple acts like a sponge for the toppings on it and how its hearty texture elevates every mouthful and makes you want to reach for “just another one” without fail.
And, it’s fair to say that chef Alex Guarnaschelli, host of Food Network’s “Supermarket Stakeout,” would likely say the same. We had the opportunity to chat with Guaraschelli about her partnership with Nutella’s Stacks for Giving Back program, some of her top tips for making great pancakes, and what toppings she would suggest serving them with. Grab your whisks and your griddle; it’s time to put her celebrity chef insight to good use!
Store-bought mix is always an option
There are people who make their own pancake mix, and then there are people who let Aunt Jemima do it for them. Both, as chef Alex Guarnaschelli points out, are valid.
She says that Ina Garten’s age-old adage, “store-bought is fine,” can be applied to pancake mix. While making your own pancakes from scratch can be a fun process, it also comes with a little more legwork, as you have to source and measure out the ingredients yourself. Why would you want to make your own when there is a perfectly good pre-made pancake mix out there for you?
Guarnaschelli doesn’t say that she has a favorite pancake mix brand, but as any trip to the store will tell you, there’s more than enough to choose from. If anything, you can always use a classic and basic pancake mix as a jumping-off point for flavorful add-ins and toppings. By choosing a store-bought mix, you’re effectively just deciding to exert more energy on the tasty accouterments — which is perfectly fine.
Avoid over-mixing at all costs
One of the most common mistakes that Alex Guarnaschelli sees home cooks making with pancake batter, whether it’s a store-bought mix or something they made themselves, is overmixing. She explains that as soon as you mix together the liquid and the flour to make the batter, the gluten will start to form. “The more you mix, the tougher it becomes,” she says. Instead, she suggests gently sifting the flour and baking powder together with the wet ingredients and mixing it as little as possible. She also suggests using a whisk for this. If you were to use something like an electric beater or a stand mixer, you may be more inclined to overwhip it.
Don’t let the lumps in your pancake batter fool you either; perfectly-mixed batter can still have visible lumps. You can tell that your pancake batter is overmixed when it starts to take on a soupy consistency or one that looks more like buttermilk biscuit batter — thick and goopy — than pancake batter. If you fall into this all-too-common pancake trap, you can always give the batter some time to rest before cooking it so that the gluten has a chance to slack. However, in hindsight, it might be better to pick up another box of pancake mix to have on hand for a batter emergency like this one.
Cook your pancakes for the same amount of time on each side
Arguably, one of the most challenging parts of making pancake batter isn’t mixing it, it’s getting those delicious flapjacks cooked all the way through. Alex Guarnaschelli admits that biting into a pancake that has raw batter in the center just “doesn’t taste good.” Instead, she suggests looking for visual indicators to decide when to flip your pancakes. For one, you can look for tiny holes and bubbles on one side of the pancake. From there, Guarnaschelli recommends flipping the pancake and cooking it for the same amount of time as you did before you flipped it. This will give you evenly-cooked pancakes that are thoroughly cooked through to the center.
Another thing that may help you avoid this pancake-ruining mistake is to make sure your pan is adequately heated up before you add your pancake batter to it. If you add your mix prematurely, then it will cook longer on one side, then burn once the pan is searing hot and you flip it over. You don’t have to cook your pancakes super hot either; just enough to give them an adequate browning on both sides.
Add egg whites to make towering soufflé pancakes
Once you master a basic pancake recipe, it’s time to start playing around. Alex Guarnaschelli recommends trying to add egg whites to your pancakes to turn them into fluffy, lofty flapjacks.
Soufflé pancakes, as they are otherwise known, require a little bit more mastery and attention than your standard pancake mix, as you need to whip your egg whites up properly before you add them to your batter. Alex Guarnaschelli explains that when she makes her cinnamon cloud pancakes, she will mix the fluffy whites in after the wet and dry ingredients. This is presumably so you don’t knock any of the air out of the whites, as they are the primary agent that gives these pancakes their lift and unique texture. You’ll also want to gently fold in the whites, rather than beating them with a whisk until the batter is the same texture throughout, to ensure that they retain their airiness.
Aquafaba is the secret to tasty vegan pancakes
Vegans and plant-based eaters don’t have to miss out on the fun of fluffy cloud pancakes. Alex Guarnaschelli explains that you can easily use aquafaba as a substitute for the egg whites in a pancake recipe.
For the uninitiated, aquafaba is the juice derived from a can of chickpeas. This liquid, which tends to have a nude or light golden color, is filled with compounds like albumins, saponins, and globulins, and produces a stable foam once it’s whipped. As a result, you’ll often see aquafaba used as an alternative for egg whites in cocktails or in vegan baking.
Like using regular egg whites, you may want to consider adding cream of tartar to your aquafaba as it’s whipping up. This ingredient can act as a stabilizer and helps your foam keep its shape. Guarnaschelli suggests also replacing the regular milk you’d use in your recipe with coconut milk for a vegan-friendly alternative.
Use sour cream or cottage cheese for extra flavor
Everyone has their own set of secret ingredients for baking. For Alex Guarnaschelli, this ingredient is sour cream or cottage cheese. She notes that these ingredients can be easily swapped for buttermilk.
Sour cream is an extremely underrated addition when it comes to pancakes. In terms of flavor, it adds a delectable sour tang that can elevate almost any pancake recipe and help contrast your otherwise sweet toppings. It performs just as many functions on a chemical level as it does for the flapjacks’ taste. For one, the acidity interacts with leavening agents in your batter, in turn giving it a lift, while the compounds in the sour cream will interact with the gluten and help soften it. This can be especially useful for preventing an overworked pancake batter.
Cottage cheese is a more unique addition to pancakes, but it is still worth trying. It packs a powerful punch of protein (say that five times fast), and you can use it for a simplified pancake recipe made with just oat flour, eggs, and a scoop of cottage cheese. The next time you’re craving pancakes, but realize that you’re out of buttermilk, try this Alex Guarnaschelli-approved hack for better-tasting flapjacks.
Try cooking your pancakes in a cast iron skillet
Making pancakes isn’t just about wondering what to add to them or how to mix them, it’s also a question of how exactly to go about cooking them — and what to cook them on. We asked Alex Guarnaschelli what she would recommend cooking her pancakes on, and she notes that a griddle and a pan on the stovetop both perform the same — for the most part. “To get that diner nostalgia taste, if you have a griddle, I say, use a griddle, but you don’t need one,” she says.
Her go-to pancake cooking vessel would be a heavy-bottom cast iron skillet or a heavy-bottom stainless steel pan, with “a little extra butter as an insurance policy.” She shares that these two pans are better selections than a non-stick pan for cooking pancakes because they lend “more character” to the outside of the pancake. “If I want to make, like, a little character and gusto, I don’t use a griddle or a non-stick,” she says.
Don’t be afraid to use warming spices
Cooking anything is all about building layers of flavor in your recipe. One of Alex Guarnaschelli’s favorite ways to add flavor to her pancakes can be found in her spice cabinet. She explains that in her cinnamon cloud pancakes, the warming notes of the spice complement the cocoa and hazelnut notes in the spread.
There are other alternatives to cinnamon, or spices you could use in addition to it, to add even more flavor to your pancakes. She suggests allspice, nutmeg, and dried ground ginger as some examples. These warming spices pair well with so many different flavors, whether you’re after a fruity pancake or one that’s topped more decadently. For an autumnal stack, try pairing these spices with a warm, cooked apple topping, or even use them as a simple complement to blueberry pancakes. Pumpkin and pecan pancakes are also worth trying, as the spicy notes will enhance the flavors of both the nuts and the pumpkin puree.
Add dried fruit as an alternative to the fresh stuff
Fresh fruit is a common addition to pancake batter, but Alex Guarnaschelli would argue that it’s far from the only type of fruit worthy of a spot in your short stack. Instead of using frozen fruit, which tends to clump up in the batter or dye the whole thing, she suggests trying dried fruit. She lists off some potential additions, including chopped dried apricots, dried cherries, or dried peaches. Although you might be inclined to rehydrate the fruit in liquid before you add it to your batter, Guarnaschelli explains that the fruit will naturally rehydrate once it hits the batter, so this additional step is not necessary.
Dried fruit opens up a ton of flavor possibilities for you, and it also requires less work than using the fresh stuff. There’s no peeling, pitting, or chopping — just mix the dried fruit into your batter and go. You can also use it in addition to other fruit to add texture and flavor.
Use gluten-free flour for a grain-free version
If you (or someone you’re cooking for) are adhering to a gluten-free diet, rest assured that you don’t have to miss out on tasty pancakes. Alex Guarnaschelli explains that you can easily use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour as a substitute for your regular flour. “I think it’s a fantastic product,” Guarnaschelli says — and we couldn’t agree more.
Gluten-free measure-for-measure flour is a great alternative for cakes and cookies because it offers the same consistency and structural benefits as regular flour, without the gluten. The exact composition of the flour will vary by brand, but generally, it’s a mix of things like rice flour, starches, and gums. King Arthur Baking Company makes an excellent product that we highly recommend, though you may also find selections from smaller, more niche brands as well. Besides making sure the flour that you use is gluten-free, you’ll also want to verify that all of the ingredients that you are using are gluten-free, and — if applicable — produced in facilities that don’t pose a risk of cross-contamination.
Instead of adding berries into your pancakes, try them in a compote
Adding fruit to your pancake batter is one of the most difficult parts of the pancake-making process. For one, frozen fruit can add extra moisture to your batter and mess up its consistency. It also tends to clump together in the bowl, which means you get pancakes that are loaded with fruit, and then others that have one measly blueberry in them.
Alex Guarnaschelli explains that the easy way to fix this fruit distribution issue is to stud the pancakes with fruit once the batter is in the pan, rather than when it’s in the bowl. The other solution she suggests is to turn your fruit into a compote for the top of the pancakes. Although the name “compote” might sound quite technical, Guarnaschelli has a secret for making a quick and easy version of this fruit sauce. She recommends cooking down the frozen fruit with a little bit of jam. Not only will this prevent any issues with moisture, but it will also ensure that every bite is filled with the fruity goodness that you’re after. You can put this hack to good use whether you’re craving a strawberry compote or one filled with puckery raspberries.
The best pancake toppings are the simplest
Pancakes are, at their core, a very simple breakfast food. While you can go over the top with different toppings and whip up complex syrups and concoctions for serving with your short stack, the easier way to go about it is just to think simple. While she was experimenting with her Nutella pancake recipe, Alex Guarnaschelli, for example, stumbled upon raspberries as a great topping. “I often think we go to jam or compote or other stuff — and I love all that. But the texture of raw raspberries, like the little seeds that get stuck in your teeth … part of it is that whole experience.” Plus, not only do you get the toothsome texture of the fruit, but you also have the bright color to contrast against the golden-brown pancakes.
That being said, the world is your oyster (err … pancake) when it comes to topping your breakfast. Other toppings that you can use instead of the status quo maple syrup include apple butter, chocolate sauce, or even a dollop of whipped ricotta cheese.
Baking sheet pancakes may be easy, but you’ll have to make sacrifices
The internet is full of food hacks. One of the most popular, pertaining to pancakes, is the idea that you can make sheet pan pancakes instead of having to arduously flip and cook individual ones on the stovetop. Sure, it can save you time, since you don’t have to babysit the pancakes as they cook, but Alex Guarnaschelli shares that there are some concessions that you will have to make if you opt to try it for yourself.
The perfect pancake has those quintessential crunchy edges and parts where the butter cooks the batter just perfectly. But with a sheet pan, you just don’t get that same effect. “I mean, that’s like baking a cake and cutting out cake rounds,” says Guarnaschelli. However, she does note that using a sheet pan may have a time and a place if you’re baking pancakes for a crowd. Go forth and breakfast at your own risk.
Try toasted quinoa for a protein-rich and tasty pancake topping
One of the most unexpected suggestions that Alex Guarnaschelli has for pancakes is quinoa. This humble grain (actually, it’s technically a seed — not a grain) can be crisped up on the stovetop and added to the pancakes. She shares that she likes to cook up the quinoa fully before browning it in a pan with some olive oil or butter. From there, the crunchy quinoa can either be folded into the batter for a bit of a textural twist, or it can be sprinkled on top of the flapjacks as a flavorful and protein-packed garnish.
“It adds protein. It’s healthy, it’s a grain, it’s fiber,” she says. “You should be able to eat at least three more pancakes.” And thanks to her expert-level advice for towering and tasty flapjacks, it’s fair to say that that’s exactly what we’ll be doing the next time a craving strikes.
