The Best Recipes Using Pancake Mix (Beyond Regular Old Pancakes)

A standard stack of pancakes on Pancake Day is a little on the nose, isn’t it? This year, why not surprise yourself with pancakes not as pancakes? Pancake mix is surprisingly versatile and forgiving, so you can get creative this year for Mardi Gras. Grab a box of mix and fix yourself a creative treat.

Funnel cake 

You bet you can make funnel cake with pancake mix, and you don’t need a vat of oil like at the state fair to do it. Make a thick batter by adding a small amount of water to the dry pancake mixture. Use a piping bag, or a zip-top bag with a corner clipped off, to pour a string of batter into a pan of hot oil. Dust heavily with powdered sugar while the cakes are still hot. Don’t forget to add a smidge more (for good luck).

IHOP’s famous omelet

In case you didn’t know, iHOP’s famous omelet has a not-so-secret ingredient: pancake batter. It makes for a bouncy egg that’ll immediately transport your spirit directly to the breakfast chain Check out this golden ratio to produce your own copycat of the springy, slightly sweet omelet. 

A pancake casserole

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Fully embrace sweet and savory with a bacon, egg, and cheese pancake casserole. The fluffy, slightly sweet quick bread batter floats to the surface, baking on top of the eggs and creating a dish of layered flavors. You can personalize the pancake casserole by mixing in chopped meats, cheeses, or sautéed vegetables.

Fluffy apple fritters

One of the easiest and most delicious apple fritter recipes there is uses a box of just-add-water pancake mix to make a moist and flavorful batter. All you need is a chopped apple and some frying oil to be on your way to fritter bliss. Follow the recipe here for the ratios and an easy vanilla glaze. 

Easy pancake doughnuts

Apple fritters are light and fluffy, but you can use the same pancake mix with a different ratio of liquid to make chocolate-glazed cake doughnuts (or any type of cake-style doughnut). Just add cocoa powder and water to make a thick dough and use cookie cutters to make a classic doughnut shape. Fry and ice the doughnuts for a happy Pancake Day. 

A loaf of pancake bread

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Pancakes are usually the star of the plate but that sweet, malty bread can also perform a crucial supporting role in a breakfast sandwich. Instead of standing in front of the frying pan slowly flipping cakes, pour the batter into a loaf pan and let the oven take care of business. Soon you’ll have a moist, flavorful, sliceable pancake loaf to layer with any sandwich fillings you want. Read here for the recipe.

Cookie dough pancakes

Pancake Day shouldn’t be completely without round flatties, but let’s make them special. Substitute part of the dry pancake mixture out for finely crushed cookie crumbs, then combine with liquid and fry as usual. The result is a cookie-dough-flavored pancake with a little more of a sweet edge than the classic. 

Cheater Blini

Credit: Liudmyla Chuhunova/Shutterstock

I imagine someone like Martha Stewart celebrating Pancake Day with blinis and caviar. While I might not be the Queen of All-things-home, I can fake it in my apartment—especially with a plate of cheater blinis. Use thinned-out pancake mix to cook up a batch of your own and top them with smoked salmon, crème fraîche, and caviar. I’ll be over here using cream cheese and bacon.

A single giant pancake

If you need a batch of pancakes to feed a crowd and you can’t bother with hovering over a griddle for 30 minutes, make a large sheet pan pancake. Pour the batter into a buttered sheet pan and bake it until puffed and lightly browned. You can even add fillings, like chocolate chips or banana slices before baking. Slice it and serve. Read here for the large sheet pancake details.