I Tried 13 Pancake Mixes, and the Winner Was a Total Surprise

My most beloved childhood memories involve waking to wafts of sweet, warm, buttery scents entering my room. I immediately knew this could mean one thing: Someone in my home was making pancakes.

Although I come from a family of cooks, the one shortcut my mom, uncles, and grandparents never hesitated to take was using a box of pancake mix to speed up breakfast. While I don’t recall the specific brands they chose, I can confidently say there was always a box in our pantry, ready to complete any weekend brunch.

Now that I’ve taken on the reigns of hosting family and friends, I decided to stop randomly choosing pancake mixes at the grocery store. Nowadays, there are so many options that it can become confusing to discern which one to grab. So, to determine which one is worthy enough to impress my loved ones (and yours, too!), I ventured out to test 13 different pancake mixes until I found the best one.

How I Chose the Pancake Mixes

When deciding which pancake mixes to test, I selected brands available in major grocery chains, including options at various price points. To keep the test consistent, I focused solely on “original” and “buttermilk” flavors, excluding gluten-free picks. Lastly, I only considered ones that require basic ingredients like eggs, milk, water, and oil (because if a box of pancake mix needs buttermilk, you might as well make them from scratch!).

How I Tested the Pancakes

When testing the pancake mixes, I followed each brand’s specific instructions carefully, using the smallest serving size without adjusting any measurements. I used the same brand of eggs, milk, and oil for consistency across all tests. I also excluded the first pancake from the taste tests, as it often comes out a bit wonky. To prevent sensory overload, I limited myself to trying no more than three types of pancake mixes per session. I added a few drops of maple syrup to each pancake to assess whether the flavor was balanced or cloying.

The Best Store-Bought Pancake Mix, Ranked

13th Place: Bob’s Red Mill Organic Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix

Unfortunately, this mix from Bob’s Red Mill offers little convenience (you’ll need to crack an egg and add water and oil to it), and ultimately, it doesn’t deliver fluffy, soft pancakes with a rich, buttery flavor. During tests, the pancakes failed to inflate while cooking, resulting in a dense, chewy texture. As for the flavor, it just didn’t shine enough, failing to provide any sweet or comforting bites. At least the brand’s oats are on point.

12th Place: Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix

I’ve been a big fan of Krusteaz’s boxed Honey Cornbread for years, so I was excited to try the pancake mix. Its main advantage is that it only requires water. But that just wasn’t enough because its flavor didn’t meet my expectations. The pancakes turned out overly puffy and somewhat dry, leaving me unimpressed.

11th Place: Hungry Jack Complete Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix

A pancake should never have a gummy, dense texture, but alas, that’s what happened every time I flipped a flapjack using the Hungry Jack mix. While it’s easy to prepare—just add water—its flavor and consistency fall short compared to the other brands I tested.

10th Place: Jiffy All Purpose Baking Mix

A common rule of thumb is to avoid all-in-one products like body washes that double as shampoo or dish soaps that claim to be table cleaners. Unfortunately, the same advice applies to this all-purpose baking mix, which includes instructions for making pancakes right on the box. The pancakes turned out very thin and lacked fluffiness, so as soon as you pour syrup on them, they quickly soak it up and lose any texture. Save the Jiffy box for other favorite uses.

9th Place: Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Pancake and Baking Mix 

Trader Joe’s is known for its delicious boxed mixes, like the Cinnamon Bun Inspired Pancake and Waffle Mix and Blueberry Muffin Mix. On the flip side, we found a few issues when testing its buttermilk pancakes. For starters, the pancakes turned out very thin, and then, after several rounds, a strong eggy flavor persisted in the flapjacks.

8th Place: 365 Organic Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix

While this mix from Whole Foods’ 365 brand delivered fluffy pancakes, it also taught me the perfect lesson about how looks can deceive. After I took a few bites, I found the pancakes to be a bit dry. Dousing them in syrup helps, but then you risk digging into overly sweet pieces.

7th Place: Bisquick Original Pancake and Baking Mix

As soon as I took a bite of these pancakes, I couldn’t help but say, “Mmm.” They have a rich, buttery flavor that’s slightly salty yet sweet. However, my main issue with this mix is that the pancakes turned out pretty thin. When you pour syrup on them, the texture changes quickly, and they become overly soggy. Nonetheless, they bring a certain air of nostalgia to the breakfast table.

6th Place: Great Value Complete Pancake and Waffle Mix

Like many lower-ranked brands on this list, Walmart’s Great Value pancake mix is quick and easy to prepare, with its just-add-water quality. While it offers a comforting flavor, it falls short in producing fluffy, thick flapjacks. We’ll stick to other GV snacks instead.

5th Place: Pearl Milling Company Original Pancake and Waffle Mix

This nostalgic brand is adored by many for a good reason. It’s light, fluffy, and rich. You can easily make restaurant-quality pancakes at home with just a few simple ingredients—eggs, milk, and oil. However, when compared to other mixes I tested, this one’s ingredient list includes several items that are hard to pronounce. At first bite, I couldn’t get enough, but after tasting our top-ranked pancake mix, I noticed a distinct difference: the Pearl Milling pancakes had a slight artificial aftertaste.

4th Place: Dolly Parton’s Buttermilk Pancake Mix

Dolly Parton often speaks about how important cooking is to her family, and after making a few batches of these pancakes, she clearly put a lot of love into developing this boxed mix. Yet it’s quick to prepare—just add water and whisk. The pancakes have a soufflé-like texture and a sweet flavor that isn’t overwhelmed by the syrup, making each bite nicely balanced.

3rd Place: Kodiak Buttermilk Power Cakes

When preparing this Kodiak mix, I was impressed by how easy it was—just add water, and voila, you’ll have a batch of pancake batter. The pancakes rose perfectly, with a fluffy, cake-like texture and beautifully caramelized edges. The flapjacks, made from whole grains, have a lovely nuttiness that adds extra depth to the traditional buttermilk flavor typically found in pancakes.

2nd Place: Ghetto Gastro Original Gourmet Pancake and Waffle Mix 

These pancakes cooked up beautifully, with a light and fluffy texture. Unlike our first-place winner, this mix requires water and neutral oil, but the batter comes together in just minutes. Made from a wheat, amaranth, and sorghum blend, it offers a more complex flavor with subtle nutty notes that pair wonderfully with maple syrup. The inclusion of coconut sugar in this mix helps balance the sweetness, preventing the flapjacks from being overly cloying while adding a caramelized finish similar to what brown sugar would provide if added to the batter of homemade pancakes.

1st Place Winner: King Arthur Buttermilk Pancake Mix

If you’re looking for a pancake mix that only requires water—so you don’t have to crack eggs or measure milk and oil—this one from King Arthur is the one to reach for. In just seconds, you can whisk up a batch, and if you’re hosting a brunch, your guests will be drawn in by the delicious smell even before you start cooking. The batter also doesn’t spread too much on the skillet, making pouring out the perfect cupful for a nicely shaped, round pancake easy. Within minutes, bubbles will form on the surface, signaling it’s time to flip. This mix made the fluffiest, softest pancakes with beautifully caramelized, buttery edges compared to all the brands we tested. The cake-like texture and subtle hints of brown sugar in the mix add an irresistible charm to these pancakes that will have everyone eagerly stacking your flapjacks higher and higher.