Tips on Making the Best Pancakes for Pancake Day

Whether you're flipping pancakes with your little ones or sharing your delicious creations with friends, we've got you covered with top tips, ingredient recommendations, and our favourite topping ideas to make your Pancake Day extra special. 

We offer a variety of pancakes from our light and fluffy American Style Pancake Mix and rich  Chocolate American Style Pancake Mix to thin and crispy classic crepe style pancakes.

Here, you'll discover our top tips and tricks for making the perfect pancakes every time!

From our In-House Baker: Her Top 10 Tips for Creating the Best Pancakes:

• Use a Quality Non-stick Pan – For the perfect pancake, always use a good non-stick frying pan. If your pan is too big it can lead to uneven cooking. 
• Choose the Right Fat – While olive oil works fine, any oil or a small knob of butter will do. Just be sure to use minimal oil, as pancakes tend to soak it up quickly. 
• Heat the Pan First – Make sure the oil and pan are hot before adding your batter. This ensures the pancakes cook evenly without becoming greasy. 
• Be Gentle with Stirring – Stir your pancake batter gently and don’t overmix. Over-stirring can prevent the pancakes from rising properly. 
• Add Wet to Dry – Always pour the wet ingredients into the dry, not the other way around. This ensures the batter has the right consistency for perfect pancakes. 
• Rest the Batter – After mixing, let your pancake batter rest before cooking. This helps create a fluffier texture. 
• Cook at Medium-High Heat – For fluffy pancakes, aim for medium-high heat. If you prefer thinner pancakes, slightly increase the heat. 
• Don’t Overload the Pan – Use a ladle or measuring jug to pour just the right amount of batter into the pan. Overcrowding can result in uneven cooking. 
• Flip Sparingly – Avoid flipping your pancakes too often. Over flipping can cause them to fall apart or become tough.
• Have Toppings Ready – Prepare your toppings in advance, so you can serve your pancakes hot off the pan. 
Follow these tips from our in-house baker, and you’ll be serving up the best pancakes every time! 

For American Pancakes and Chocolate American Pancakes: Flip when bubbles begin to form and pop on the surface of your pancakes. 
For Classic Pancakes: Flip when the sides have started to brown, and the top is no longer wobbly. 

Once you’ve mixed your favourite Dr. Oetker pancake mix, you’ll want to consider your flavours and toppings. Why not add: 

• 1 tsp of our Dr. Oetker Flavourings like caramel, vanilla or maybe orange 
•50g of our Dr. Oetker Rainbow Chocolate Chips Mix or Dr. Oetker Billionaire's Chocolate Chips Mix 
• 50g of any of our Dr. Oetker Chocolate Chip range, from white chocolate to dark chocolate or maybe even milk chocolate.  
• A few drops of Dr. Oetker Food Colour Gel to make rainbow pancakes; 
• 50g Of Dr. Oetker Unicorn Confetti Sprinkles - Sprinkles & Marshmallows to make unicorn pancakes! 

• Chocolate chips and orange segments. When stacking your pancakes, add Dr. Oetker Chocolate Chips between each one and allow them to melt. You can then garnish your stack with fresh orange segments. 
• Maple and bacon. Add 1 tsp of  Dr. Oetker Caramel Flavour to your pancake mix for extra flavour. You can then top your pancakes with bacon or a plant-based equivalent. 
• Lemon juice and sugar. Add 1 tsp Dr. Oetker Sicilian Lemon  to your pancake mix. Cook your pancakes and then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Delicious! 
• Red velvet pancakes. Add 10 drops of Dr Oetker Colour Gel RED to our  Dr. Oetker Chocolate American Style Pancake Mix. Then, top with sweet vanilla cream cheese. 
• Strawberry and chocolate. Make a chocolate ganache using our Dr. Oetker Chocolate. Spread this over your cooked pancakes and top with sliced fresh strawberries. 

How to Make Fun Pancake Shapes! 
Ketchup Bottle Method: Pour your pancake mix into an empty, clean ketchup bottle and squeeze out your desired shapes directly onto the pan.
Cookie Cutter Method: Lightly grease a cookie cutter and place it on a heated pan. Pour pancake mix inside for perfectly shaped pancakes.
Press & Cut Method: Cook your pancakes as usual, then use your favourite cookie cutter to press out fun shapes once they’re done!
Stuffed Method: Before flipping your pancake, add 1 teaspoon of your favourite filling (we love Biscoff spread!), then pour a little more batter over the top to seal it. Flip and cook until golden!

Ever wondered if you can make waffles using our mix? The answer is yes! It’s super easy, just follow these simple steps:
Prepare the mix as per the pack instructions. Preheat your waffle machine according to its guidelines. Lightly spray the waffle iron with sunflower cooking spray and pour in the mixture. Close the lid, and cook until golden and crispy.
Tip: Be careful not to overfill the waffle machine, as the mix will rise and could overflow. Enjoy delicious, fluffy waffles in no time.

Keep it classic with a stack of pancakes flavoured with either chunks of chocolate or even cinnamon and grated carrot. Anyone who doesn’t eat dairy will love our recipe for vegan chocolate orange pancakes.  
Or why not go all-out and make our decadent chocolate pancake layer cake which features several layers of classic pancakes sandwiched together with rich chocolate cream? 

Made too many pancakes? Or maybe you're batch cooking in preparation? Don’t worry – storing leftover pancakes is easy! Cooked pancakes can be kept for up to five days in an airtight container. When you're ready to enjoy them, simply pop them in the toaster or under the grill to warm them up. 

If you want to store them for longer, freezing is an option! Once your pancakes have completely cooled, wrap them tightly in cling film and place them in the freezer. They’ll stay fresh for up to one month. When you’re ready to enjoy them, just defrost in the microwave or at room temperature before reheating as mentioned above. 

The date of Pancake Day changes every year. In 2025, it will fall on Tuesday 4th March. 

Pancake Day is more commonly known around the world as Shrove Tuesday. It’s traditionally a Christian holiday marking the very start of Lent, and it falls exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday. 

While Pancake Day is always on a Tuesday, it’s not always on the same date every year. Eating pancakes on this day is a tradition celebrated in many cultures though – now all you need to decide is what kind of pancakes you’d like to whip up in 2025!   

Need some inspiration for what pancakes to make on Pancake Day? We’ve got heaps of mouth watering ideas that the whole family will love.