Many people would agree that a short stack of pancakes is one of the best ways to start the day. Pancakes are a favorite in American diners and home kitchens alike, thanks to their fluffy texture, lightly sweet taste, and versatility.
As breakfasts go, pancakes are also a relatively easy undertaking. You can use a boxed mix to speed up the process or whisk them together with just flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, milk, and butter. The biggest hurdle is actually portioning the batter. Somehow, homemade pancakes never seem to look as uniform or as satisfyingly round as the ones in restaurants.
Ditch the Ladle
The solution? A repurposed, thoroughly cleaned ketchup bottle. Instead of using a ladle or measuring cup to spoon pancake batter onto the griddle, opt for a squeeze bottle. Save the bottle from the recycling bin and scrub it inside and out — this is the most important step. When it’s pancake time, fill the bottle with batter (a funnel helps here) and squeeze perfectly neat circles onto the griddle. This may even be how your favorite diner does it: Many chefs use squeeze bottles for the clean aesthetic and to avoid the mess of a ladle.
When portioning your pancakes, draw the outline first and then fill it in with batter. This technique ensures neat edges and allows you to get creative with shapes. Try dinosaurs or hearts for kids (don’t forget the chocolate chips), or assemble brunch skewers using mini pancakes and sliced fruit.
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More Tips for Perfect Pancake Preparation
The secret to perfect pancakes lies in the technique. While the batter itself is simple, there’s plenty of nuance to the cooking process. First, let the batter rest for 10 minutes after mixing. Second, ensure the griddle is truly hot enough before you begin. Flick a couple of water droplets onto the surface of the pan to test the temperature. If they start sizzling immediately, the griddle is good to go.
Have patience while the bottom of the pancake cooks. Wait until the bubbles on the surface have popped before flipping. Finally, don’t be afraid to throw out the first pancake — or feed it to the dog, assuming it’s plain and fully cooked. The first one famously tends to fail, but that’s OK. Just squeeze the next round onto the griddle and trust the process.
