Can Pancake Batter Be Refrigerated?

Can Pancake Batter Be Refrigerated

Nothing beats the flavor and taste of freshly made pancakes in the morning. And although many people don’t mind preparing a fresh batch from scratch, some of us don’t have the time.

So, what if you have leftover batter, should you throw it away? Can pancake batter be refrigerated?

Pancakes can last in the fridge, but how much they’ll last depends on the batter itself. Keep reading to learn how to store pancakes properly.

Can Pancake Batter Be Refrigerated?

Yes, all types of pancake batter can be refrigerated. However, the results differ depending on the ingredients.

The most important tip is to keep the batter in an airtight container or a freezer bag. You can also keep the batter in a glass or plastic bottle.

Thin Pancakes

Thin pancakes taste better when you leave the batter in the fridge. The batter doesn’t contain a raising agent, so it won’t deflate when you keep it in the fridge.

Keeping the batter in the fridge will remove all the bubbles, which is desirable if you want flat and thin crepe-like pancakes. This is the best batter to refrigerate, and the results will always be outstanding.

Batter With Buttermilk

The batter that uses buttermilk as a raising agent tastes amazing and is so fluffy and lightweight. However, this is probably the most challenging type of batter to prepare, and when you refrigerate it, it won’t be as delicious.

Buttermilk deflates when it sits for too long in the fridge, so the taste would still be amazing, but you’ll most likely end up with compact pancakes, not the airy, fluffy ones you desire.

So, if you add buttermilk to the batter, you can add some yeast or mix all the dry ingredients and then add the buttermilk with the rest of the wet ingredients right before cooking the pancakes.

Batter With Baking Soda

Baking soda is a chemical leavening or raising agent that reacts with the ingredients of the batter to make pancake batter fluffy. So, when you cook it, you’ll end up with lightweight pancakes. Apart from its culinary uses, people use baking soda for several household purposes.

Once you add baking soda to the pancake batter, it instantly starts to react. You start to see the bubbles forming in the batter, and you should start using it immediately.

So, if you want to refrigerate the pancake batter, you might want to skip adding the baking soda. You can add it right before cooking the pancakes to achieve the best results.

However, the results might not be desirable if you add the baking soda before refrigerating the batter. Adding more baking soda might change the taste and texture.

Batter With Baking Powder

Batter With Baking Powder

Although both baking soda and baking powder are raising agents, many chefs prefer baking powder for pancake batter. It contains acid, so its raising effect is multiplied.

People add baking powder to their pancake batter to make it fluffy and light. So, many recipes call for baking powder to avoid having flat pancakes.

There are several types of baking powder, but the double-acting type is the best for pancake batter. It first reacts when you add all the ingredients, making your batter fluffy. Then when you bake the pancakes, it reacts for the second time, giving you the lightest and fluffiest pancakes you could ever dream of.

Although you can safely refrigerate this batter, it might lose some of its fluffiness when you put it in the fridge. So, to overcome this problem, you can use a little bit of baking powder before cooking your pancakes.

All you have to do is to add one-quarter of the amount you’ve already used for the original recipe. This won’t affect the taste or texture of your pancakes and will guarantee that they’ll be fluffy and lightweight. Adding more baking powder might ruin your batter.

Batter With Egg Whites

Egg whites are added to the pancake batter to make it fluffy and lightweight. However, for the best results, you should add egg whites right before cooking your pancakes, as the batter won’t be as fluffy or tasty when you refrigerate it.

So, you can prepare the batter in advance and add the egg whites right before cooking your pancakes. Yet, this method doesn’t save much time and involves some preparation. However, it’s still better than having flat pancakes.

Batter With Yeast

Using yeast as a raising agent isn’t common in pancake batter, but it will work for you if you want to refrigerate it. Yeast doesn’t become less active like baking soda and baking powder.

Just get the batter out of the fridge one or two hours before cooking the pancakes to give the yeast time to raise the batter. However, this method means that you can’t prepare the pancakes on the spot.

Wrap Up

Different types of pancake batter can be safely refrigerated. However, how the batter will turn out depends on the ingredients used.

You can achieve the best results from a batter that uses baking soda as a raising agent. The thin and crepe-like batter will also taste and feel amazing because it doesn’t have a raising agent.

 

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