How To Store Pancake Mix For A Long Time? - Is It A Good Idea?

Pancakes, covered in butter and a smooth, sticky syrup. That’s lovely! Are your taste buds screaming at you already? Pancakes are a delicious breakfast staple that you can make however you like. You can create shapes, you can add fruits, you can vary the ingredients.

There’s no way pancakes are boring. Even traditional pancakes with butter and syrup are delicious. And the best part is that you don’t even have to eat them just for breakfast. You can also make pancakes for dinner.

Pancake mix sometimes seems to take forever. You never use the whole package at once. It is designed for multiple uses. And then there’s extra pancake batter that you’ve made but realize you don’t need it.

How is pancake mix stored long term?

Pancake mix stores well in the pantry, but keeps even longer in the fridge or freezer. Since pancake mix is made with dry ingredients, your only concern is keeping those ingredients sealed and dry.

The process of storing pancake mix is pretty straightforward, but there are a few things you need to know. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to give you an easy walkthrough on the best way to store pancake mix for the long term.

We will cover some storage options. We’ll even address storage of the mixed dough. Read on for everything you need to know about storing pancake mix and more.

Your guide to pancake mix storage

Pancake mix is a common pantry item. You can buy it boxed or bagged, or you can even make your own pancake mix at home.

The nice thing about pancake mix is that it usually comes in the form of a dry product and you don’t add the liquid ingredients until you’re ready to mix it.

Store-bought pancake mixes often have an expiration date. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it went bad after that date, just that you should be aware of the date.

The expiration date is literally that. Quality is only guaranteed up to that date. After that, it’s anyone’s guess whether your pancake mix will be very good or produce the right results.

Why does pancake mix have an expiration date if it’s just dry baking ingredients? Well, the truth is that pancake mix also often has leavening ingredients (like yeast or baking powder). It’s the leavening agent that might not work as well after the date.

Also, these dry ingredients tend to go rancid and could make your pancakes not as fluffy or flavorful. If you’re not so concerned with these minor factors and just want to know how to store your pancake mix, you’ve come to the right place!

We also want to reassure you that if you follow the tips and tricks we share, your pancake mix should keep for the long term without any problems.

What’s in the pancake mix?

You can easily go to any local grocery store and choose from a selection of pancake mixes. There are even gluten-free and low-carb pancake mixes for those with dietary limitations.

You can also make your own homemade pancake mix ahead of time. If you do and want to use long-term storage options, we recommend that you only mix the dry ingredients.

You can add any wet ingredients, such as milk, water or eggs, when you are going to use the mixture.

Whichever pancake mix you decide to use, if the wet ingredients are kept separate until you’re ready to use them, you’ll be able to store them much longer.

There are also some storage options for fully mixed batter, which we’ll talk about.

Here’s a simple pancake mix recipe to give you an idea of the usual ingredients. 

• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• Sodium bicarbonate
• Salt
• Sugar

You mix these dry ingredients and store them properly. When you are ready to use the mixture, you will add the following 

• Egg
• Milk

Once mixed, you prepare your pancakes.

The difference between homemade and store-bought pancake mix can certainly vary. Some pancake mixes only require you to add water to mix them. They are called instant pancake mixes.

Again, let’s say your storage techniques will stay the same.

Long-term storage of dry pancake mix

Dry pancake mix is designed to store for quite a while without having to worry about it spoiling.

The expiration date is there to guide you. One of the things that can go wrong most in pancake mix is baking powder. It loses potency and can make your pancakes dull and flat.

However, there are options. First of all, if you have unopened pancake mix in your pantry, it will last quite a while on its own.

This means that the package is sealed and unopened, and stored in a cabinet that protects it from heat and humidity. Often this setup is designed to store pancake mix for up to 12 months without worrying about it “going bad.”

If you’re working with homemade or open-ended pancake mix, we recommend using the fridge or freezer. The cold preserves the baking powder and other ingredients for longer.

How to store pancake mix in the fridge

1. Store pancake mix in a storage bag or airtight container. You can also store it in the original container, if it is closed.
2. Put it in the fridge.
3. Store it in the fridge for up to 6 months.

That doesn’t sound like the long term, but that’s where your freezer can help!

Storing the pancake mix in the freezer

The freezer is the ideal place to store pancake mix for the long term. Freezing will astronomically extend the shelf life of ingredients.

Cold air preserves baking powder or other leavening agents so they don’t lose their potency during storage. 

1. Seal the pancake mix in heavy-duty freezer bags. This is the best option to make sure it is well sealed. In addition, it takes up little space. You can also keep the original container, you just have to close everything in a tightly closed bag or container.
2. Label and date your storage device.
3. Put it in the freezer for up to 24 months.

24 months! Now that’s long-term storage at its finest.

Remember that you can continue to store the pancake mix at room temperature if you prefer. But you may notice a difference in the way your pancakes fluff up or curdle after some time, due to how the leavening agents are affected.

Storing pancake batter

We also wanted to quickly cover pancake batter storage options. If you’ve mixed too much, you can always save the leftover for later.

Unfortunately, the dough will only keep well in the fridge for about 4-5 days. You must seal it well. If it’s in a container, you can place a layer of plastic between the lid and the dough to better seal it.

Otherwise, we recommend that you freeze the dough. This is how you do it:

1. Pour the batter into a freezer bag. You can also use a pancake ladle to do this.
2. Roll the bag down to release and remove excess air.
3. Seal it well.
4. Label, put the date and put it in the freezer.
5. The pancake batter should last in the freezer for up to 6 months.

When you are going to use the dough, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Since you used a freezer bag, you can cut off one corner and use the bag to “pour” the mixture onto the pan or griddle. That way you’ll have one less plate to clean up later.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to long-term pancake mix storage helpful and informative. There are several storage options that you can put into practice to enjoy your pancakes whenever you want.

Below you will find a question and answer section with additional information. We invite you to take a look and see if anything can be useful to you.

Why is my pancake batter lumpy?

Often when you mix the wet ingredients, you notice that the dough is not smooth, but contains some lumps.

Don’t worry, it’s normal. The dough of your pancakes is not designed to be completely smooth. We promise your pancakes will still be delicious with those lumps.

Can I omit the leavening agent from my homemade mix?

This is a great option for making a pancake mix that you want to keep for a long time.

If you do, be sure to note on the container what still needs to be added (such as baking powder) to complete the mix. This is so you don’t forget that the mix is missing a key ingredient.

Can I freeze leftover cooked pancakes?

Once you’ve cooked the pancakes, you can freeze the leftovers. Seal them in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to 6 months.