Can the pancake batter be frozen?
You’ve mixed up too much pancake batter and wonder what you can make with the leftovers. That leads to the question: can pancake batter be frozen?
Or maybe you love pancakes for breakfast on weekdays, but just can’t be bothered to gather the ingredients and mix the batter on a busy morning. If you had the mixture already prepared, you could take the iron and make them in a couple of minutes. That’s where making the dough ahead of time comes into play.
Freezing the pancake batter seems like a reasonable solution to both problems, and that’s what this article is about.
Can the pancake batter be frozen?
The short answer is: yes, you can freeze the pancake batter. And that’s true of almost every recipe out there. The dough is runny, and the freezing process causes hardly any separation, regardless of the ingredients. It is true that you have to stir it after defrosting it, and possibly add a little water or milk to get the usual consistency, but that’s about it.
In case you are wondering, you can freeze the batter for pancakes with eggs without any problem. In fact, that is what I have done for this article.
And what about refrigeration, you ask? Keeping the dough in the fridge is also an option, and if you want to mix the ingredients the night before, I wouldn’t bother freezing the dough. Simply pour the mixture into an airtight container, close it tightly, and you have a delicious breakfast.
The pancake batter should keep for a couple of days in the fridge, depending on the recipe. But since there’s almost no downside to freezing it, if you don’t plan on using the dough, opt for freezing.
How to freeze the pancake batter?
This entire process is simple and only requires another minute or two. Here’s how to do it:
- Make the pancake batter. No need for any fancy recipe, just use the usual.
- Think about the portions. If you’ve mixed enough for a couple of servings, you’ll want to freeze each part separately.
- Pour the batter into airtight containers. Be sure to leave some room for the liquid to expand. Technically, you can also use freezer bags, but I don’t trust them for storing semi-liquid foods. Seal it all good.
- Put the containers in the freezer.
Voila, that’s it. After a couple of hours, the dough will be frozen.
How long can pancake batter be frozen?
Technically speaking, the pancake batter will never go bad as the freezer temperature keeps it protected. But it definitely won’t retain quality forever.
It’s hard to say how long frozen batter will make tasty pancakes, as it depends on the ingredients used. But if you want to be calm, use the mass within two months. If you need a really long shelf life, you should probably make a homemade pancake mix instead (you can see how long pancake mix lasts here).
As always, remember that quality decline is slow and gradual. That means it won’t make much of a difference whether you use your 3 month old dough today or three days later.
How to defrost pancake batter?
In the fridge is how pancake batter thaws. Put the container in the night before and you will have it ready in the morning.
If you are in a hurry, you can pour some warm water into a bowl and lower the container into it. That speeds up the thawing process, but it will still take at least one to three hours, depending on how much dough you have.
That’s the only downside to freezing your pancake batter: you have to plan ahead so you’ll have the thawed mix when you need it.
| ADVICE |
|---|
| Once the dough is thawed, stir it well and add a little water or milk if the texture is too thick. You are now ready to make pancakes. |
Is it better to freeze the pancakes or the dough?
Freezing prepared pancakes is another way to have plenty of these fluffy treats ready for breakfast. And many people choose this option because reheating them in the microwave or oven only requires a couple of clicks and little to no supervision.
Ultimately, it depends on you and your situation, since both options work well. If you can spend a couple of minutes near the stove and make them from thawed batter, you’ll (probably) get better-tasting pancakes. If, on the contrary, your mornings are hectic, making the pancakes in advance and reheating them is your best option.