Pancakes Are Pretty Easy To Make

Pancakes are pretty easy to make. However, like most breakfast food, they require a certain amount of active cooking, by way of pouring, flipping, and general vigilance. I am quite lazy, especially in the morning, so the idea of a giant, fluffy, set-it-and-go-back-to-sleep Instant Pot pancake appealed to me. Maybe it’s the kind of dude I attract, but every male partner I’ve ever had has been obsessed with pancakes. I make them, because I am a kind and giving partner, but I was hopeful that the Instant Pot would make this particular labor of love less work-intensive.

According to the blogs, all you have to do is mix up some batter, pour it in a (heavily greased) insert, and cook it on low pressure for just under an hour. For starters, the type of recipe you can use is very limited. I had found a few recipes for Instant Pot pancakes—which I had started calling “iPancakes” in my head—but wanted to see if the appliance could produce a decent breakfast carb from a mix for the ultimate lazy morning.

I grabbed a bag of Bob’s Red Mill buttermilk pancake mix, added the required egg, milk, and oil, and poured the batter into my Instant Pot insert. Not wanting to use cooking spray—I don’t love the flavor—I applied a very liberal amount of butter to the sides and bottom. I then cooked it on low pressure for 5o minutes. It was an utter disaster. The pancake fused to the bottom of the insert, and the top was damp and gummy.

Thinking that at least part of the problem was that I had used butter, and not the recommended canola spray, I repeated the process once more, this time with the spray. It was pretty clear to me by then that not just any pancake batter could be added to the famous pressure cooker, so I decided to try out this recipe, which was specifically developed for the appliance.

Before we get into the the tasting, it’s worth noting that these pancakes are not meant to be exactly like American flapjacks. The writer of this particular recipe points out that “in addition to being very thick and fluffy, they are also a little chewier and sweeter.” Even with that in mind though, I didn’t find them to be very pleasing.

Slide a spatula underneath, and flip. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until light golden brown on both sides. Notes: Regular or white whole wheat flour may be substituted. However, their heartier tastes will overpower the delicate flavor of the buttermilk, so they’ll simply taste like whole wheat pancakes instead.

You must use buttermilk in this recipe. It’s more acidic than regular milk, which is required to react with the baking soda and baking powder. As a buttermilk substitute, I highly recommend this powdered buttermilk. It’s shelf-stable and keeps for ages. Simply mix 2 tablespoons with ½ cup of water to yield the buttermilk required by this recipe. Alternatively, measure out 1 ½ teaspoons of vinegar into a measuring cup, and pour in regular milk (skim, 1%, or 2%) until you reach the ½-cup mark.

However, this second method will not yield the same iconic buttermilk flavor. For tips on the type of pan to use and how to properly flip pancakes, see the text in the blog post above. If the batter is too thick to pour and spread easily in the pan, stir in up to 4 additional tablespoons of buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a normal pancake batter consistency. This recipe is easily doubled to make more. If you have any leftovers, they freeze really well too!

I do this quite often and the pancakes still have a great flavor because of the sourdough starter. If the batter seems way too thick, you can thin it with a bit more buttermilk or milk. Just be careful not to add too much or your pancakes will turn out very thin. This post may include Amazon affiliate links.

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