Light 'n' Tender Wheat-Oat Pancake and Waffle Mix

I have a passion for pancakes.  It's one of my favorite comfort foods.  I get a craving for them and HAVE to have them.  I just don't like the guilt that comes along with them.  I found this recipe and decided to see if these healthy pancakes would satisfy my occasional craving.  They were definitely great pancakes- not at all healthy tasting.  What's great about this recipe is that it makes a bunch of the mix and you put it in a baggy or container and store it in the freezer.  The pancakes were good so I decided to make waffles using the mix.  I added a tsp of vanilla extract and substituted some vanilla yogurt for some of the buttermilk (I didn't have enought buttermilk.)  I made extra waffles and put them in the freezer so we would have a fast breakfast to pull out and put in the toaster quickly in the mornings.  They were so much better fresh out of the toaster!  They were crunchy and oh, so satisfying!  Spread a little butter, sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top and add some sliced bananas and you have a super delicious way to start your day. 

Give this recipe a try! 

This recipe comes from the cookbook, King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking. You can also find it on their website King Arthur Flour.

Printable Recipe

Light 'n' Tender Wheat-Oat Pancake and Waffle Mix
 3 1/2 cups (12 1/4 ounces) old-fashioned or quick rolled oats
4 cups (1 pound) King Arthur whole wheat flour, traditional or white wheat
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) vegetable oil

To make the mix: Grind the oats in a food processor until they're chopped fine, but not a powder. Combine the oats, flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, preferably the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed, and drizzle the oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of the mix in your hand; if it holds together, it's just right. If it won't hold together, stir in 1 tablespoon of oil at a time, until it does. Store indefinitely in an airtight container in the freezer.

To make the pancakes: Whisk together 1 cup (4 3/8 ounces) mix, 1 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup each yogurt and milk), 1 tablespoon orange juice, and 1 large egg. Don't worry if the batter seems thin at first; it'll thicken as it stands. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes before cooking.

Heat your griddle or pan till a drop of water sputters when you drop it on the surface. Lightly grease, and pour pancake batter by the 1/4-cupful onto the griddle. A muffin scoop works well here. Cook the pancakes till they're golden brown on the bottom, flip them over, and cook till golden brown on the other side. Serve with butter and syrup; fresh fruit is a plus, of course. Yield: 10 medium-sized (3 1/2") pancakes.

For waffles, try this with each cup of mix: reduce the amount of milk by 1 tablespoon and increase the amount of oil to a total of 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons.

Note: These pancakes are so tender and moist, they're even good cold (not refrigerator cold; room-temperature cold). Just spread with a little jam, roll up, and enjoy.