Flavor: Does it taste like a classic pancake, or something else entirely? Is it balanced, or does it lean sweet?
Texture: Is it fluffy and light, or dense and chewy? Does it rise tall, or cook thin like a crepe?
Packaging: Does the dry mix come in one big bag or smaller packs? Are there any extras like syrup? Does it come with clear, easy to follow instructions?
Fine Print
The Lineup: We tested 11 locally available pancake mixes, from grocery brands (standard, one-step) to small-batch options (buttermilk, vegan).
Why We’re Doing This: Making pancakes from scratch sounds fun until you're splattered with batter, facing a flour-covered countertop with only sad stacks to show for it at 7am. Enter instant pancake mix: the picture-perfect breakfast in a dump-it-all bag. We tested locally available brands to find the ones that made the best pancakes.
How We Tasted: Each brand was prepared to package instructions, cooked, and tested fresh from the skillet. To standardize, we used water and oil over milk and butter unless stated otherwise (Ram, for example, explicitly instructs you to use milk).
Blind Taste Test: All brands were removed from their packaging, labeled, and tasted blind to prevent brand bias.
How We Scored: Each product was evaluated across 3 criteria. Final placements reflect the Pepper team’s averaged impressions.
Multiple Tests: This taste test has been updated over time. Current placements reflect both recent tastings and results from previous tests to keep comparisons consistent.
Transparency: No brand paid for inclusion in this taste test. However, RFM (White King) has been a past advertising partner of Pepper.
