Can You Freeze Pancake Batter?

Pancakes are great, aren’t they? They’re highly versatile making the perfect breakfast or dessert depending on your preference.

Serve them savory or serve them sweet. Top them with bacon, maple syrup, or a nice heap of chocolate. You can make your own batter or buy one ready-made from the shop, and within minutes you’ll have these fluffy treats ready at your fingertips.

But what happens when you’ve opened a store-bought packet but only want one or two pancakes? Or you’ve made an error in your measurements and have an excess of mixture leftover?

The answer is simple. Freeze it.

Whether you buy a store-bought batter or make it yourself, you can easily freeze the mixture to prolong its shelf life and ensure it stays edible for future use. 

In fact, out of all the different foods you can freeze, pancake batter is one of the best. Most recipes of pancake batter have hardly any separation during the freezing process and can be easily thawed for your use.

So if you’re looking to freeze your batter, follow this guide and it’ll be a piece of pan-cake!

How to freeze pancake batter

The process of freezing pancake batter is a very easy one. It’s a simple way to extend the shelf life of your batter from a few days up to 3 months, and an easy way to make your morning routine simpler.

If you like pancakes for breakfast, but don’t like the preparation it takes, you can easily prepare a batch of batter for future use then freeze it. 

If you want to freeze your own pancake batter, the first thing you need to do is prepare the batter you usually use. There’s no need to substitute any ingredients, just make your batter as usual. If you plan on freezing store-bought batter you can miss this step out. 

Once the batter has been prepared, the process is simple. You have two options, you can either divide the mixture into smaller portions or freeze it as a single batch.

If you decide to freeze in portions, you should divide the mixture between resealable freezer bags or airtight containers. Think about how many pancakes you will eat in one sitting, and divide accordingly. 

Alternatively, if you choose to freeze as one batch simply pour all of the batter into an airtight container or freezer bag. No matter which way you choose to freeze it, you should always leave 2 inches of space at the top of the container/bag.

The mixture will expand during freezing and leaving this gap minimizes the risk of spillages. 

Once your mixture has been placed in the freezer-safe container, you should label it with the date of storage. You can then place the mixture in the freezer and leave it. To avoid spillages you should store it flat, especially if you use a freezer bag.

How to defrost pancake batter

When the time has come for you to enjoy some of the pancake batter you froze earlier, the defrosting process is just as simple. 

If you decide that you want pancakes for breakfast, you should transfer the batter from the freezer into the drudge the night before and leave it to defrost.

If you froze it in individual portions you should defrost enough portions for the exact serving that you want. If you froze it in one batch simply transfer the container/bag from the freezer into the fridge. 

If you cannot wait overnight for the batter to thaw, there is a way you can speed up the process. You can do this by taking the mixture out of the freezer and leaving it on the countertop to thaw.

However, this is not advised as it may cause the liquid ingredients to separate, and runs the risk of spillage. 

Depending on the storage receptacle you used, the next step will be more or less easy. If you used a freezer bag, one simple way to access the batter is by snipping the corner of the bag with scissors. This creates a small gap through which you can pour the liquid directly into the frying pan, reducing the amount of washing up you will need to do. 

However, if you used a container you should either transfer the mixture from the container into a bowl before cooking.

Factors to consider before freeze pancake batter

Similarly to everything else that you freeze, there are some factors that you need to consider when freezing pancake batter. 

Firstly, you should consider the ingredients. One ingredient which could hinder the freezing process is baking powder.

This ingredient is added to give pancakes their fluffy texture and is activated during the mixing process. However, this ingredient can only be activated once and so it becomes redundant after the pancake batter has been frozen. 

It doesn’t impact the taste of your pancakes but it will mean that your pancakes have a flatter consistency than normal. If you are using a homemade batter you can easily leave this ingredient out of the recipe.

But if you are buying a store-bought batter you should check the ingredients list and see if it contains baking powder before buying. 

You should also consider portions. If you have leftover batter that you want to freeze, it is likely because you mixed too much in the first place or the store-bought packet was too large for one serving.

With this in mind, it could be a good idea to separate the mixture into individual portions before freezing. 

This is a great way to make your mornings easier as all you have to do is cook the defrosted batter rather than making the batter from scratch. It also means you’ll have cooked the perfect amount of pancakes for you because you measured that serving earlier.

Summary

In short, the answer is yes, pancake batter can be frozen and it is surprisingly easy to do.

Pancake batter takes really well to the extreme temperatures of your freezer.

So if you want to meal prep for the week or simply have leftovers you don’t want to waste, freezing is a great option.

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Hi there! My name is Caroline Stevens, and I am an American mom of three wonderful children. I started this blog to help everyday families be more sustainable and save money by preventing food waste. I currently live in Wisconsin, and enjoy crafting, cooking at home, and traveling. I have a degree in art and previously worked in the restaurant business.