If you want to make batter late at night without adding milk or eggs, choose a complete mix that only needs water. A shaker bottle is handy if you want a smaller stated yield, but check whether your chosen bottle calls for water or milk. If you have milk and eggs at home and want to make more pancakes, look for a regular mix in a packet. Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging for every variety.
If you don’t want to gather lots of separate ingredients, look for a complete mix that needs water. A shaker bottle can mean less measuring, but the liquid required varies by product: according to Koopmans, its original shaker bottle calls for milk.
If gluten, milk or egg is a concern, the exact variety matters more than the type of mix alone. Read the ingredients and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements on the packaging you buy.
Compare the stated yield with the number of people eating. Koopmans says its original shaker bottle makes around five pancakes, while a packet of Pannenkoeken Origineel makes 11 to 13. The pack size alone won’t tell you how much batter you’ll want to make.
Start with what you have at home to make the batter, then decide how many pancakes you want to cook. ‘Medium sliced’ refers to the thickness of slices and isn’t a useful way to compare pancake mixes.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients needed | Check which liquid, eggs and cooking fat your chosen variety calls for. | If I want to cook late at night, I don’t want to have to get milk or eggs first. For around 33% of consumers, keeping preparation to a minimum comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what this particular variety contains or may contain. This is the main deciding factor for around 25% of consumers. |
| Yield | Compare the stated number of pancakes with the number of people eating, and check the storage instructions. | For a single late-night snack, I don’t want to end up making much more batter than I need. Getting the quantity right matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
| Type of base mix | Choose the variety you want, such as plain or multigrain, and check its preparation instructions too. | If I already know what kind of pancake I want to make, I choose the base mix first. For around 17% of consumers, that preference is the deciding factor. |
A complete mix reduces the number of extra ingredients needed for the batter, but you still need to cook the pancakes in a pan.
Read the preparation instructions before buying, and check that you have a pan and the recommended cooking fat.
According to Albert Heijn, Koopmans Pannenkoeken Glutenvrij may contain egg and milk. The gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether those ingredients are present.
Check the current packaging for both the ingredients and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements.
Koopmans states that its original shaker bottle makes around five pancakes; Joybuy’s product information says that the 210 g complete shaker bottle makes four to six.
Compare the yield with the number of people eating and follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
Ingredients and allergens can vary between varieties. So a previous purchase won’t tell you enough about the packet you’re choosing now.
Check the information on the current packaging before deciding based on ingredients.
Koopmans offers regular mixes, complete mixes, shaker bottles and a variety labelled gluten-free.
Albert Heijn’s range includes different types of pancake mix, including plain and multigrain.
PLUS offers a plain mix and a complete mix, with different preparation methods.
Jumbo offers a 400 g Naturel mix in a regular packet.
Lidl describes Belbake Pannenkoekenmix Origineel as a 400 g packet.
These mixes illustrate three options for a late-night snack: a shaker bottle that needs water, one that needs milk, and regular packet mixes for making batter from scratch. Compare the preparation instructions and packaging before choosing.
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An option if you’d rather use water than milk in the batter. According to Joybuy product information, this shaker bottle needs 350 ml of water and makes four to six pancakes; you’ll still need to cook them.
Read the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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A shaker bottle for anyone who wants to do less measuring, as long as you have milk at home. Check how much milk the packaging specifies, then cook the batter according to the instructions.
Read the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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A packet mix to consider if you have milk, eggs and cooking fat at home and want to make several pancakes. Check the quantities in the preparation instructions before you start.
Read the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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A regular packet mix for anyone with milk, eggs and cooking fat to hand. Make and cook the batter according to the instructions; Joybuy product information says it isn’t intended to be eaten raw.
Read the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
Choose a complete mix whose instructions say to add water to the batter. Koopmans Pannenkoeken Compleet and PLUS Complete use this method. You’ll still need a pan and the recommended cooking fat to cook the pancakes.
No, the gluten-free label doesn’t mean that. Albert Heijn says that Koopmans Pannenkoeken Glutenvrij may contain egg and milk. Check the current packaging and the ingredients needed to prepare it.
No. According to Joybuy product information, batter made with Koopmans Original Pancake Mix isn’t intended to be eaten raw and must be cooked through.
