Home cooks with ingredients to hand
If you already have milk, eggs and cooking fat ready, you can choose a regular dry mix. Check the instructions on your chosen pack to see exactly what you need to add.
Which mix is right for you?
Home cooks who want to make batter with water
A complete mix is handy if you don’t want to add milk and eggs to the batter. PLUS’s complete mix needs water for the batter, but you’ll still need butter or oil for cooking.
Shoppers looking for wholegrains or needing to avoid allergens
If you’re looking for wholegrain cereals or a product explicitly labelled gluten-free, check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose. A wholegrain mix isn’t automatically gluten-free.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, work out which extra ingredients you have at home and how many pancakes you want to make. Then check the grains and allergens listed on the pack.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Regular mix and quantity | Check the pack weight, the stated yield and the ingredients you’ll need to add yourself. | I’m making pancakes for several people and already have milk and eggs at home; I want to know whether one pack will be enough for the occasion. For around 39% of consumers, choosing a regular mix is the priority. |
| Batter made with water | Read both the ingredients needed for the batter and the cooking instructions. | I want to make batter without measuring out milk and eggs, but I may still need cooking fat. Around 31% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients list and check whether the pack says ‘may contain’. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, the label should guide my choice, not the product category name. This is the first requirement for around 15% of consumers. |
| Wholegrain cereals | Check which grains the mix contains and what else the instructions ask you to add. | I want to choose a mix with wholegrain cereals, even if I still need to add milk and eggs. This is the priority for around 15% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Only checking the pack of dry mix
A regular mix may also need milk, eggs and cooking fat. So the pack contents don’t tell you everything you’ll need to have at home to make the pancakes.
Before you go shopping, make a list of all the ingredients in the instructions for the mix you’ve chosen.
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Confusing ‘complete’ with ready to eat
With PLUS’s complete mix, you make the batter with water, but you still need to cook the pancakes yourself.
As well as checking what you need for the batter, read the cooking instructions on the pack.
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Assuming wholegrain means gluten-free
PLUS’s wholegrain mix contains wholemeal wheat and oat flour. Choosing wholegrain and needing to avoid gluten therefore call for different product checks.
If you need a gluten-free product, check that the specific product is labelled gluten-free and read the rest of the allergen information too.
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Treating dry mix and frozen pancakes as the same thing
With dry mix, you make and cook the pancakes yourself. Koopmans’s ready-made frozen pancakes should be kept in the freezer and heated before serving, according to Koopmans.
First decide whether you want to cook pancakes yourself or heat ready-made ones. Then compare products in the same format.
If you choose frozen pancakes, you’ll also need to make room in your freezer.
Brands to consider
Albona / ALDI
Albona is ALDI’s own brand, with products including regular pancake mix.
- A plain version is an option if you want to make the batter yourself.
- Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack of the version you choose.
PLUS
PLUS offers regular plain, complete and wholegrain pancake mixes.
- According to PLUS, its complete mix needs water for the batter; its wholegrain mix lists wholemeal wheat and oat flour.
- Instructions vary between versions. Check which ingredients you need to add yourself.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers a plain mix and a complete pancake mix.
- The product information distinguishes between the two versions.
- The plain mix contains gluten-containing cereals and may contain egg and milk; the complete mix contains egg and milk. Check the label on the pack you choose.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn offers its own regular, complete, multigrain and wholegrain mixes, among other products.
- The different product formats let you choose based on how you want to prepare the pancakes and which grains you prefer.
- Albert Heijn advises checking the pack, as ingredients and product information can change.
Koopmans
Koopmans offers dry pancake mixes and ready-made frozen pancakes; these are different product formats.
- For Koopmans Pannenkoeken Origineel, the brand states that each pack makes around 11 to 13 pancakes.
- For its dry Origineel mix, Koopmans lists milk, eggs and butter as ingredients to add. The brand says its ready-made version should be kept in the freezer.
Belbake / Lidl
Belbake is Lidl’s own brand behind a 400 g original pancake mix.
- Lidl states that each pack makes around 12 pancakes.
- Check the ingredients, allergens and instructions on the pack in store.
Pancake mixes at Joybuy
These are dry pancake mixes for making and cooking the batter yourself. When choosing, consider the type, quantity and instructions. A complete mix, a regular mix and a mix containing different grains each call for different considerations.
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Koopmans Pancakes Complete, 210 g
A complete mix is an option if you want to make batter without adding milk and eggs yourself. Check this pack to see which liquid and cooking fat the instructions call for.
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Koopmans Original Pancake Mix, 400 g
This regular mix is a good choice if you want to make the batter yourself and have the necessary ingredients at home. For Koopmans Pannenkoeken Origineel, the brand lists milk, eggs and butter; check the instructions on the pack you buy.
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Koopmans Wholegrains Pancake Mix, 400 g
Consider this version if the grains used are important to your choice. Read the ingredients list to see which grains are in the pack; the name alone doesn’t mean a mix is suitable for someone who needs to avoid gluten.
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Koopmans Shaker Pancakes, 175 g
This shaker version is designed for mixing the batter in the pack. Check which liquid you need to add and how many pancakes you can make from one pack.
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Xiaoyeqingzhu milk-flavoured pancake mix, 100 g
The 100 g pack may suit you if you’re looking for a smaller quantity of mix. Check the instructions and stated yield before deciding whether this pack is right for your occasion; a milk flavour doesn’t in itself tell you anything about the allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to add anything to a complete pancake mix?
Yes. According to PLUS, you add 700 ml of water to the batter for its complete pancake mix and use butter or oil when cooking. Check the instructions on your pack, as the quantities needed vary by product.
Is a regular pancake mix suitable if someone needs to avoid gluten, milk or eggs?
You can’t tell from the product category name alone. Jumbo’s plain mix contains gluten-containing cereals and may contain egg and milk; its complete mix contains egg and milk. For every mix you choose, check the current ingredients list and allergen information on the pack.
Is wholegrain pancake mix also gluten-free?
No, wholegrain doesn’t mean gluten-free. PLUS’s wholegrain mix contains wholemeal wheat and oat flour. If you need a gluten-free product, look for one explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the rest of the allergen information too.
Can I taste raw pancake batter?
Don’t do this with Koopmans Pannenkoeken Origineel: Koopmans’s product information says the batter isn’t intended to be eaten raw and must be heated thoroughly. Follow the instructions on the pack of your mix.
Can I use dry mix and frozen pancakes interchangeably?
No, they need different preparation and storage. With dry mix, you make and cook the batter yourself; Koopmans’s ready-made frozen pancakes should be kept in the freezer and heated before serving, according to the brand. So decide first which product format you want to use.