How To Prevent Pancakes From Sticking To Pan

Nothing tastes better in the morning than a plate of fluffy pancakes with some maple syrup on top and a few berries! In fact, it would be the first choice for breakfast for half the world! Making a batch of pancakes does seem like a walk in the park.

The easiest way to prevent pancakes from sticking to the pan is to use a coating of grease or oil on your pan before cooking the pancake. Besides, you should use a non-stick frying pan and ensure even and uniform heating when you are cooking.

Once you start cooking and the pancake begins to stick, a lot of other complications will arise. So, you need to first understand why the pancake is sticking and what you can do to prevent this. Therefore, please read the entire article to get a complete guide to the solution to your sweet pancake woes!

Why Do Pancakes Stick To Pans?

Usually, when you use the wrong tools and utensils, pancakes tend to stick. Also, a non-uniformly mixed batter can be an important factor. Besides, if your pan is not evenly heated, it can give you a hard time cooking the pancake!

The most loved dessert and breakfast item is the pancake. It takes very few ingredients and only a brief amount of time to make one batch of these delicious breakfast dishes. Nevertheless, if there is some problem in the cooking process, even a recipe as simple as pancakes can present problems!

The most common issue with pancakes is getting pancakes stuck to pans. A lot of times, beginners face this issue. It might appear to you that you have done everything correctly. Then why is it still sticking!

Uneven Pancake Batter

The ingredients for pancakes are very simple. Use some flour, baking powder, milk, sugar or honey, oil, etc. Some people even use bananas in the batter. It can cause an uneven distribution of the batter in places. However, the common issue is uneven flour mixtures. 

If you don’t mix the batter well, the flour can cause lumps in places. These lumps can lead to an uneven distribution of heat in various parts of the pancake. Ultimately, the pancake can get burned in places or simply stick to the pan.

Non-uniform Distribution Of Heat

Sometimes, you may notice that making the first pancake is dangerous as it gets stuck to the pan or burnt. While flipping the sides, you may observe that one end of the pancake has gotten stuck, and so you are unable to flip it. As a result, the pancake may ultimately break when you flip it!

But this problem doesn’t arise when you make the second or third pancake. It seems as if the first pancake took up the excess heat to neutralize the pan!

Most importantly, when the batter becomes uneven, the heat from the pan doesn’t radiate equally to all the parts. In this case, even cooking on low heat may cause the pancake to stick. 

Because an area of the pancake that has lumps won’t receive heat in the same way as an area that is smooth, there is an unequal distribution of heat, and your pancake gets affected! Usually, the center of the pan receives the maximum amount of heat.

Making Disproportionate Batter

One tip that no one ever told you is that the ingredients of pancakes must be in equal parts per ratio. Mainly, flour, egg, and oil must be in the same ratio. Also, you can use a hint of milk and sugar as per your taste. Some even use honey instead of sugar. It tastes equally great!

Now, if you use flour more, the batter can get thicker than necessary. If you use more oil, the batter will be very runny! In both cases, your pancake will stick to the pan. So, maintaining the ratio is very important. It is a trick I had to learn by comparing various pancake recipes!

Here is an easy and quick recipe for some perfect soft pancakes. Check out this link and make your own soft pancakes today!

https://youtu.be/NCMKedZvnyI

Dry Surface

Another common issue is that if the pan is excessively dry, your pancake is sure to get stuck. In this regard, some people recommend sprinkling some water into the pan so that it can absorb some moisture.

Dry surfaces are very common with frying pans and sometimes even non-stick frying pans. Use metallic pans to avoid such circumstances. 

Not Using A Non-stick Pan

As I mentioned earlier, the extra layer of Teflon on your pans is essential for non-stickiness. As long as your pans have this protective barrier, the metallic steel surface is not exposed. Hence, as a result, the thick, sticky batter has no chance to adhere to the metallic surface. 

Moreover, when this non-stick layer is present, it repels the molecules of your food or pancake batter. So, naturally, the pancakes do not adhere or get stuck! But if the layer is coming out, be careful about this. Because eating food with this black layer can be hazardous to one’s health! So, use your pan only until this layer stays in place.

What To Do To Stop Pancakes From Sticking?

Pancakes won’t stick to your pan if you make sure you use a non-stick pan, apply some oil or butter before you start, and if you make the batter properly. 

These are some very easy things to do to stop your pancakes from sticking to the utensil. So, let’s get to know in detail how to achieve this!

Use A Non-stick Pan 

Just as I mentioned earlier, the extra layering of Teflon on your pans is essential for non-stickiness. As long as your pans have this protective barrier, the metallic steel surface is not exposed. Hence, as a result, the thick sticky batter has no chance to adhere to the metallic surface. 

Moreover, when this non-stick layer is present, it repels the molecules of your food or pancake batter. So, naturally, the pancakes do not adhere or get stuck! But if the layer is coming out, be careful about this. Because consuming food with this black layer can be health concerning! So, use your pan only until this layer stays in place.

Using A Pancake Pan

Most people prefer buying a pancake pan instead. Of course, it is a bit more expensive than the regular pans. Also, these pans have limited areas, so you can only make a few pancakes at a time.

It will surely save you time. These pans have an inbuilt non-stick nature. So, your pancakes can cook smoothly!

Letting The Batter Rest

When you use baking powder or baking soda in a mixture, apply a little amount of lemon juice to it. The lime juice is for the baking soda to start its action. If you are using any of these in your pancake batter, it is better to let the mixture rest for a while after you have made it. Typically, I let it rest for like half an hour.

After 30 minutes, just stir the mixture once again to mix it well. Most importantly, this step will ensure that the pancakes become very soft and the components blend in proportionately. So, don’t skip this step! Otherwise, your pancakes may stick again!

Use Some Butter

Before you start to cook, some even prefer to use oil. But it is better to keep oil among the ingredients. And for greasing, use butter. Butter has a low smoking point, so make sure you do not heat the pan excessively after greasing. This butter adds to the stickiness, so it won’t let the batter stick to the pan.

Also, it will help infuse the sweet and salty taste of butter into your pancakes. So, it enhances the taste and, at the same time, prevents it from sticking.

Baking In The Oven

It is like some next-level solution to your problem because the problem doesn’t exist here itself! Baking anything shouldn’t allow the batter to stick to the baking tray or pan. Just follow a regular baking recipe and put your pancakes on a baking tray. 

Then, throw it in the oven. Your pancakes will never stick to the tray! However, make sure you have greased the tray before putting it in the oven. These pancakes are healthier, tastier, and can be cooked in no time with zero issues!