But they're not telling you to weigh the mix...?

What does '1/3 dry mix' mean in terms of amount? Doesn't seem like 1/3 of package - not if 1 whole package makes 22. Do they mean 1/3 cup?

Looks like proportion is 2 parts mix to 1 part water. If 1/3 means 1/3 cup, then 1 pancake is a bit under 3 Tablespoons mix.

I didn’t notice thet but all indications would say it means cup. I used weight because I figure if they are the one declaring the conversion it should be right. Actually looking at it your way it does come to a quarter cup (2/6+1/6=1/2, divide that by 2=1/4) but I’m guessing more than a little scant because much of the water is absorbed in the powder before it starts to add volume. I’ll try it with a measuring cup next time I guess - my fault for trying to be precise!

They're not actually declaring a conversion. They're saying what the measure weighed in the lab on the day it was tested for nutrition labelling, which can be quite different than the actual package contents. So much affects measuring flours, Weights are imprecise because humidity affects them. Volumes are imprecise because one doesn't know how much trapped air there is. Sifting could undo the mixed part of the mix.... I'm not checking your equations. I assume you already did.

I know from converting recipes from volume to mass (grams), I have to weigh each measure first, then make the recipe a few times weighing as well as measuring-cup-ing, and noting and even so, I may further have to tweak the exact gramage, and that's for pure flour.

And then, the issue might still have been how dried or not the mix is and how you measured the water. Not to mention, how they made it when they listed the yield. Did they actually make it at all? Or just do math....?

I remember being amazed when I first made Annie's "Cuppa" peanutbutter cookie recipe and how perfectly it made exactly a dozen cookies. No leftover batter. No runts. No giants. Just twelve, equal, perfect cookies. Time and again, in fact. That never happens. Even my own waffle recipe, which I created to make exactly three waffles in my waffle maker, sometimes has a runt, and sometimes has a bit left in the pitcher. That's too wide a variation to be just too much or little in a pour. Probably the hydration of the starter, and other variables. Hm... I should work up a measurement yield for the batter. .... Thanks for the idea.

This is where the art part comes into baking. I've found that instinct (whole brain gestalt informs) gives better results, rather than math.

Brand new package so I wouldn’t expect humidity issues. I just weighed a third cup measure using dip and scrape level, and my scale is teetering between 42 and 43 grams. I’d call that pretty darned close. As for the water, even if I measured slightly wrong, I can’t imagine being so wrong that I got only five pancakes instead of nine. It’s just not even close.

Annie, It just occurred to me—the peanutbutter cookie recipe has no flour! I bet that's why the measurement is so reliable!

FOAS, even if the bag is perfectlly moisture proof, you still have the variability of the relative moisture content as bagged. Flour is just a @#&+= like that. Though I agree with Annie that it may have been wishful thinking on thei parts.

Don't discount the fact that measuring cups and spoons aren't all exactly the same - or all that precise either.

Wasn't there a previous discussion here about that fact?

IMPO, proportions/ratios are more important than exact measurements, and how you measure can make a difference too. Some ways of filling measuring cups and spoons with dry ingredients may give you slightly more or less.

And a home scale may not be perfectly precise either.

If one were to be scientific about it, multiple measuring and weighing would be averaged, wouldn't it?

I realize this isn’t that big of a deal, certainly not the worst crisis in my life. I’m fully aware of the multiple places where error can be introduced. I considered whether I accidentally added just a half cup of water instead of 3/4. But even such a drastic error would not account for a 45% reduction in yield.

I totally get why you're annoyed. I just abandoned expectations a long time ago. The only pancake mix I've used this century was the original Kodiak Cakes (whole grain). It tasted really good and had the advantage of being 1:1 water to mix by volume, all inclusive, so one could make the amount of pancakes one wanted, rather than units per egg. It looks like what you have there as well at 2:1, so I get why you chose it. I think I just eyeballed the volume and adjusted since 1:1 is so easy to measure. 2:1 isn't hard though, so I wonder why you did all those conversions in the first place.

It’s just habit. i use measuring scoops as little as possible especially when it comes to powdery ingredients.

I usually just make pancakes from scratch - when I do make them - which is infrequently. I most recently used this DIY baking mix recipe and the pancakes came out lovely - very fluffy. I just make 1/2 a batch, since I don't use it that often. It's great for impossible pies too.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

(adapted from allrecipes.com )

5 cups flour

1/4 cup baking powder

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.

2. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks or in the freezer for longer storage.

Makes approx: 6 cups

To make Biscuits:

Mix together 1/3 cup of milk for every 1 cup of mix. Drop onto un-greased, or parchment lined cookie sheets and bake @ 450ºF for 10-12 min.

*Add any additional ingredients you wish such as cheese or herbs before adding the milk.

* 1 cup of mix will yield about 6 biscuits.

To make Pancakes:

Mix 2 cups of mix with 1 cup milk and 2 eggs. Cook on hot griddle.

*As with the biscuits you can add any flavouring or other ingredient you would like, such as chocolate chips or blueberries.

Half Batch:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 Tbs. Baking Powder

1 Tbs. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

Carol, I started to make a mix like that but including the eggs so I could get to that 1:1 ratio—Gainlady had told us about dry eggs that are like normal (white and yolk combined) eggs when hydrated—but since I designed my kitchen just right, I haven't felt motivated to do so.

FOAS, I get that too, but when the mix is specifically designed to be measured by volume, so you can use the 2:1 ratio to make any amount, and since the weight didn't work out right, maybe it's worth measuring by volume and seeing how that works out

Calculations look accurate to me. You should send all the info with your calculations, photos, and actual results to the manufacturer. Make them prove they can get 9 4” pancakes with that same amount of mix and water, and if they can’t then sue them. :) This could be like the recent pop tart award! (not enough strawberries). It’s seriously wrong. :p

You never know where the packaging is done.

It could have been done in a non-English speaking country which uses metric system. So all kinds of problems in translation can happen.

dcarch

And your water amount was correct or your pancake batter would have been too thick!

dcarch it’s KAF or rather, KABC so language shouldn’t be an issue. A disappointing product overall, couldn’t get them to turn golden even after turning my griddle up from the normal 375. I’ll try them again, my wife bought a few bags during covid that I need to burn through.

Or, you could donate them to a food bank and start over. :)

You can use pancake mix for other things besides pancakes. It makes a good coating for sauteing.

I have never used a pancake mix in my life - make your own mix.

I like to use a combination of flours and usually use part whole wheat flour, but you can also add bran.

I use powdered buttermilk, and if I am feeling extravagant, I use some dehydrated cream.

As I've mentioned before, and like Lars and Carol, I make my own pancake mix. Also my own brownie mix and various seasoning mixes like taco seasoning.

But, during the first days of COVID there was a flour shortage and I'm assuming that people bought things like pancake mix. Children weren't at school and parents were working remotely and trying to make everything work. A lot of places you couldn't even buy flour if you were inclined to make your own mix. My youngest daughter stocked up on ramen noodles so the kids could make a quick lunch. I know several people who stocked up on beans and they don't like beans very much. I told them to barter or donate to the food pantries.

Plllog, I'm encouraged that you liked Kodiak Cakes, The Princess in Training talked me into buying a box from Misfits, it's strawberry chocolate chip. Definitely not something I'd eat but Madison is just starting to cook things like eggs and pancakes and she loves chocolate and strawberries, so it's all hers, LOL.

FOAS, I'm still thinking it's one of those packaging ploys to make you think you're getting more than you are. Drives me crazy too, I pick up something that should be a serving and find that a closer look reveals that you are supposed to drink half the container of coffee or eat half a sandwich. I'm sure it was done by the same people who made 5 pounds of sugar weigh 4 pounds, it's all in the marketing.

I'm picky about pancakes, because I like them and very seldom have them. So I make them from scratch with my favorite recipe, light and fluffy and with real maple syrup. My grandkids come over and gobble them down with Mrs. Butterworth's while I'm just grateful that they don't like the real (and far more expensive) stuff, LOL. And yes, I know I can freeze them and no, they are not the same.

Annie

LOL! Annie, I hope the mix goes well. When I used Kodiak Cakes it was whole grain ”flapjack” mix in a brown paper box, and all about good for you. And the pancakes were as good as homemade batter ones. I could make a couple of pancakes just for me, when we were out of bread, because of the included eggs. Now I have totillas that keep in the fridge and pancakes are back on the treats list and homemade. The strawberry chocolate chip sounds like dessert! I can’t vouch for that!