How to Make Pancakes That Taste Like They Came From IHOP

Pancakes are one of those classic breakfast dishes that always come packed with a big punch of nostalgia within every bite. Those who grew up eating pancakes on a regular basis are likely to have very strong opinions on how to make the perfect, fluffiest stack. And those who don’t have passionate thoughts on the matter just wish that their at-home pancakes tasted like they came straight from IHOP.

Whichever side of the pancake your tastes fall on, there's no denying the urge to make a beautiful restaurant-worth flapjacks. And whether you have years of experience under your belt or not, there are a few tricks to follow that can ensure your at-home batch is fluffy and delicious.

Most pancake recipes are very similar. Additions like nutmeg, cinnamon, espresso powder, mashed bananas and peanut butter are all easy ways to enhance an already classic recipe, but there’s one ingredient that is responsible for the perfectly fluffy pancakes that are served at IHOP.

Related: The IHOP-Approved Secret Ingredient for Tender, Fluffy Omelets

The Secret Ingredient in IHOP Pancakes

According to an eye-opening response to a question posted to the r/AskBaking subreddit requesting tips for creating IHOP-worthy pancakes at home, one helpful home cook revealed a surprising secret ingredient: malted milk powder. Made from malted barley, wheat flour and evaporated milk, malted milk powder adds a creaminess to milkshakes and chocolate milk, and it can also add a depth of flavor to other foods.

To get the delicious diner pancake flavor that we all know and love, malted milk powder is key. In addition to the not-so-obvious ingredient pairing, the helpful Reddit user also recommended not overmixing the batter when combining wet and dry ingredients to help your pancakes cook up light and fluffy instead of thin and dense. To recap, what we've learned so far: fluffy + malted milk powder = IHOP.

“Almost undermix,” the commenter wrote, “a few small pockets of dry will bake out. This is super important to make them fluffy.”

In response to this discovery, one commenter seconded the addition of malted milk powder, confirming its effectiveness. “It definitely takes them closer to that diner taste,” they said.

Related: Dolly Parton’s Secret Ingredient for the Fluffiest Scrambled Eggs

How to Make Pancakes With Malted Milk Powder

To try this method for yourself at home, one person suggested following the King Arthur Flour pancake recipe (though any basic pancake recipe will work). The King Arthur recipe uses 35 grams of malted milk powder instead of 25 grams of sugar. Otherwise, just continue to make the recipe as written, remembering not to overmix.

When the time comes to enjoy your fluffy, diner-worthy results, take note of the difference in flavor and fluffiness and see how this method stands up to your favorite recipes from the past.

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