A couple of weekends ago, my siblings and our families rented an Airbnb for a little getaway. We planned to keep things easy, so for breakfast I grabbed a big box of Bisquick and called it good. And while we all enjoyed a quick and easy breakfast together, I couldn’t help but miss my fresh milled flour pancakes.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not above a bit of white flour every now and then—but once you’ve had pancakes made with freshly milled flour, there’s no going back. Those boxed pancake mixes are fine in a pinch, but they just don’t compare to the hearty, flavorful goodness that comes from whole grains milled right in your own kitchen.
That trip is what inspired me to create my own fresh milled flour pancake mix—something that captures the nourishment and flavor of fresh flour, but with the convenience of a pre-made mix. Now I can have hearty, fluffy pancakes on the table in minutes, no grain mill required on a sleepy morning.
Why Freshly Milled Flour Makes a Difference
If you’ve never baked with freshly milled flour, you might be surprised by how much it changes your food. When you grind your own wheat, you’re keeping the bran and germ intact—parts that are stripped away in store-bought flour. That means your pancakes (and everything else you bake) retain their essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Beyond the nutrition, though, there’s something about the depth of flavor that freshly milled flour brings. It has this nutty, rich aroma that fills your kitchen before you even start cooking. And because the flour hasn’t been sitting on a shelf for months, it creates light, flavorful pancakes that feel both wholesome and special.
For my mix, I love using soft white wheat flour because it makes the most tender pancakes. However, the beauty of pancakes is that they can be made with just about anything. This is a great place to use an ancient grain, or hard white wheat for more structure, or even add some buckwheat flour for a rustic touch. The beauty of making your own mix is that you can experiment with different whole grain flours until you find your favorite combination.
Ready to start milling your own flour, or maybe you just want to learn more? Check out these posts!
The Inspiration for the Mix
After that Airbnb weekend, I decided there had to be a better way to enjoy my fresh flour without having to drag out the grain mill every single time I wanted pancakes. I love the process of milling, but sometimes, you just want a simple recipe that’s ready to go.
So, I gathered my dry ingredients—freshly milled flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt—and whisked them together in a large mixing bowl. I poured the mix into a big silicone freezer bag, labeled it, and popped it in the freezer. The next morning, all I had to do was scoop out the mix, stir in my wet ingredients (milk, eggs, and melted butter), and breakfast was done.
That’s when I realized how handy it is to have a homemade dry pancake mix ready to go. It’s like having the convenience of Bisquick—but filled with flavor and nutrients instead of preservatives.
How to Make Fresh Milled Flour Pancake Mix
Here’s how I put mine together:
- Mill your grains. When measuring out my wheat berries, I like to use a kitchen scale. The weight you put in is always going to equal the weight you get out. It’s kind of amazing the first time you think of it! Because I need eight cups of flour for the mix, I measure out 8×120 grams, or 960 grams of wheat berries and pour them into the hopper. If you’re new to milling, soft white wheat is a great place to start—it’s mild and makes a fluffy, tender pancake.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, combine your freshly milled flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. You could definitely throw in some cinnamon if you like!
- Store it well. Because fresh flour doesn’t have the long shelf life of store-bought flour, I recommend storing your mix in an airtight container in the freezer. (THIS silicone bag fit in my freezer perfectly!) It keeps it fresh for weeks, and you can use it straight from the freezer—no need to let it come to room temperature first. That’s it! You now have a ready-to-use mix that gives you all the nutrition and flavor of fresh milled flour with the convenience of a store-bought mix.
How to Use the Mix
When you’re ready to make pancakes, just measure out what you need and add the wet ingredients: eggs, milk, and a little melted butter. I like to add my eggs and milk first, and whisk them in. Then I’ll actually melt the butter in the skillet that I’m going to use to cook the pancakes. When the butter is melted, I pour it into my batter and gently stir it in. Don’t overmix your pancake batter but make sure that all of the flour is hydrated.
If you want fluffier pancakes, let the pancake batter rest for 10–15 minutes before cooking. This gives the fresh flour time to absorb the liquid fully and makes the pancakes tender and light.
Scoop about 1/3 cup of batter onto a hot griddle or heavy cast iron skillet set to medium heat. Cook until the surface of the pancake starts to bubble—about 1–2 minutes—then flip and cook the other side until golden brown. For each cup of mix used, you will get 4-6 pancakes.
Note: For me, the most frustrating thing about making pancakes is that the first pancakes are cold by the time the last pancakes are cooked! To combat this, I keep my oven set to 200 degrees and place a glass baking dish inside. As I cook the pancakes, I move them to the baking dish where they stay toasty warm!
Customizing Your Mix
The beauty of this mix is how versatile it is. You can easily tailor it to your family’s preferences:
- Spelt is another great option for pancakes, and can be easier to find. .
- For a different flavor: Stir in cinnamon or cardamom to your dry ingredients.
- For extra fun: Add chocolate chips, fresh fruit, or fresh berries when cooking the pancakes.
Can I use the mix for sourdough pancakes?
Absolutely! To make sourdough pancakes from your fresh milled flour pancake mix, just mix the batter up the night before and add 1/2 cup of sourdough starter. You can use active starter or discard here because the starter is not acting as the leavening agent. We’re just using it to ferment our grains. Cover the batter to keep it from drying out and set it in the fridge overnight. The next morning you’ll have a ready to go pancake batter!
Storing Your Mix
Since fresh milled flour has natural oils that can go rancid quickly, proper storage is key. I like to keep my mix in the freezer so it’s always ready to go. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag to protect it from moisture.
I was worried that a glass jar would end up broken, so I ordered THIS silicone bag for the purpose of storing my pancake mix and it has worked so well.
When stored this way, it will stay fresh for several months without losing flavor or nutrients. If you use it frequently, you can also keep a small amount in the fridge for convenience. The mix can be stored in the fridge for up to 14 days.
The Best Kind of Shortcut
Making your own fresh milled flour pancake mix is the best kind of shortcut—it’s convenient, nourishing, and completely customizable. You get the flavor and nutrition of whole-wheat pancakes made with fresh flour, but the ease of a pre-made mix.
Next time you’re milling flour for bread or muffins, take a few extra minutes to make a batch of this mix. It’s a great way to make the most of your milling routine and ensures you’ll always be ready for a stack of hearty, golden brown pancakes whenever the craving hits.
So pull out your grain mill, grab your cup of wheat berries, and whip up your first fresh milled flour pancake mix. Your future Sunday morning self will thank you.
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Pancake Mix with Fresh Milled Flour
Ingredients
- 960 grams Fresh Milled Flour 8 cups
- 200 grams Sugar 1 cuo
- 2 tsp Salt
- 4 tsp Baking Soda
Instructions
To Make the Mix
- Grind wheat berries using the fine setting on your grain mill. Tip: Add 960 grams of wheat berries to the hopper in order to grind 960 grams of fresh flour.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk together well.
- Store mix in an airtight container in the freezer. Use right from the freezer whenever you feel like pancakes!
- Each cup of batter makes 4-6 pancakes
To Use the Mix
- For each cup of mix add: 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk, 1 egg, and 2 tbs of melted butter
- Start by adding the butter to the skillet and melting it over low heat.
- Add the milk and egg to the pancake mix in a mixing bowl and stir until combined. Once the egg is stirred in, pour in the melted butter and stir until everything is incorporated.
- This recipe makes thick and fluffy pancakes, for thinner pancakes add a tablespoon or two of milk.
- Use a 1/3 cup measure to scoop pancakes onto the skillet. Continue cooking on medium heat until bubbles start to form on the top and the edges are set. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown and set.
- Finish cooking the pancakes until the batter is gone. I like to add about a tablespoon of butter to the skillet between batches.
I really love the idea of having a pancake recipe that my kids love AND which has a fair amount of protein, particularly fur the mornings when we have our homeschool coop and I need something b quick but nutritious (without the grumbles or complaints). I have made fresh-milled pancakes using soft white a number of times but I would love more protein, I’ve adapted some protein pancake recipes (using either Greek yogurt or cottage cheese) with fresh milled flour and it’s been good, but it’s always a bit of a guessing game and I feel like they could be better and more reliable. I have yet to find someone with know how who combines the two into a recipe written for FMF. Any chance you’d take a crack at a fresh-milled protein pancake recipe sometime?
That’s a great idea! I’m always game for another pancake recipe 🙂