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Pancakes vs. Waffles
What’s the Difference Between the Batters?
Both waffle and pancake recipes share some of the same basic ingredients, like eggs, milk and flour, but their batters are not the same. Waffles usually contain more fat and sometimes more sugar. The additional fat helps turn out waffles that are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy inside, as opposed to a floppy pancake. The additional sugar leads to more caramelization, so waffles get brown and crispy on the outside. Because the dry ingredients included in both pancakes and waffles are similar, you can use a mix, like Bisquick™, as a shortcut when making both Pancakes and Waffles, but the additional oil added to the waffle batter will produce a different end results.
How Are Pancakes Cooked?
The best way to cook up a stack of flap jacks is on a well-greased griddle or in a skillet. Allow the griddle to heat up to proper pancake temperature—if using an electric griddle bring it up to 375º or medium-high heat if using a skillet. Splash a droplet of water on the surface, if it sizzles, it’s hot enough to start making pancakes. Or you can try a tester with some of the batter before going all in.
Pro tip: Make sure to use a fat with a high smoke point to grease the griddle. This will prevent burning and ensure golden-brown hot cakes. If you need help deciding which is the best fat to use, check out our article, From Smoke Point to Shelf Life: Everything You Need to Know About Cooking Fats. Hint: It’s not butter!
How Are Waffles Cooked?
A well-greased and piping hot waffle iron is needed to achieve the crispy, golden-grooved exterior and fluffy interior. Some waffle irons are square shaped, and others are round. Generally, a square waffle iron will cook up more waffles at a time so if you’re feeding a crowd—go with this option!
