This Simple Mixing Mistake Will Ruin Your Homemade Pancakes Every Time

We're forever on a quest to make the best pancakes ever. To do that, we wanted some inside scoop on what not to do in the kitchen — so Food Republic spoke to Joanne Gallagher, recipe creator and co-founder of Inspired Taste, to pick her brain on what she thinks is the biggest mistake people make at home.

According to Gallagher, overmixing is detrimental to your batter, as it can activate too much gluten, resulting in pancakes that are "dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy." This is also why the type of flour you use matters. "Pancakes made with high-protein flours, like bread flour, are most likely to get tough if overmixed, because they'll build more [of that] gluten," Gallagher warned. She also noted that whole wheat flour, which is also high in protein, and additions like nuts or fruits can make the batter heavier when overmixed. Generally speaking, all-purpose flour is likely your best bet.

Additionally, Gallagher noted that overmixing can inadvertently pop all the air bubbles that your leaveners are creating throughout the batter, resulting in "a flat and thin pancake." Instead, she recommends gently folding the dry ingredients into the wet ones, which ensures you don't overmix. She also suggests leaving the batter with a few lumps, which helps keep some of those important air pockets intact.

There are a few tricks you can use to achieve a magazine-worthy breakfast. For instance, a spoonful of mayo is one way to get a fluffy stack, while incorporating potatoes is another tip for achieving soft pancakes. Another favorite idea is to separate your eggs and beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks before adding them to the batter. Rather than tossing them in with the rest of your wet ingredients, folding them in at the end of mixing will help give your pancakes structure, resulting in a delightfully fluffy rise. It's actually one of the tricks that makes Japanese soufflé pancakes so airy and irresistible.

Joanne Gallagher also shared some additional tips on how to achieve the best results. "Let the batter rest a couple of minutes so everything hydrates evenly before hitting the griddle," she recommended. In addition to hydrating the flour properly, resting the batter also allows your leavening agents, like baking soda or baking powder, to distribute more evenly. This will help you achieve pancakes with a gorgeous, even rise.