A Spoonful Of Mayo Is The Secret To The Fluffiest Pancakes

Mayonnaise is taking cooking and baking by storm. The latest applications include making mayo ice cream, adding a dollop to soups, and using it for a base in frosting, all of which are forcing us to ask: Is all this mayonnaise necessary? But, once you try adding the condiment to pancake batter, you'll know the answer is a hard yes as it can be a key ingredient to unlocking truly fluffy breakfast stacks.

All you need to do is add two to three tablespoons of mayo into the bowl. It's seriously as simple as that to create a rich batter that's creamy and moist and will help fluff up each flapjack. There's no need to worry about the tangy taste of mayonnaise dominating the pancakes; the flavor will become subtle or non-existent once everything is cooked. However, it is best to use a mild variety like Hellman's Real mayonnaise to keep the taste even more subdued.

Once ready, enjoy your pancakes with a drizzle of maple syrup or a stick of butter, and say goodbye to flat stacks for good.

While it's easy to assume that the eggs in mayonnaise are what give pancakes a sublime rise, it's actually the vinegar. If you've ever made a homemade volcano for a school project, you might have used vinegar and baking powder to mimic an eruption. A similar reaction occurs when mayonnaise meets up with baking powder in the pancake mix. Although, before you picture a mess exploding all over your kitchen, this reaction is on a much smaller scale.

To further explain the science, the acidity in the mayonnaise combined with the baking powder causes a production of carbon dioxide and triggers the batter to rise. Simultaneously, this loosens the flour's proteins to produce an even softer and fluffier bake. Alongside this dreamy texture is the added richness that the fat in the mayonnaise brings that ensures the pancakes remain moist throughout the cooking process.

Realizing that each ingredient in mayonnaise (vinegar, oil, and eggs) complements every aspect of the pancake mix, it's easy to see why it makes the perfect addition.

Japanese buttermilk pancakes are renowned for their spongy, tall appearance and miraculously light texture. The secret here too is Japanese mayonnaise and buttermilk. Kewpie is a brand of Japanese mayonnaise that has a divine silky taste with a rich, eggy tang that works as an incredible extra ingredient in pancakes. 

Though, one of the greatest differences between American and Japanese pancakes is the use of butter — which is not usually included in American-style flapjackes (unless as a topping). So, trying Kewpie as your mayo addition can give you different results if you try this cooking tip. To be truly authentic with the Japanese-style stacks, you can also add some vanilla extract into the batter. Once ready, you can heat a skillet with a little sprayed oil, then pour the pancake mixture into ring molds that measure 2 ½ inches tall by 3 inches wide and cover with a lid to allow the pancakes to rise consistently. 

Fluffy, rich, and visually appealing, mayo pancakes are a total breakfast and brunch game changer.