TikTok's Viral Scrambled Pancakes Seem Totally Pointless

TikTok's library of culinary hacks has proven to be extremely useful in some cases. If you need evidence, you can find everything from a tortilla hack perfect for taco night to how to cut mangos. But in some cases, these strategies — inspired as they may be — just fall flat. And that seems to be the case with the viral scrambled pancakes.

In the video for this tip, the demonstration depicts what appears to be the makings of a pretty photo-ready, round classic pancake before a spatula enters the shot to attack this innocent pool of batter. It seems that the idea is to simplify pancake production, dispensing with a step in the process that some home cooks find intimidating: the flip. Instead of attempting to turn the pancake over carefully with the spatula, the suggestion is to "scramble" the batter like you would an egg, resulting in little golden brown bits rather than the standard style flat and round pancake. Once complete, you'll have a pile of pancake pieces in varying shapes and sizes, which you can then dress with your preferred topping, like powdered sugar or syrup, and serve. So what's the point?

While this creation may seem like the result of an impatient late-night snack attack or an accidental creation of a less confident home cook, it more than likely arrived on our phone screens by way of an Austrian tradition: The scrambled pancake bears a striking resemblance to the country's kaiserschmarrn.

@archivedchef

the end result was👍🏼🥞😋✨ #ScrambledPancake #PancakeRecipe #BreakfastIdeas #Foodie #TikTokFood #CookingHacks #EasyRecipes #Yummy #FoodLovers #BreakfastInspo #Delicious #HomeCooking #QuickMeals #TikTokRecipe FoodTrend​ #satire #jokes

♬ original sound – Archived Chef 🍯

This dish, which can be found in Viennese cafés, is also made with a griddled batter, which is then broken up into bits. Lovers of kaiserschmarrn make a compelling case for the preparation by suggesting that the uneven and mismatched pieces mean more crispy edges and satisfying textural contrast than a large single pancake. The fact that rum raisins are a common accompaniment — and most likely find little nooks and crannies in which to settle among the pile of batter — doesn't hurt the argument in favor of kaiserschmarrn.

That said, if you'd rather keep your pancakes whole but have concerns about a successful flip, there are a few helpful tips — like making sure your pan is well-oiled and that you wait long enough so that the batter has adequately set. By practicing the flip, you can reduce your fear of this step in the process — thus perhaps eliminating the need to "scramble" your pancake.

If you feel compelled to proceed with this scramble situation, you can take the opportunity to put your own spin on it. After all, even broken-up pancake pieces are still tasty. The most analogous food from a visual standpoint is funnel cake, so take inspiration from that carnival treat here and dust your pancake bits with powdered sugar. You can also drizzle with chocolate fudge or homemade caramel sauce and top with vanilla whipped cream.

These bits seem like a good candidate for pancake croutons, too, which you can make by toasting the pieces in the oven until they develop a crunch. From there, use them in a salad like you would standard croutons for a surprising savory application, or stick to the sweeter side by employing them as an ice cream topping.

If nothing else, this viral scrambled pancake provides a great way to course correct should your pancake flip go south. With this handy tip in the back of your mind, you can always make a case that you scrambled your 'cakes with purpose.