It’s always the way that when you make a batch of pancake batter, you make way more than you actually need. Instead of wasting all of your efforts and money by throwing the batter away, you can freeze it instead!
Next time you want to make pancakes, you won’t even need to make the batter because it will already be waiting in your freezer! Hurrah! Frozen pancake batter is sure to speed up your mornings when you want to make pancakes but chose to have an extra five minutes in bed.
Today we’ll be looking at the correct way to freeze your leftover pancake batter, how to defrost it ready for your morning breakfast, and the considerations to think about before freezing the leftover batch.
How To Freeze Pancake Batter
Freezing your pancake batter could not be simpler - take your leftover batter and place it into a jug or bowl with a spout. This isn’t a necessity per se, but it will help you not to make a complete mess of pouring the batter into its new container.
Carefully pour the batter into a freezer bag with a closure. Ziplock bags are the best as it minimizes the risk of any batter leaking out and ruining your freezer. You need to get as much air out of the bag as possible before freezing, so roll it into a cone shape.
Doing this with the ziplock only slightly open will allow any excess air to escape. Once you’re happy that the air has been removed, lie the bag flat and squeeze out any last remnants. Firmly seal the bag and place it flat in the freezer.
Alternatively, you can freeze your pancake batter in an airtight container. Pour your leftovers into the container and leave around two inches of space between the batter and the lid. The batter might expand as it freezes so this will avoid your freezer from becoming ruined.
Some people have found that their pancake batter can remain in the freezer for up to a month while others have found that theirs is still good after three months. You can either err on the side of caution or risk the longer time frame and see for yourself!
How To Defrost Pancake Batter
The easiest way to defrost your pancake batter is to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator on the night before you want to use it. By the time you want to make your pancakes the batter should be completely defrosted and ready to go!
We’ve all had those days where we’ve forgotten to take something out of the freezer - it’s a common occurrence! However, that doesn’t change the fact that it is annoying when you realize that something you need is still very much frozen.
If you’re short on time and need your pancake batter defrosted desperately, there are a few things that you can do to avoid the problem. For example, you can leave the pancake batter on the countertop at room temperature. This will halve the defrosting time so that you can use the pancake batter quicker than if you were to defrost it in the refrigerator.
Alternatively, you can defrost the pancake batter in cold water. Fill up a bowl of cold water and submerge the pancake batter (still in its container or bag) for about half an hour. This will speed up the defrosting process even more, just remember to make sure that no water gets in and touches the pancake batter!
The two latter methods are quicker than using a refrigerator, but you might find that the ingredients separate due to the quicker defrosting techniques. If this happens, simply whisk the batter back together and get cooking.
Factors To Consider Before Freezing Pancake Batter
Before you rush to freeze tens of batches of pancake batter, there are a few factors that you should consider beforehand. The first of which is that the batter can expand when frozen so you need to leave enough room in your container or freezer bag for this reaction.
If you don’t leave enough room, the batter might explode all over your freezer. Believe us, it’s happened before! If you don’t want to go through all the trouble of defrosting your freezer and cleaning it all up, make sure that you leave enough room for growth.
The second consideration is that the mixture might separate during the defrosting process. If the components separate, it might affect the texture and taste of the pancakes. This doesn’t matter if you’re going to slather the pancakes in delicious toppings, but you might be able to feel that something’s not quite right about your breakfast meal.
Defrosting the pancake batter quickly will make the separation more likely. So, if you’re planning to defrost the batter at room temperature or in cold water, make sure that you have a whisk handy. You’re going to need to whip all of the components back together again.
Finally, the time frame that you can keep pancake batter in the freezer varies from person to person. If you follow the advice of someone who says that the batter can be used for up to three months, you might find that yours has gone bad by the time you want to use it.
Summary
To sum up, freezing pancake batter is a great way to prepare for the morning breakfast. You can freeze it in a container or a freezer bag, but make sure that there is enough room in case the batter expands.
Defrosting the batter is as simple as freezing it, with three methods to choose from. Using the refrigerator method is the best way to avoid separation and therefore textural changes. However, if you’re pressed for time, you can opt for using cold water or room temperature instead.
Finally, while freezing pancake batter is good for avoiding food wastage, how long you can leave it frozen is a grey area. We would recommend you eat it within one month to be sure that it doesn’t go bad before you can use it.
