Does the Saucepan Pancake Hack Work?

We’ve covered pancakes before here at BergHOFF. We’ve even helped with one of the worst pancake making problems! So we thought we knew a thing or two about pancakes. But it turns out, there was one trick we hadn’t heard of before and people on social media have gone wild for it.

One person said “Saving this to my ‘VERY important’ folder.” Another said “That’s actually a really good hack!!! I’d be down to wash two pans to get perfect pancakes!”

We’ve been truly humbled because it seems like something we should have thought of before. So how does it work?

Picture a stack of beautiful round American-style pancakes topped with maple syrup. The kind that can only be seen in stock photos and ads. How is it possible to get something to look that perfect? Normally, the pancakes will end up different sizes and shapes, no matter how good you are with a ladle.

User @alsheahan on TikTok to explains exactly how she gets perfectly round, uniform American pancakes every time.

Step 1: Grab a Non-Stick Saucepan with a Lid and a Non-Stick Frying Pan

A non-stick pan is essential for this to work, as is the addition of a glass lid (it needs to be see-through). We recommend a smaller size, but any will do. A bigger saucepan just means bigger pancakes!

Put the non-stick frying pan on a low heat and the saucepan on a medium heat. Grease the saucepan with oil or melted butter.

Step 2: Add Pancake Batter to the Saucepan

Ladle the pancake batter into the saucepan (you will need American-style pancake mix), making sure it fully covers the bottom of the pan. At this point, you may need to lower the heat to low.

Step 3: Put the Lid on Until Cooked Through

Putting the lid on will allow the pancake to steam and fully cook through. You will know the pancake is ready when the top of the pancake is starting to look dry and the bubbles have popped.

Step 4: Flip the Pancake in to the Frying Pan

Now tip the saucepan upside down to “flip” the pancake in to the frying pan. This is to brown the other side so you have a completely golden pancake.

Step 5: Repeat

While the pancake finishes in the frying pan you can get started with the next one. Now you’ve got the perfect system for making a stack of perfectly golden, perfectly round and perfectly uniform pancakes!

Step 6: Stack them Up and Grab Your Toppings

Pile up the finished pancakes for the picture-perfect stack.

It almost feels like BergHOFF cookware was made for the saucepan pancake hack. Our Non-Stick Saucepans, glass lids and Non-Stick Frying Pans are the perfect combination. The non-stick surface of the cookware means that you can even cook without oil, avoiding overly browned pancakes and making them healthier too.

Other types of pan aren’t recommended for this. User @15sese15 on TikTok had a famous fail with her pancake sticking inside the saucepan. Stainless steel and other types of pan would require a good level of oil to prevent sticking but this will be a potential danger when it came to the flip, so non-stick is definitely the way to go.

Does it work? Yes! Just make sure you’re using a good non-stick saucepan to avoid sticking and you’re good to give it a go. This simple hack is a great way to get perfect fluffy pancakes every time. We’ve even got an American pancake recipe to get you started and once they’re ready, all you have to do is pick your perfect toppings.