DIY Kodiak Flapjack Mix

The beginning of this story is set on the baking aisle of a chain grocery store. My search for a healthy pancake mix brought me there, and there I stood, comparing labels and looking over long lists of ingredients. When I picked up a box of Kodiak Flapjacks my search was over. Made from whole ingredients, and balanced to keep you from enduring the harsh crash that comes after indulging in an overly-sweet breakfast, these pancakes blew every competitor out of the water.

Fast forward to the second part of my journey where I’m at my fourth or fifth grocery store, searching high and low for the best price on Kodiak Flapjacks. Prices range from $6-$8 a box here around South Puget Sound. Our upcoming move to Alaska, and its promise of higher prices for everything, has me worried about the totals at the cash register on my weekly shopping trips. At each grocery store, I reactively pulled at my collar, which seemed to tighten every time I saw the price tag of my favorite pancakes. They’re definitely worth the price, but my small family needs to save money. That’s why we went with the Ninja instead of the Vitamix blender recently, and why I just can’t justify an $8 box of pancake mix. There had to be another way, I thought to myself. Then I found that other way.

Make my own pancake mix! Why didn’t I think of it sooner?!

I searched high and low, much like I did for a reasonably priced box of Kodiak Flapjack Mix, to find a recipe for pancake mix that was comparable to my beloved Kodiaks.  After two rounds of pancakes from this batch of Pancake Mix, my husband and I are convinced this recipe fits the bill.

Whole Wheat & Oat Pancake Mix Recipe:

Ingredients:

MIX 

4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats

3 tablespoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup vegetable oil

PANCAKES

1 cup homemade mix

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup greek vanilla yogurt (or plain, for a savory version of these pancakes)

1 large egg

Instructions:

MIX

1. Grind the oats in a food processor until they’re chopped finely, but don’t go as far as turning them into powder.

2. Put the flour, oats and all other dry ingredients into a mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on slow speed and very slowly drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl while the mixer is running on low.

3. Store mix in an airtight container in fridge or freezer. This will keep indefinitely.

PANCAKES

1. Whisk one cup of pancake mix with 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of greek yogurt, and one large egg.

2. Allow batter mixture to sit for 20 minutes at room temperature, this allows the ground oats to soak up the excess liquid. The mixture may seem runny before this time has lapsed.

3. Using an ice cream scoop, or 1/4 cup measuring cup, spoon out the mixture onto a warm griddle (350F) or pan. I have an electric stove, and I find that pre-heating my enamel cast iron pan on medium helps tremendously.

4. When pancakes are bubbly around the edges, flip. Cook until golden brown.

Notes:

-Yields 5-8 pancakes per cup of mix.

-Adapted from King Arthur Flour – Homemade Whole Wheat Pancake Mix Recipe.

-The oats photographed are whole oats, they have not yet been processed. When yours have been through the food processor, they should be roughly 1/4 their original size. I hope that helps.

-Your pancake mix will end up crumbly with some smaller than pea-sized chunks.