I Tried 9 Kinds of Buttermilk Pancake Mix and This Was the Winner

I'm not sure how we all agreed that it's OK to eat stacks of fried cake for breakfast, but I'm not here to argue about it. And on a nice, sunny weekend morning, there's no better way to start the day. Maybe even on a weekday, if you've got the time.

But you've got options at the grocery store when it comes to pancake mix, so what should you choose? Which box is going to yield you the best pancake? I tried nine different brands and found out.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

Related: I Tried 7 Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches, But None of Them Put Starbucks to Shame

After running my tiny apartment kitchen like a diner and frying up pancake after pancake, I was able to taste them all hot off the griddle, er, frying pan.

The truth is, most of these are very similar. We're talking about tiny differences, some of which may even be based in the slightest change in ingredient ratio. The point is, there's not really a clear way to say definitively that some of these are better than the others. 

So, here's what we're gonna do. In my opinion, the perfect pancake is light, fluffy, and shining with a balanced level of sweetness. That's the scale: Light, fluffy, and sweet. The top pancake hits those marks the most, and the bottom hits those marks the least. 

Related: Best Frozen Waffles: We Tried 8 — These Are the Best

$3.97 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 4/5

Sweetness: 4/5

I loved these, and for an egg-less batter, I'm shocked how rich and sweet they tasted. Nothing like a micro-pancakery, eh?

$2.76 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 3/5

Sweetness: 4/5

Krusteaz knocked out one of my favorite cornbreads, and this batter is no less rich or full of flavor. Appetizing food, horrendously unappetizing brand name.

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$5.95 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 3/5

Sweetness: 5/5

This is as sweet as I'd like a pancake to be. Paired with syrup and some fruit, you're at maximum sweetness capacity, but the flavor is honey-soaked and beautiful. 

Related: This Is the Most Popular Pancake Topping In Your State (Besides Syrup)

$4.18 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 3/5

Sweetness: 4/5

The packaging might not lead you to believe what big flavors await you inside, but they're there. The recipe calls for butter in addition to egg, and in my experience, there's nothing but happiness ahead when butter is involved. 

Related: 45 Best Homemade Pancake Recipes

$12.99 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 3/5

Sweetness: 3/5

For the only box with the word "honey" printed on it, I expected better sweetness. The flavor is solid, but I wish it was sweeter, especially when I've got honey on the brain.

Available in-store at Trader Joe's

Light and Fluffy: 2/5

Sweetness: 3/5

There's nothing inherently wrong with the Trader Joe's pancake mix. There's nothing inherently... anything. It's slightly and boring, but that's the worst I can say. 

$10.85 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 2/5

Sweetness: 3/5

As far as whole grain pancakes go, these are amongst the best I've tasted. The hearty wheat flavor throughout is actually nice and helps to build a big flavor profile. Covered in syrup, this is the whole package, but for me, floury buttermilk flavors will always triumph over whole grain.

$2.77 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 4/5

Sweetness: 1/5

Weirdly enough, this fluffed up in a beautifully pillowy way and had solid texture, but the flat flavor inside holds it back from any greatness. I'd buy it again in a pinch.

$3.76 from Walmart

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Light and Fluffy: 1/5

Sweetness: 1/5

This review isn't all bad. The shaker bottle system at play here is ingenious. You just add water, shake it up inside the bottle, and pour into your pan. Unfortunately Bisquick lacks any sort of flavor whatsoever, and this is the type of pancake that makes you think to yourself, "Do I even like pancakes?"