Pancakes are a brilliant snack, or even a full meal (depending on how many you like to eat at one time, that is!) But, making them can sometimes be a little frustrating. If you find yourself howling, “Why are my pancakes sticking to the griddle?” then you are far from alone! Let’s look at the reasons for this, and what you can do about it.
Why Are My Pancakes Sticking To The Griddle
There can be a few reasons why your pancakes are sticking to the griddle; go through this checklist and see if you can work out what the problem is:
- The griddle is not hot enough. If your pan is not hot enough before you start cooking, the batter is very likely to stick to the pan.
- The griddle is too hot. Conversely, if the griddle is too hot then the mixture may well just stick instantly to the pan.
- Not enough cooking fat. You do need fat to cook pancakes well, and if you are not using enough oil then you may find that the batter sticks.
- Pancake batter is too thin. If your batter is too thin and watery, the pancakes will not be able to form, and will just stick all over the pan.
- Pancake batter is too thick. On the other hand, if your mixture doesn’t have enough liquid, it will just form doughy lumps that no one wants to eat.
- Griddle is not seasoned. Taking good care of your cooking equipment is essential when preparing good food, so make sure you look after your griddle pan.
Once you have figured out why your pancakes are sticking, it will be much easier to solve the problem and start creating perfect pancakes!
How Do You Keep Pancakes From Sticking To The Griddle?
There are a few golden rules when cooking the best pancakes – and avoiding that sticking-to-the-pan nightmare.
Ensure that the pan is hot before you put the first batter in. This will help to caramelise the outside of the pancake and stop it from sticking.
However, try to ensure the pan is not too hot – intensely high heats will burn the cooking fat, and can cause pancake mixture to stick instantly.
Grease the pan after every pancake. Just adding a tiny bit more cooking fat will help you to create better pancakes.
Always take time to clean up leftover batter – if you put a fresh pancake into the pan while there are still bits left over from the last one, it will affect the quality of the pancakes.
If your recipe calls for sugar, try reducing it by 1/4. Too much sugar is a sure fire recipe for pancakes that stick!
If all else fails, get a new pan. It could be that your pan is old, damaged, or that its non-stick coating has worn away – in this case, there is nothing to do but invest in a new pan.
This helpful video gives you a couple of tips to stop your pancakes from sticking:
What Temperature Do You Cook Pancakes On A Griddle?
Working out the perfect pancake cooking formula can be tricky – but with a little time and patience, you can absolutely make them perfect.
Cooking temperature is an important consideration for pancake cooking – ideally, it should be neither too hot tor too cold – pancakes are not the most forgiving of foods!
Ideally, go for a temperature of 375 degrees Farenheit or 190 Celsius. This is generally a medium setting on a gas cooker.
Make sure that you heat up the pan before you start cooking the batter, as this will help them to not stick.
If your pancakes are cooking too quickly, or burning, you can definitely turn the heat down halfway through cooking.
Making sure the temperature is consistent is key to cooking good pancakes – try not to burn the oil before you even start!
What Is The Best Oil To Use On A Griddle?
Opinion is divided on the best oil to use – some people like one type, others swear by a different one.
The best thing you can do is go with what you like, first of all, and also look into the various health benefits of each different type.
Another thing to consider is how hot each oil gets – you want an oil that can cope with high temperatures without burning or losing its flavour.
- Avocado oil is a great bet – packed with a good deal of healthy fat, it has a smoking point of 525 degrees F.
- Sunflower oil, a very common cooking oil, can handle temperatures of up to 450 degrees F, making it great for hot cooking temperatures.
- Grapeseed oil is excellent for cooking, and it will cope with temperatures up to 425 degrees F.
- Extra virgin olive oil, beloved for salad dressings, is not the best for cooking, as it will start to smoke at just over 400 degrees F.
Choose your oil based on its taste, health benefits, and its suitability for the temperatures at which you are cooking.
Why Use A Griddle Instead Of A Frying Pan?
We all have our favourite pans to cook with, don’t we? Whether it’s the one that’s the perfect size for baked beans, or that one with the broken handle that was passed down to you by your grandma.
If you have been wondering whether to use a griddle or a frying pan, here’s all our reasons why you definitely need a griddle pan!
- Griddles have a flat surface, meaning that they are great for cooking things that need to be heated uniformly.
- They are fantastic at cooking a wide variety of different foods, from a cooked breakfast to burgers.
- Their shallow sides, as opposed to the sloping sides of frying pans, make them fantastic for flipping flat foods such as pancakes.
- You get a fantastic sear. Because of the large surface area of the pan, whatever you put into it will be able to get a crispy edge.
Either pan is great, we agree, and you can cook with whichever you want. But if you have never tried a griddle pan then give it a go – your pancakes will thank you for it!
Now the next time you feel a sudden urge for a batch of pancakes, you should hopefully be able to avoid the dreaded sticking!
There are only a few simple rules to follow, and you too can make a delicious batch of pancakes that lift easily off the bottom of the griddle.
