When it comes to whipping up a stack of pancakes with Krusteaz® Buttermilk Pancake Mix, we all have our go-to methods. Some folks pour the mix straight from the box, some grab the biggest scoop they can find, and others carefully spoon it into a measuring cup like it’s powdered gold. But here’s the thing: the way you measure your dry mix can actually impact your pancakes. Surprised? So were we.
In home kitchens across the country, measuring styles vary as much as favorite toppings – berries, butter, maple syrup, peanut butter (no judgment here). So our Krusteaz Test Kitchen team set out to answer the question once and for all: Does the way you measure your dry pancake mix really change the outcome?
With curiosity high and spatulas ready, we tested the three most common techniques side by side, spooning, pouring, and scooping, using our tried-and-true Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix. And while the differences were subtle, the results were definitely worth noting.
The Measuring Methods We Used
Spoon Method
This is the classic baker’s approach. You spoon the dry mix into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge (like the back of a butter knife). It’s the most precise way to measure dry ingredients and helps avoid accidentally packing too much into the cup.
Scoop Method
The quick and easy (but totally common) method. You dip your measuring cup straight into the mix and scoop it out, maybe give it a shake or tap to level it off, maybe not. Fast and easy, but it can lead to a more densely packed mix, which means… more mix than you probably meant to use.
Pour Method
We see you, box-pourers. This is a no-fuss method that involves pouring mix directly from the bag or box into your measuring cup. It falls somewhere in between spooning and scooping when it comes to density, but is a favorite for convenience (especially on those sleepy Sunday mornings).
How We Prepped The Batter
To keep things fair in the Krusteaz Test Kitchen, we followed a consistent baseline for all our pancake batches.
We started with the Spoon Method, using the classic on-box prep: 1 cup of Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix + ⅔ cup cold water. This combo gave us a smooth, pourable batter with just the right consistency.
But when it came to the Scoop and Pour methods, things got a little denser – literally. Because those measuring styles tend to pack more mix into the cup (especially scooping, which compacts the mix), using the same ⅔ cup of water made the batter thicker than ideal.
So, to match the consistency of the spooned batch, we bumped up the water slightly: 1 cup of mix + ¾ cup cold water for both the Scoop and Pour batches.
That extra splash helped loosen the batter so it was still easy to pour and cook evenly, without being too thick or heavy.
Aside from that adjustment, everything else stayed the same:
- Griddle set to 375°F
- Pancakes cooked 1 to 1½ minutes per side
- No add-ins, no toppings – just pure pancake
That way, any differences we noticed in the final stack were purely the result of how the dry mix was measured.
What We Measured And Why
We wanted to understand how measuring technique could affect everything from batter consistency to the final stack. So, we tracked four key traits:
- Weight Of The Mix In 1 Cup: To see how much mix actually made it in. Turns out, a “cup” isn’t always a cup depending on how you fill it.
- Thickness Of The Batter: Thicker batter can mean taller, denser pancakes, so this told us a lot about how the mix behaved.
- Height Of The Pancakes (Stack Of 3): We stacked three pancakes to compare rise and fluffiness.
- Width Of The Pancakes: A wider pancake usually means the batter spread more, so we used this to track consistency and cook behavior.
Each of these gave us a different lens into how spooning, scooping, or pouring could subtly shape your perfect stack.
What The Krusteaz Test Kitchen Found
After flipping our way through each batch, we started to see some clear patterns in how the pancakes turned out, subtle but meaningful differences that all came down to how the mix was measured.
Here’s the breakdown:
Spoon Method: Light And Airy
These pancakes were the lightest and airiest of the bunch. Since spooning naturally packs the least amount of mix into a cup, the batter came out thinner and spread more on the griddle. That gave us pancakes that were short and wide – perfectly golden with a soft, delicate texture.
Pour Method: Balanced Shape
Pouring landed right in the middle across the board. The batter was slightly thicker than the spooned version, and the pancakes were moderately tall with a nice, balanced shape. If you’re looking for the “default” Krusteaz pancake experience, this might be your sweet spot.
Scoop Method: Tallest Pancakes
Scooping packed the most mix into the cup, which gave us the thickest batter, and the tallest pancakes. These guys didn’t spread much, resulting in a stack that was fluffy and compact. They had the most structure and a slightly heartier bite.
To put some numbers to it:
- The Pour Method delivered about 23% more mix by weight than spooning. That’s like adding an extra ¼ cup of mix for every 1 cup you intended to measure.
- The Scoop Method packed in 41% more mix, which is roughly the same as tossing in an extra ⅓ cup of dry mix without realizing it.
And yet, despite those differences in texture, height, and shape, each batch still delivered the fluffy texture and delicious flavor Krusteaz is known for. Whether you like your pancakes soft and spread out or thick and lofty, there’s no “wrong” way to measure, just your way.
No Matter How You Measure, Pancakes Win
Whether you spoon, pour, or scoop your mix, what matters most is that you’re making pancakes your way. The Krusteaz Test Kitchen loves diving into the details (yes, even how you fill your measuring cup), but we’re also all about keeping breakfast joyful, easy, and made with love.
So go ahead, grab your box, your cup, and your preferred method. Fire up the griddle and let those pancakes fly.
Because no matter how you measure it, nothing stacks up to a homemade pancake moment.
