ᐅ How to Store Pancakes and Hotcakes for later •ᐅ【 2024 】

Pancakes are a flat cake piece, although somewhat thick and fluffy, which can be sweet or salty and are eaten for breakfast, snack, or dessert, but do you know how to store pancakes?

You can store the pancakes in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, but if you freeze them, they can last between 2 and 3 months. On the other hand, the pancake mixture or dough can only be refrigerated for 24 hours at most.

If you want to know the methods to preserve pancakes in detail, keep reading.

How to keep pancakes in the fridge

After two hours at room temperature, I do not recommend consuming pancakes, but to keep them for a bit longer, you could save them in a food heater or an oven with this function.

That way, the pancakes will last about 6 hours in the heater. However, if you need to keep the pancakes for several days, you should refrigerate them as follows:

Step 1: Wait for the pancakes to cool.

As the pancakes become ready, put them on a rack or tray to cool. Don’t pile it up, or steam will create moisture between the pancakes, and that’s not good.

Step 2: Bag or package.

To store pancakes in your refrigerator, you must have an airtight container to prevent them from absorbing the smell of other foods and changing their taste.

And when placing several in a container or bag, I advise you to place parchment paper or aluminum foil between each pancake. Nevertheless, if there are not many, you can wrap them with aluminum foil or plastic.

Step 3: Store the pancakes in the fridge.

Place the bag or container in the coldest area (at the bottom of the refrigerator), so your pancakes will remain in good condition for 5 to 7 days.

If the pancakes have cream or syrup, the storage time is reduced to 2 or 3 days in the fridge.

I should also note that you can not freeze pancakes with something added on top.

How to freeze pancakes

Can pancakes be frozen? Yes, you can. It is also handy to keep many pancakes for a few months.

You need to follow the indications that I leave you below:

Step 1: Wait for the pancakes to cool.

Again, put the pancakes on a rack or tray, not pile them up, so they cool well.

Step 2: Bag the pancakes.

Put the pancakes inside an airtight bag that is suitable for freezing, but be sure to place waxed paper between the pancakes to prevent them from sticking.

You can also use a container that is freeze-resistant and has an airtight lid, and you also have to place a layer of waxed paper between the pancakes.

Step 3: Tag.

As they will be stored for a long time, write down the storage date on the container or bag.

Step 4: Store the pancakes in the freezer.

This way, you can store the frozen pancakes for 2 and 3 months. Thawed pancakes cannot be re-frozen, but you can refrigerate them for about 3 or 4 days. [1]

How to reheat and thaw pancakes?

If you want to reheat the refrigerated pancakes, use the same grill or pan where you prepared them, and put it over medium-low heat for 5 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other.

You can also use the oven at 200°C (390°F) for 5 or 7 minutes or the microwave at medium power in batches of 30 seconds.

To thaw it most safely, transfer the pancakes to the fridge a day before. So you can leave it in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days. But if you consume them on the same day, you can apply the same methods for reheating; it will only take a little more time.

In the case of the pan or grill, it is recommended to leave 5 minutes on each side over medium-low heat. For the oven, leave it for about 10 or 12 minutes at 390°F (200°C). And if you use the microwave, put it at medium power for a minute, and if you stack many, turn it over and reheat for another minute.

How to preserve the pancake mixture

If you have the leftover mix to make pancakes, you can keep it in two different ways. The first is to refrigerate it, where you must cover the mixture with plastic film or pass it into an airtight container.

The pancake mixture can be refrigerated for about 24 hours; after this time, it is not recommended to use it.

But you can also freeze the pancake mixture, and you need to do the following:

Step 1: Transfer the mixture to an airtight container.

The container has to be freezer resistant. You can also use airtight bags, but they must seal well so as not to throw away the mixture. You also have to get rid of all the internal air.

An important tip, in this case, is not to fill the container or bag, as the mixture can expand after freezing.

Step 2: Tag.

Write the date of preparation of the pancake mixture on the container or bag.

Step 3: Store the pancake mixture in the freezer.

The pancake mixture will be in good condition for three months in the freezer. To defrost it, leave it 24 hours in the fridge, and you must use all the mixture you thaw as it cannot be re-frozen or refrigerated. [2]

How to keep a store-bought pancake mix

Just as you can get pre-mix packaging to make cakes, there is also pre-mix to make pancakes, simplifying the preparation and guaranteeing the final product’s quality.

The way to store it is effortless. You can put it in the pantry, in a dry, dark and cool area until the expiration date if you haven’t opened it.

Once opened, pass the pre-mixture to an airtight container, and store it in the same way as sealed (explained above) and will last 15 months at room temperature. [3]

Once you make the pancakes, you will keep them for the same period as homemade ones.

How do you know if pancakes are spoiled?

You will know that pancakes are bad if they have any of these characteristics:

Mold (black, white, or greenish spots or lint).

Bad smell (rancid).
Bad taste (sour or bitter).
Extreme texture change (gets too watery or too hard).

Why do pancakes spoil?

The combination of ingredients and the small amount of sugar (compared to traditional cakes) make pancakes not last as long as a cake.

In addition, as these are usually somewhat fine, external agents affect them quickly. So heat and humidity can damage pancakes a lot in a short time if not careful.

Also, if they are not well stored, pancakes will develop harmful microorganisms found in the environment.

How long do pancakes last?

Product	Duration
Pancakes inside a food heater	6 hours
Refrigerated pancakes	5 – 7 days
Frozen pancakes	2 – 3 months
Frozen and refrigerated pancakes	3 – 4 days
Pancake mix in the fridge	24 hours
Pancake mix in the freezer	3 months
Commercial pancake mix at room temperature (unopened)	Until the expiration date
Commercial pancake mix at room temperature (opened)	15 months

What is the best way to preserve pancakes?

Freezing pancakes is a great way to preserve them for a long time, and it’s an excellent way to be stocked for several months without the need to prepare the mixture every time you feel like eating one.

But the best way to store pancakes is to keep them in the fridge; even if only for a few days, they will remain in an optimal state and will not take long to heat up.

The mix does not last much in the fridge, but you can freeze it for months.

To know how to store some other food, you can search the website as much as possible since I have the best guides on preserving food and products.