Blueberry Muffins with Pancake Mix

There’s nothing quite like a freshly baked muffin. But what if you’re missing a key ingredient, like flour or baking powder? You can use pancake mix for an easy substitution!

Start with pancake mix and simply add a little sugar, butter, milk, and an egg. And I wanted to make blueberry muffins with my pancake mix, so I added fresh blueberries and a little lemon zest.

The result? Fluffy and delicious muffins, bursting with fresh blueberry taste in every bite.

Why you will love this recipe

Using pancake mix reduces the measuring step a little, which makes these muffins a little more kid-friendly to make. I made them with my granddaughter, who loves to help with the mixing and spooning into the muffin tin.

Its exactly the kind of recipe that makes wonderful memories with children. And, you have something delicious to eat when you’re done!

Ingredients

How to make blueberry muffins with pancake mix

Simply stir together the dry ingredients: pancake mix and sugar. Then add the wet ingredients: egg, milk, and melted butter. Stir until just combined. This means as soon as the dry flour has disappeared, stop stirring.

This is just as I do for my other muffin recipes, because over-stirring can result in tough, rather than tender, muffins.

Now add in the blueberries and lemon zest.

Technically, the lemon zest is optional, but when I made these without it, I could taste the “pancake” taste in these muffins. Adding a little lemon zest enhanced the blueberry flavor and also took away that pancake taste. The zest of about half a lemon is enough.

Gently fold in the blueberries and lemon zest until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners and divide the batter to fill 12 muffin cups.

Bake at 400F for 15 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then remove from the muffin pan and enjoy right away or save for later.

Serving suggestions

Muffins are yummiest when served warm, right from the oven. I think they’re delicious as-is, but feel free to add a little butter, honey, or whatever you like on your muffins. 🥰

When having a muffin the next day, I like to use 10 seconds in the microwave to deliver that warmth.

Substitutions and Variations

I’ve made these muffins with 3 different types of pancake mix: Hungry Jack, Krusteaz, and Kodiak, so I am confident you can use whatever you have on hand!

I will say that my 7-year-old taste tester noticed that the Kodiak mix muffins were a little less sweet than the others. I think I might add a little vanilla the next time I make them with Kodiak. They were still yummy, and I love that the Kodiak mix is higher in protein, so you can feel the muffins are a little bit healthier.

I didn’t add any streusel to these muffins, in the interest of keeping it simple. But a sprinkling of coarse sugar on top before baking might be a delightful addition to the muffin top. 😁

Storage

These muffins should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for just a couple days. If you plan to keep them longer, I recommend freezing them for later.

Sula’s Tips/FAQ

As mentioned, I like to add lemon zest to help enhance the flavor and mask some of the “pancake” taste of the mix. I only used the zest of ½ a lemon per batch, but you could zest the whole lemon if you want even more lemony flavor.

If using Kodiak or a similar high-protein pancake mix, consider adding about a teaspoon of vanilla to increase the sweetness profile.

More Recipes to satisfy your Muffin Craving

📖 Recipe

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Blueberry Muffins with Pancake Mix

Pancake mix is a delicious shortcut to make blueberry muffins, so easy and fast!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Sula

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups pancake mix
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup butter melted (½ stick)
• 1 ½ cup blueberries
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest about half a lemon

Instructions

• To prep: preheat oven to 400F and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
• In a large bowl, stir together the pancake mix and sugar. Then add the milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix until just combined (when the dry flour disappears).
• Now add the blueberries and lemon zest. Fold (gently stir) into the batter, just until the blueberries are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Divide the batter into the 12 liners in the muffin tin. The batter will be a little more than ¾ full.
• Bake the muffins for 15 minutes. The batter will be cooked through and tops will be lightly brown.
• Cool slightly in the pan, then remove to enjoy right away or cool completely before storing.

Notes

If your pancake mix is high protein, it is probably a little less sweet. The addition of a little vanilla will help enhance the flavor of your muffins without adding more sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.