This $4 Trader Joe's Product Is My Family's New Favorite Weekend Breakfast
Live your best at-home brunch life with this favorite pick.
Amelia Manley/Dotdash Meredith
Photo: Getty ImagesIt took three business-as-usual trips to my local Trader Joe's for me to finally stop and grab a box of Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix that had been the store's highlighted front-and-center item for several weeks. The bright purple boxes, stacked one upon another, have been difficult to miss, and I can't deny that since I noticed this product, I've been waiting for the right time to bring one of those boxes home and put it to the test in my own kitchen.
What's not for me to love about this Trader Joe's product? I live for breakfast food, no matter what time of day it may be, I've always been drawn to the bright and beautiful color of ube and admire the way it's used in so many different desserts, particularly in Filipino cuisine, and I'm also a total texture girl with a serious sweet tooth, so naturally I'm obsessed with the chewy texture and sweet flavor of mochi anything. This bright purple batter also inspired my currently picky toddler to sit down and eat a hearty dish of "magical unicorn" pancakes without a fight. So, ya know...Sold. As I suspected, there was absolutely nothing I didn't love about this find.
If you love brunching at home, fun and colorful food, and have strong feelings about texture and flavor playing a role in your meal, you have to try Trader Joe's Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix. This $4 product is my family's current go-to weekend breakfast, and I've even got some tips to share for upgrading these already delicious breakfast goodies!
Christine Fiorentino
What Is Trader Joe's Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix?
This gluten-free mix is made with a base of the sweet rice flour custom for mochi, and ube powder which has the vegetable's distinct sweet and mild vanilla flavor. According to the instructions on the packaging, all you need to add to this mix is water, eggs, and melted butter or oil, which are each measured by the quantity of pancakes or waffles you plan to make. However, after many fun and delicious trial runs, I have a few tips for making these slightly sweet, sticky, chewy breakfast goodies even more delicious, plus some best practices for cooking pancakes and waffles. Whatever you decide, what you'll end up with is a bowl of bright, gorgeous purple batter for cooking a batch of warm, sweet, and chewy treats.
What Is Mochi?
Mochi is a Japanese dessert made of sweet glutinous rice flour and mochigome, a particularly sticky variety of Japanese rice. Once combined, a sweet rice dough is created that has a chewy, smooth, elastic texture.
What Is Ube?
Ube is a bright and colorful purple yam that originated in the Philippines and is popularly used in desserts in Filipino cuisine. Grown in the tropical climates of Southeast Asia, this violet-purple root vegetable has a starchy, moist texture once cooked, and a slightly nutty vanilla taste with soft notes of pistachio and coconut.
Ube vs. Purple Sweet Potatoes
An important and common misconception worth mentioning is that ube and purple sweet potatoes are not the same things. I've even spotted the two mislabeled and confused at markets before, which is important to notice because the two will impact a recipe differently when included. While both are starchy and hearty, ube is a yam grown on a vine above the ground, while purple sweet potatoes are grown underground. Ube is moist, while purple sweet potatoes have a drier texture. Ube has a distinct taste often compared to a mild white chocolate flavor, while sweet potatoes are earthier. So if you're shopping for ingredients and unsure, ask for assistance before heading home to realize you've picked up the wrong item!
Upgrading Trader Joe's Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix
According to package instructions to make 8 4-inch pancakes and 4 waffles:
Use coconut oil where the instructions call for oil or butter. Because ube has a slight coconutty flavor, adding melted coconut oil to this batter is a lovely way to really make the flavor of that ube powder pop.
Add vanilla extract. Vanilla does for baked goods what salt does for savory foods: it enhances every flavor in the dish. Add 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract to the batter to intensify the flavor of the ube and sweet rice flour used in this mixture.
Add warm spices like cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Similar to vanilla, spices enhance and highlight other flavors. A sprinkle of cinnamon or a small dash of nutmeg never hurts when it comes to a warm and comforting breakfast. Not only will your pancakes and waffles taste even more flavorful, but your entire home will fill with the aroma of vanilla and sweet spices.
Add fresh blueberries. This batter, once mixed and still when cooked, has a gorgeous purple hue. Folding fresh, plump blueberries into the batter once it's mixed will make the pancakes and waffles even more vibrant once cooked. It's also a delicious way to introduce some added texture, flavor, and fruit to the mix!
Tips for Cooking and Serving Pancakes and Waffles Anytime
Always coat your griddle and waffle maker with butter or cooking spray.
When it comes to making pancakes, it's all about the bubbles. When the bubbles that have popped form holes that stay open throughout the entire pancake, not just the edges, it's time to flip. This means that the batter has cooked through enough and won't stick or pull apart. If you're still unsure, use a spatula to gently check if the pancake is still sticking to the pan. If it's stubborn, hold off, but if it easily slides, it's time.
If you're preparing waffles, try this tip. A standard waffle iron is 7-8 inches and many people mismeasure when pouring batter onto the hot surface for cooking. A great tip is to use a 1-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray. It's typically pretty spot-on for filling the waffle mold without burning while cooking, or spilling over the sides.
Step up your syrup game. It's the absolute worst when you're served a freshly cooked batch of pancakes or waffles hot off the griddle with an A) tiny and B) chilled side of maple syrup served straight from the refrigerator. Do yourself a favor and microwave a hearty serving of syrup for serving breakfast or brunch. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the mix for intensified flavor. This isn't just a tip for this dish, it's a tip for manifesting more pure joy in your life!
Christine Fiorentino
More Inspo for Cooking With Ube
The Bottom Line
Trader Joe's $4 Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix is gluten-free, simple to prepare, and absolutely delicious! All you have to do is add water, eggs, and melted oil or butter to this mix, and in mere minutes you'll whisking up a vibrant breakfast batter and dishing out perfectly sweet, decadently chewy pancakes and waffles the entire family can devour. Enjoy this mix as is, or take some tips you love from above for upgrading this ube and mochi match made in breakfast heaven. Pass the warm maple syrup, please!
