Audio article
Listen to Beyond the Rise
About 2½ minutes · Natural English narration
Pull back the curtain on many commercial pancake mixes and you will find a familiar set of tools: added colour to deepen the buttery appearance, concentrated gluten to strengthen the structure, and a leavening system tuned for maximum height.
Those choices can produce an impressive stack. They can also push a pancake toward the springy, bread-like texture that has become common in the category. That was not the experience we wanted to create.
Starting from a different question
We began with a more useful question: what should a genuinely nut-forward pancake taste and feel like?
Our answer is softer and more tender, with macadamia contributing richness rather than appearing as a decorative inclusion. The mix has no artificial colour and no added vital wheat gluten. It is not presented as gluten-free—the formula contains wheat—but it does not rely on extra gluten to manufacture a taller, breadier bite.
The goal was never to imitate the category. It was to let the ingredients determine what the pancake should become.
Refinement without over-engineering
A simple ingredient story still requires careful development. Flour hydration, nut content, fat distribution, leavening, sweetness, and griddle behaviour all influence whether the first bite feels tender or tough, whether the surface colours evenly, and whether the macadamia is still present after syrup or toppings are added.
We made small, deliberate adjustments to improve balance and texture while protecting the idea that started the project: a nut-based pancake that feels like a treat and remains honest about what is—and is not—inside the mix.
The result does not chase exaggerated height. It offers a softer crumb, a restrained rise, and a flavour built to be enjoyed as a pancake rather than judged as a piece of bread.
Taste the work in person
On Saturday, October 3, Hanson, the ChocoNütier, will showcase the Macadamia Pancake Mix at the Dan-D Pak Fall Food Festival in Saanichton, British Columbia. Come find our table, try a fresh stack, and experience the product where formulation becomes flavour.
The festival will also include food tastings, cooking demonstrations, the Dan-D Market, kids’ activities, and giveaways. Admission is free. Walk-ins are welcome, and advance RSVP is encouraged.
Taste it with us
Dan-D Pak Fall Food Festival
- Date
- Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Time
- 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Place
- 1700 Mt Newton Cross Rd
Saanichton, BC - Admission
- Free · Walk-ins welcome
The reservation opens on the festival organizer’s RSVP page.
