Look, I love a good food trend as much as the next guy, but I draw the line at buying a $20 set of specialty metal rings just to make breakfast. When I was in college, my entire kitchen budget for the month was about the price of one “Instagrammable” brunch in downtown LA. I knew there had to be a way to get that 3-inch-tall, cloud-like wobble without the specialty gear. This soufflé pancake hack is the ultimate answer for fluffy japanese pancakes without mold.

The secret? Your office supplies.

This is the ultimate “beat the system” recipe. We’re using a parchment paper pancake ring and a standard office stapler to build our own molds. It’s cheap, it’s effective, and honestly, it feels a little bit like a culinary heist. We’re taking basic pantry staples—eggs, flour, sugar—and turning them into something that looks like it belongs in a high-end Tokyo cafe, much like the techniques in my Ultimate Japanese Soufflé Pancakes Masterclass.

The DIY Ring Hack

Here’s the deal: those fancy metal rings are just there to provide structure. We can do the same thing with DIY pancake rings made from parchment paper. By folding it into a thick strip and stapling it, we create a heat-resistant collar that forces the batter to rise up instead of spreading out.

It costs literally pennies. If you don’t have parchment paper, get some. It’s a meal-prep lifesaver anyway, and it’s much cheaper than a “soufflé pancake kit” you’ll use twice and then hide in the back of your cabinet. This is one of my favorite budget breakfast hacks.

Respect the Bubble

The fluffiness in these easy souffle pancakes comes from air. That’s it. When you whip those egg whites, you’re basically trapping millions of tiny air bubbles. If you stir the batter like you’re mixing paint, you’re popping all those bubbles, and you’ll end up with a very sad, very flat omelet-pancake hybrid.

When you fold the whites into the yolk base, use a gentle “lifting” motion. Imagine you’re tucking a very tiny, very expensive kitten into bed. Be gentle.

The Steam Oven Effect

Most people mess these up because they try to “fry” them like a regular pancake. You can’t do that here. Because these are so thick, the outside will burn long before the middle stops being raw goo.

The hack is the water droplets. By adding a splash of water to the pan and locking the lid down, you’re creating a miniature steam oven. The steam cooks the center of the pancake through while the bottom gets that perfect golden brown.

Tyler’s Budget Tips

• The Sugar Hack: If you want that fancy “powdered sugar” look but only have regular granulated sugar, toss a 1/4 cup of the regular stuff into a blender or food processor for 30 seconds. Boom. Free powdered sugar.
• Store Brand is Fine: Don’t let anyone tell you that you need organic, farm-raised, hand-massaged eggs for this. The cheap ones from the corner store work perfectly.
• Toppings: I usually just hit these with some generic brand syrup, but if you want to be extra, simmer some frozen berries with a spoonful of sugar while the pancakes are steaming. It hits different, trust me.

This recipe is proof that you don’t need a fat wallet to eat like a king. If I can make these in a cramped apartment kitchen with a stapler, you can definitely pull this off on a Sunday morning. Now go get that wobble! If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out my list of the best souffle pancakes for your next brunch.