This is simply the best pancake recipe for a tall, fluffy stack of tender pancakes, ideal for loading with your favorite toppings. These perfect pancakes come together with pantry staples (no boxed pancake mix here!) and barely any effort. It’s a brunch recipe that will delight the whole family!
Simply stir everything together and cook the pancakes on a hot griddle or skillet. It doesn’t get any easier than that! This easy pancake recipe is also freezer-friendly, so you can make a double batch and freeze half to enjoy later. For more delicious breakfast recipes, try my homemade waffles, French toast, or crepes recipe.
Ingredients
Flour — regular all-purpose flour is all you need for light and fluffy pancakes. Cake flour will leave the pancakes a little too delicate, whereas the high protein in bread flour will leave the pancakes dense and chewy.
Baking powder — fresh baking powder is a must for a fluffy pancake recipe. Be sure to check the expiration date on your jar.
Sugar — since pancake toppings are usually quite sweet, you need very little sugar in this easy recipe. The little bit included enhances the flavor and helps the pancakes brown.
Milk — use whole milk for the best pancakes!
Egg — an egg acts as a binder and cooks up pancakes that are tender without breaking apart.
Butter — since salt has already added to this pancake recipe, opt for unsalted butter.
Vanilla — use good vanilla extract for the best flavor. Try my easy homemade vanilla extract to keep on hand in your pantry!
How to Make Pancakes
1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla, and egg.
3. Add the melted butter and whisk until well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
5. Fold together just until combined. A few lumps are okay!
6. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once hot, grease the pan. Working in batches, add 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook for a few minutes until golden on the bottom and bubbles start to appear on the top, then flip over and cook the second side an additional minute or until golden brown. Add more butter to grease the pan between each new batch of pancakes.
Don’t Overmix The Batter
A few small lumps in the batter help produce the best fluffy pancakes! Mixing until the batter is totally smooth overworks the flour, causes the gluten to over-develop, and will result in pancakes that are denser and chewy instead of fluffy and tender.
Tips For Cooking The Perfect Pancakes
- Preheat the skillet or griddle. Starting with a hot pan or griddle is important so the pancakes cook evenly and get the perfect golden brown color. A hot pan also gives this pancake recipe addictively crispy edges.
- Use low to medium-low heat. Don’t rush the cooking process. While you want to start with a preheated pan, you don’t want it too hot. Pancakes should cook slowly so they cook thoroughly and don’t burn. You may need to adjust the heat between batches.
- Watch for bubbles to form before flipping. Flipping too soon is a common mistake. A good rule is to wait until several bubbles form on the surface and for the bottom to be golden.
- Use a thin spatula for flipping. A thin, flexible spatula is the best option, as it slides easily under the pancakes without damaging them.
How To Serve
While you can’t go wrong with the classic pat of butter and glug of maple syrup, here’s a bunch of topping ideas you can try:
- Fresh fruit like berries, sliced peaches, or pitted cherries
- Honey butter
- Whipped cream
- Strawberry jam
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon curd
- Chocolate ganache
- Caramel sauce
Can I Freeze Pancakes?
Pancakes freeze wonderfully! Wrap completely cool leftover pancakes tightly in plastic wrap, or stack them with a square of parchment paper between each one, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
How to Store and Reheat Pancakes
To store leftovers of this pancake recipe, wait for them to cool to room temperature before transferring them to a zip-top bag or airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you put them away while still warm, condensation will form, and the pancakes will become soggy and lose their crisp crust.
You can reheat pancakes straight from the fridge or freezer in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, in a toaster set on your preferred crispness, or in an air fryer at 300°F for 3-5 minutes.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. Adding too much flour to the pancake batter will yield dry pancakes. You can measure your flour with a scale, or if you don’t have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method prevents you from overpacking the measuring cup.
- Don’t let the batter sit for too long, as the baking powder activates once combined with the liquid. However, there’s some leeway as baking powder is activated a second time when it heats up.
- Only flip the pancakes once! When you see the little bubbles forming on the top of the pancake batter pop, that’s when you flip the pancake. Flipping multiple times can lead to the pancakes being dense.
- Leave enough room between each pancake in the skillet so there’s enough space for you to flip them easily. Also, after flipping the pancakes, do not press down on them with your spatula. This will only flatten them, causing them to lose their fluffy texture.
- Keep pancakes warm in the oven. If you want to keep the pancakes warm as you cook them in batches, place a wire rack on a baking sheet in the oven at 200°F and add pancakes to the rack in a single layer as you make them. The wire rack will help air circulate underneath to prevent the pancakes from becoming soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Instead of making the pancake recipe batter ahead of time, I recommend whisking the dry ingredients together and storing them in an airtight container in your pantry until ready to use. Then, whisk together your wet ingredients and combine the two when you’re ready to make the pancakes. If you combine the batter too early, the baking powder will be less effective over time.
Yes! You can add chopped nuts like pecans and walnuts, fruit, and chocolate chips. Try my blueberry pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, and banana pancakes. You could also try different flavor variations like my chocolate pancakes, apple pancakes, whole wheat pancakes, or pumpkin pancakes.
Yes! To add a mild tang to this pancake recipe, swap the milk for buttermilk. You may need a tablespoon or two more buttermilk as it is thicker than whole milk.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this pancake recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Pancake Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large skillet or griddle
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (240ml)
- 1 egg large
- 4 tablespoons butter melted (56g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla together until well combined.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour and fold together just until combined. (It’s okay if there are a few small lumps in the batter. This actually helps make fluffier pancakes!)
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once hot, rub or brush with butter to lightly grease the pan. Working in batches, add ¼ cup of batter for each pancake.
- Cook for a few minutes until golden on the bottom and bubbles start to appear on the top, then flip over and cook an additional minute or until golden brown. Add more butter with each new batch of pancakes. Serve hot with butter and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Notes
- Weigh the flour. Adding too much flour to the pancake batter will yield dry pancakes. You can measure your flour with a scale, or if you don’t have a scale, fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method prevents you from overpacking the measuring cup.
- Don’t let the batter sit for too long, as the baking powder activates once combined with the liquid. However, there’s some leeway as baking powder is activated a second time when it heats up.
- Only flip the pancakes once! When you see the little bubbles forming on the top of the pancake batter pop, that’s when you flip the pancake. Flipping multiple times can lead to the pancakes being dense.
- Leave enough room between each pancake in the skillet so there’s enough space for you to flip them easily. Also, after flipping the pancakes, do not press down on them with your spatula. This will only flatten them, causing them to lose their fluffy texture.
- Keep pancakes warm in the oven. If you want to keep the pancakes warm as you cook them in batches, place a wire rack on a baking sheet in the oven at 200°F and add pancakes to the rack in a single layer as you make them. The wire rack will help air circulate underneath to prevent the pancakes from becoming soggy.
Sohe says
WTH!!!! THESE PANCAKES TURNED OUT SOOOO GOOD!!! I tried cooking these buttermilk pancakes for the very first time and WOW they taste sooo good! Sooo spongy!!! I topped them with some Nutella, maple syrup, strawberries and blueberries uwu will definately make some again for my BF and sister♡ thanks for this John!
jkanell says
Yayyyyyy! So happy you liked the recipe. I made these for the family again last weekend and was fab 🙂
Doug says
I have made these several times now and everyone enjoys them. These are the best. Friends ask me where I got the recipe and I tell them my friend John, then I share the website. John is great!
Rita says
I can eat these pancakes every day…they are simply the most delicious, lightest, moistest ones ever!
Jen says
I’ve made this twice already once recipe as written and this weekend I doubled it, BOTH times these are so yummy and fluffy ! Thank you John !!!
Keti says
These have become our family favorite! So easy to make early in the lot morning and start the day on a great mood. Fluffiest, most satisfying pancakes ever, I don’t think we can go back to our regular greek yogurt based recipe.
Thank you John!
Umaya Fonseka says
The best pancakes recipe ever!! I made these today and served with maple syrup, and they were so amazing. The fluffiness overloaded indeed. Thank you John! ❤️
Bobi says
What a great recipe! Had the family over and we all tried these out with some blueberries thrown in for good measure. AMAZING and so easy to make. Wonderful recipe. I too initially thought the batter was too thick but no modifications were needed.
jkanell says
Love blueberries!!
Dawn says
I seem to be on an eternal quest for the perfect fluffy pancakes. These were delicious!! My only problem was that the batter seemed too thick. I had to add a little more buttermilk and they were easier to get onto the griddle. I’ll definitely make these again!
Cristiane says
You are wonderful! thank you for sharing so many delights with us!
Doug says
Are you kidding me? These are the best tasting and lightest pancakes I have ever eaten, and so simple to make. Thanks so much, John, for yet another winner.
jkanell says
Thanks so much Doug!
Helen says
Bravo For this great recipe. But thousand thanks for your videos and all the recipe’s ..and of cource bravo to your parents for the wonderfull character of their boy.You are the best company .Helen Athens Greece .If you ever come to Athens i will be very happy to meet you all .