Simple Pancake Recipe

I’ve finally discovered the best simple pancake recipe that even my youngest can make on his own. After experimenting with no less than a dozen box and bag mixes over the years, I wanted an everyday basic pancake recipe nailed down that me and the kids could always rely on to yield consistent results. These are buttery, slightly sweet, of course fluffy and brown up so nicely.

Well folks, I think I’ve found our everyday pancake recipe. The key to great pancakes is a combo of factors, including enough fat so the pancakes stay nice and tender, brown perfectly and don’t stick to the griddle. They also need a good amount of baking powder so that they rise perfectly, the right liquid to flour ratio (perfect pancake batter pours not plops) and a nice warm griddle so pancakes cook slowly enough to rise before the exterior sets.

Being generous with the sugar also helps balance the flavor, which helps with browning and even tenderness. You just need a few tablespoons to make a big impact.

Basic Pancake Recipe Ingredients

This basic pancake recipe requires very few ingredients, all pantry and kitchen staples so you can whip them up today, without having to make a special trip!

• 2 cups all purpose flour. In the past we have used pastry flour as well as Cup for Cup gluten free flour, and both have worked just as well.
• 2 teaspoons baking powder. We’re sticking with the classic ratio of 1 teaspoon per 1 cup of flour. If you prefer very fluffy and thick pancakes, you can increase the measurement to 4 teaspoons, but we do not suggest going beyond 2 teaspoons per 1 cup of flour. Otherwise they may start to taste slightly metallic.
• ¼ teaspoon salt, either sea salt or table salt works fine. Adding just a bit of salt enhances the subtle flavors of vanilla and butter, and avoids the pancakes tasting flat.
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Adding a good amount of sugar adds a lot of flavor depth as well as helps with tenderness and browning. You can reduce the amount to 2 tablespoons, but either way don’t eliminate it all together!
• 3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled. I have experimented with increasing the amount of butter up to 8 tablespoons (!!) just to see how they’d come out, but they were just too unnecessarily buttery, almost greasy.
• 2 large eggs. Eggs are a vital component of a great pancake, affecting structure, texture, richness, moisture, browning, and lift.
• 1.5 cups whole or skim milk. Buttermilk also makes insanely great pancakes, but since we rarely have it in the fridge (yes, I know you can make your own!), I just stick to regular milk.
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Not crucial so skip if you don’t have it on hand, but if you’ve got it add it! Contributes a bit of extra flavor.

How to Make Simple Pancakes from Scratch

Seperate dry and wet ingredients

Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, sugar and salt) in a large bowl and the wet ingredients (milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract) in a medium bowl.

Mix dry and Wet Ingredients

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients mix, and gently fold the mixture together. It’s okay if some small lumps remain, just try to remove large lumps of flour, taking care not to overmix. If time allows, let pancake mix rest for 10-15 minutes, which allows the flour hydrate, bubbles develop and gluten relax.

Cook Pancakes

Heat your pan of choice on medium heat and add a bit of neutral cooking oil (about 1-2 tablespoons) or butter. When pan is heated, pour about ⅓ cup of batter into the pan and allow the pancake to cook on one side for about 3-4 minutes before flipping to cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side.

Importance of Pan Heat!

Pancakes should become golden brown with a light and fluffy inner texture. The center should not be undercooked or gooey, nor the edges too browned. If the pancakes take more than 7-8 minutes to cook per side, and color is a pale gold, the pan is too cool. If edges become dark brown within a couple of minutes and the batter does not bubble, the pan is too hot.

Work in batches when cooking pancakes, making sure to cover the stack with a clean kitchen towel to retain heat. When ready to serve, dish out a small stack to each person and allow them to top with their favorite ingredients.

Basic Pancake Recipe Variations

If storing leftover batter, it’s best to add fresh ingredients mentioned below, right before cooking pancakes.

• Add small diced fruit to the batter, like strawberries, blueberries or bananas. Top with a bit more fresh fruit and sprinkle with powdered sugar for a delightful maple syrup alternative.
• Add dark chocolate chips to the batter and top with whipped cream or powdered sugar instead of syrup.
• Zest citrus fruit like lemon or orange and add a bit of cinnamon for an unexpected twist to traditional pancakes. Top with a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, reminiscent of a Parisian crepe flavor profile.

Serving Suggestions for Basic Pancakes

• Top pancakes with whipped ricotta cheese or Greek yogurt for a bit of added protein and savoriness. Make sure to include fresh fruit of choice for added micronutrients.
• Drizzle with almond butter or peanut butter a bit of honey instead of syrup.
• Serve with a veggie egg casserole, egg bites or homemade air fryer breakfast sausages.

How to Store & Reheat Pancakes

Let pancakes cool completely before storing to prevent condensation and sogginess. Store pancakes in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Place a piece of parchment paper between pancakes if stacking to prevent sticking.

Can You Freeze Pancakes?

Yes, these basic pancakes keep nicely in the freezer for up to 3 months (and in the fridge for a few days). If time and space allows, first freeze pancakes on a baking tray for an hour so they freeze perfectly flat, and then transfer the pancakes to a freezer bag.

How to Reheat Pancakes

Reheat these homemade fluffy pancakes in either the microwave, toaster oven or even the toaster. We do it all the time with fantastic results. Even frozen pancakes can be reheated, they will just take a couple of extra minutes.

Simple Pancake Recipe FAQ’s

You can definitely toss in some protein powder or ground flax seed to make these basic pancakes healthier-ish, but then you’ll be in the tinkering stage and you may not get the exact same results, in terms of texture. I’d suggest keeping these pancakes as is and instead trying one of my other protein pancakes! Give my protein pancakes without protein powder or pumpkin protein pancakes a try!

I highly suggest doubling or tripling the dry ingredient mix to have on hand for quick weekday stacks. Simply add in the wet ingredients and you’re good to go.

Also note that the easy pancake batter will keep in the fridge for a couple of days if covered, so definitely hold onto unused mix and make the rest in the next couple of days.

Other Easy Breakfast Recipes:

• Sheet Pan Scrambled Eggs (for breakfast sandwiches or feeding a crowd!)
• Egg White Oatmeal
• The BEST Chia Seed Pudding!
• Starbucks copycat Egg White Bites

The Best Pancake Recipe

These buttery pancakes rise beautifully and come out fluffy yet hearty. Simple enough to make everyday, especially if you you whip up a big batch of the dry mix to always have on hand

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 5″ pancakes

Author:Andrea Howe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  1 Nonstick pan, griddle or cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons butter melted
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1.5 cups milk whole or skim
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
  2 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Melt the butter and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  3 tablespoons butter
• Lightly beat eggs in a medium size bowl, and add the milk, vanilla & cooled butter.
  2 large eggs, 1.5 cups milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and gently fold ingredients together until just combined, not worrying if there are a few lumps in the batter. Allow to sit for up to 30 minutes to allow mix to rise a bit, but not necessary.
• On a warmed greased griddle add about ⅓ cup of batter and cook until bubbles appear on up side of pancake. Flip and cook through on the other side.
• Serve with syrup and fresh fruit, adding in dollops of ricotta if have on hand.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking & NY Times.

Tips For Making These Pancakes

You can definitely toss in some protein powder or ground flax seed to make these basic pancakes healthier-ish, but then you’ll be in the tinkering stage and you may not get the exact same results, in terms of texture, but they’ll still surely taste great.

I highly suggest doubling or tripling the dry ingredient mix to have on hand for quick weekday stacks. Simply add in the wet ingredients and you’re good to go.

Also note that the easy pancake batter will keep in the fridge for a couple of days if covered, so definitely hold onto unused mix and make the rest in the next couple of days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg