In today’s post: These fluffy pancakes are easy to make with pantry staples and they taste absolutely amazing!
Pancakes are a much loved food in our home. We have them regularly for both breakfast and dinner (add some scrambled eggs and fruit and you have a pretty great meal!). I always have the ingredients for pancakes on hand and they are so easy to mix up – and if you have a bunch of hungry teenagers like I do you can feed everyone for pennies!
Find 35 more easy dinner ideas right here
Now, for many many years I made pancakes from a boxed mix. It’s hard to beat the convenience of just stirring water into a mix…
…but it turns out that homemade pancakes only take about 5 minutes to make and they taste SO MUCH BETTER! And don’t worry, you won’t need any unusual ingredients for these, just your pantry basics:
- flour
- sugar
- salt
- baking powder
- milk
- egg
- butter
You don’t even need buttermilk! And there’s nothing difficult about mixing it up either. These pancakes are basically foolproof. Plus they’re FLUFFY!
How to make Fluffy Pancakes from scratch
Want to see them fluff? Just watch my video below to see them actually fluff up on the griddle. Then keep reading for the recipe and all my pancake making tips.
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Fluffy Pancake Recipe
Please note that the recipe below makes fifteen 4 inch pancakes or seven or eight 6 inch pancakes. The recipe can easily be doubled or triple (or more!) depending on how many people you are feeding. For my family of 7 we always double the recipe, even if serving with eggs and fruit.
Fluffy Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/4 cups milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
- Whisk in milk and egg until combined. Then whisk in butter. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
- Allow batter to rest about 10 minutes. Batter will thicken slightly. Meanwhile, heat griddle to 350 degrees F.
- Pour out pancakes, 1/4 cup of batter each, on a hot griddle. Allow to cook until bubbles appear on the top and edges start to look dry, about 2-3 minutes.
- Flip pancakes and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Remove from griddle and serve hot.
Notes
Tips for making Perfect Pancakes
Ok, pancakes are pretty darn simple, but there are some things that will ensure they turn out perfect every time.
Mix ingredients in this order: whisk together the dry ingredients first, then stir in the milk and egg, then stir in the melted butter. If you try to stir in the melted butter and milk in one step the cold milk can chill the butter in tiny pieces, which won’t mix into the batter evenly. And don’t mix too much – it’s totally fine for the batter to look a little lumpy.
If your batter seems too thick, add more milk. If your flour is packed down, you may end up with a batter that is too thick. But don’t worry – just add a little more milk until it’s the same consistency you see in my video.
Allow the batter to rest about 10 minutes before cooking. This will give you maximum fluffiness!
Use a measuring cup to pour out the batter. Measuring out the batter ensures your pancakes are a uniform size and doesn’t take any extra time at all. Just use the measuring cup to scoop up the batter and then pour it on the griddle. If you use a 1/4 cup measure you’ll end up with pancakes about 4 inches across, which is a great size for kids. Or you can use a 1/2 cup measure for nice big pancakes, like the ones you see in these photos.
Pour the batter straight down on the griddle for circular pancakes. You do not need to pour the batter in a circle or try to smooth the batter out once it’s on the griddle; just pour it all out and let it do it’s thing.
Cook pancakes on a griddle for best results. Pancakes cook best on an electric griddle because you can control the heat and keep it at an even 350 degrees F. You can absolutely cook pancakes on a skillet on the stove, but it’s a bit harder to tell how hot your skillet actually is. Sprinkle a little water on your skillet and if the water immediately dances and sizzles you know it’s hot enough to start cooking pancakes. If the pancakes are getting too dark before they are ready to flip you’ll know you need to turn the heat down a bit.
Know when it’s time to flip your pancakes, and for fluffy pancakes only flip once. Pancakes are ready to flip when they having started to puff and bubbles are forming. Wait until a couple bubbles have popped and the edges are starting to look dry (this will take 2-3 minutes on a 350 degree griddle). Flip the pancake and let it cook 2-3 more minutes. If your temp is consistent you’ll have perfectly cooked pancakes that are golden brown on both sides and soft and fluffy in the middle.
How to Store/Freeze Pancakes
One thing we really love about pancakes is that they store and freeze beautifully! Allow them to cool completely, and then store them in a plastic zip top bag in the fridge for a few days. Reheat in the microwave or toaster. They freeze well too! To make sure they don’t stick together in the freezer you can place a small piece of parchment paper in between each pancakes and freeze them in a ziptop bag. Alternately, you can lay them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until hard, and then transfer to a bag. Enjoy!
Audra says
My pancakes NEVER turn out fluffy so I was super happy that your recipe worked! Fluffy and delicious! I’ll be adding this to my breakfast page on Pinterest!
Lauren says
My kids asked for pancakes this morning. I ran out of flour and had to sub in half a cup with almond flour. They still turned out great. My children have NEVER eaten as much for breakfast as they did today. Thanks for a winning yet simple recipe.
Crishanna says
These were sooo good but I tasted more salt than I wanted next time I think I’ll do half a tablespoon instead but other than that I appreciated how simple they were to make won’t be using the box anymore
Carla says
Way too thick, like the bread dish mentioned above. I added more liquid…we’ll see how they turn out!
Shay says
Wondering if I can make a big batch of the dry ingredients and store it in a container until I need it?
Hannah says
These came out great! Thank you so much for the recipe!!! I had to substitute egg for banana (little one has an egg allergy) and they still came out fantastic ❤
Kathryn says
Fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever made, and for some reason I struggle with pancakes 🤷🏻♀️ Absolutely delighted with this recipe! Thank you!
Miranda says
That was nice of you Joe. I personally didnt have any more ads than the typical pinterest recipe.
Clare says
These were way too thick. It had the consistency of bread dough rather than pancake batter. I dumped it out and used a mix. So bummed.
Linda W. says
Claire I wonder if your baking powder was old… Old baking powder won’t “bubble” and give your pancakes the “fluffy” texture you are trying to achieve. https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/use-this-simple-trick-to-see-if-your-baking-powder-still-works-article
Janet says
Tasted good but the batter was way too thick. Wouldn’t pour. I am wondering if the altitude makes a difference
Autumn Baldwin says
Hi Janet! I’m sorry this didn’t work for you. The altitude could have made a difference, but it’s more likely that you measure flour a little differently than I do (which is common). With pancake batter, you can always add more milk to thin it out if needed! Thanks for visiting.
Nina says
I tried maaaaany recipes before, but this by far the best one. I don’t need to keep searching for the perfect recipe anymore.
I’ve made it many times already and it always turns out perfectly. For extra fluffliness, I cover the pan with a lid so that the vapour keeps them even extra moist. Thank you so much for sharing!
Ry says
Meh. They were av great texture, fluffy and not dry but they were pretty bland. I tried the recipe exactly as written but if I make again I would probably add a splash of almond extract and a teaspoon of vanilla. Maybe the buttermilk other reviewers suggested. Good starting point!
Alice S says
Beautiful texture- came out perfectly!
Anna says
DELICIOUS!! This has been my go-to pancake recipe for a while and my family loves them. Really easy, tasty, and fluffy. I did add some extra milk, probably because I packed the flour when I added it. Thank you for the recipe!!
Benni Williams says
I made these for breakfast this morning. The batter was WAY TOO THICK! I tweaked it by adding another 1/2cup of milk, a tsp of vanilla extract and a half tsp of butter extract and they were perfect after that.
Shayla says
Same, not sure what I did wrong, they were pale and thick but tasted like flour
George F says
I messed up recipe- added soda instead of powder- recipe good and beautifully fluffy
sydnee says
fluffy but way too salty
John says
Way to much salt for this amount of dough. I had to throw away the first batch. I added Just à pinch of salt in the second batch and à tbsp of vanilla sugar. Now they were perfect. Very easy recipe and Very fluffy pancakes..
Laurie says
Made a half recipe since I was the only one at home this morning. Turned out great. I used a small egg which I happened to have from a friends chicken so I am not sure how a large egg would work. I cut the salt down just a bit and used a little oil to cook them but next time will try without the oil. I made a couple with little chocolate chips. It was so easy to make and will not make them from a box again!!
Elisha says
So easy and tasted great! I’m never going back to boxed pancake mix. Thank you for sharing!
Sydney M. says
Not very good… Not sure what I did wrong. It was very thick (I measured the flour the correct way so I was expecting it to be more thin) and it was very bland tasting. The batter was also very stretchy, and I know I didn’t over mix, so that is strange to me. Had to make a new batch this morning with a different recipie. Sorry.
Arisa says
These were amazing! Thank you. My kids gobbled them up. I put frozen berries in mine.
Kate says
Soooo good! I forgot the salt and they still turned out great, my family was so excited! I’m not a great baker but this was so easy. And I loved watching them rise :). Thanks for a great recipe!
BreakfastLover says
Fluffy as promised!! Yes, the batter was thick, but I didn’t mind as they came out perfectly fluffy because of it. I didn’t have a problem with the salt as others did, but I did feel like they could use a little more flavor. We’re making this recipe again this morning but adding some vanilla extract. Otherwise I think this might be my new go-to recipe now!
Julie says
Just made these! I don’t usually review recipes I try, but I had to for this one. I’ve tried so many different homemade pancake recipes, they all had fancy ingredients, not things I just had on hand already, and to be honest I was never really impressed. I found this recipe and had everything on hand already, it’s the most simple recipe! And they are delicious 😋 so fluffy!! This is the best recipe I have found on here and will now be my go to! I followed the recipe exactly and they came out great! I knew they were going to be super fluffy when I saw how thick the batter was! Give this a try for sure!
Steffany says
Is it really supposed to be one whole teaspoon of salt? My gut was telling me to reduce it to 1/4, but I chose to follow the recipe. They came out fluffy and beautiful, but they taste like the ocean.
Autumn Baldwin says
Hi Steffany! We do make then with a teaspoon of salt and have never had complaints that they are too salty, but of course you can vary that amount to your taste. Also, just make sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda. Thanks.
RaeAnna says
Your recipe definitely says 1 Tablespoon of salt. Super sad times. I made it as written, unfortunately I only had 1 egg in the house, so breakfast is not happening today :/ I’ll try another time with 1 teaspoon.
RaeAnna says
Ugh… sorry, it says 1 teaspoon. Totally my fault. I will try again. I’d delete my comment if I could. Define user error on my part.
Andrea Prada says
I used buttermilk instead. it’s thicker and they tasted amazing! I just don’t understand how people got them to be too thin or too thick?? i feel like regular milk made them really sweet so i used buttermilk instead and a little regular milk. the buttermilk balanced the tasted out more as it’s more sour. when i used regular milk i didn’t add all the milk at once (if you use low fat milk or skim milk i think that also makes sure they taste bland or more salty), i held back at first to make sure they were thick enough.
I’m so confused how people found them too salty. I used Maldon salt. I added one teaspoon salt. Maybe someone added one tablespoon? if you added bakingsoda instead of backing powder, that will also definitely make them taste more salty. Make sure to not overmix the batter too. I’ve made these four times and they turned out PERFECT every time.
kellsot says
I literally found this recipe on a whim, and decided to try them. Pancakes are a staple in my family, though we tend to use the box mix. However, I decided to see if there was a quick, from scratch recipe available. These are not much harder to put together when compared to the box recipe, and they taste much better! I followed the recipe as written, and they came out perfectly! This will remain a staple recipe for me!
Lindsey says
The batter turned out way too thick. I added some more milk and then they were perfect. I also added a pinch of cinnamon. This is a good basic pancake recipe.
Farmhouse Girl says
Made these tonight and they were the most successful, fluffy pancakes I’ve ever made. I couldn’t believe how fluffy they were and they were cooked all the way through. For flavor, I added 1 tsp. of vanilla extract, which I believe should be mandatory in every pancake recipe. Delicious! I will use this recipe again.
TL says
This was a recipe that my two-year-old daughter had her eyes closed eating, it was that good!
Nellie says
Thank you for this recipe. The fluffy pancakes held their shape well.
Helen says
This was delightful! My one and only change…I added blueberries ❤️. Wish I would have found this earlier. Thank you!
Savannah says
I love this recipe! My kids love it more! Can I make a big batch and keep the batter in the fridge for a day or two? How long do you think it would keep?
Autumn says
I don’t know Savannah, I’ve never tried that. Let us know if you give it a shot.
Patricia says
Hello, I made these pancakes for breakfast this morning. They were a big hit in my house. I used whey instead of milk and made shapes our of mine, I got 8 all together. Thanks for sharing
Bobbi says
This is a great recipe. Easy, and uses ingredients you already have. They were fluffy and light. Family loved them. Yay!!
Chana Stone says
These came out very fluffy but extremely salty. If you make these, I would do more sugar, for sure.
Miranda says
Probably should use unsalted butter.
Gina says
Perfectly ready and deliciously fluffy! I followed the recipe exactly and were very much enjoyed them, thanks!
Gina says
I meant perfectly easy!
Susan says
The batter is way too think. Needs more liquid. I probably used another 1/2 cup of milk to make the batter at least somewhat pourable. I still spread the batter out slightly on the griddle even after adding the additional milk. Otherwise they were very fluffy and tasty.
autumn says
Hi Susan, thanks for letting us know! The amount of milk definitely can vary depending on how densely packed your flour is when you measure it, etc. I’m glad you liked the pancakes once you were able to adjust the recipe.
Andrea Prada says
I used buttermilk instead. it’s thinker and they tasted amazing! i feel like regular milk made them really sweet and the buttermilk balanced the tasted out more as it’s more sour. when i used regular milk i just held back on the milk to make sure it was thick enough.
Janet Alvey says
These were exceptional!!! My family loved them. They definitely are 5 stars!!!
George F says
I’m an idiot the recipe called for baking powder, I added baking soda. The recipe is great.
Alice S says
Same!