Look no further because a steaming stack of perfectly soft, Best Fluffy Pancakes are right here! Weekends will never be the same again. (No buttermilk needed.)
SIMPLE. EASY. QUICK. FLUFFY. The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes…ever!
No fail weekend pancake recipe
Every single Sunday begins with pancakes… and ends with leftover pancakes from the morning. These are everything you want in a pancake. They’re soft and so fluffy… each mouthful melts in your mouth… you’ll be reaching for more than one. Stack. Possibly.
How To Make The Best Fluffy Pancakes
It all starts with the batter. Too thick and they will be gluggy and undercooked on the inside. Too runny, and the pancakes will spread out and won’t fluff up. I like to test the batter with my spoon or ladle, lifting it gently above the rim of the bowl. It has to be thick BUT able to run slowly and nicely off of the spoon. A couple of lumps is okay, but I do like to smooth out my batter as much as I can gently with a wire whisk.
How To Cook Perfect Pancakes
- Preheat your good quality, non stick pan or griddle on medium heat first. Once it’s hot, lower the heat down to low-medium heat. Wait about two minutes. This part is crucial and so worth it. Lightly grease the pan with a small amount of butter (yes, even on non stick pans), and wipe away any excess butter with a sheet of paper towel.
- Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour your batter so you get perfect, evenly sized pancakes. Start pouring from the middle, then continue pouring slowly in a circular motion so that the batter spreads into perfect round shapes.
- Allow the pancakes to cook properly! Don’t rush them on high heat, or flip them too early. Let that under-side cook to a beautiful golden brown colour, and when bubbles start forming on top and around the surface (batter side), they are ready to flip.
- How to get that flip perfected without creating lopsided pancakes? Grab a good, plastic spatula and slide it underneath the pancake. Use your WRIST to gently flip them instead of using your whole arm. You’ll know what I mean when you’re in front of your pan ready to flip. THIS makes a HUGE difference.
……perfect pancakes. Almost like a good sponge cake!
Watch how we make the BEST pancakes!
Best Fluffy Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose | plain flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or sweetener
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk (plus up to 1/4 cup extra if needed)
- 1/4 cup butter , melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Combine together the flour, sugar (or sweetener), baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large-sized bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the milk, slightly cooled melted butter, vanilla and egg.
- Use a wire whisk to whisk the wet ingredients together first before slowly folding them into the dry ingredients. Mix together until smooth (there may be a couple of lumps but that's okay).(The batter will be thick and creamy in consistency. If you find the batter too thick -- doesn't pour off the ladle or out of the measuring cup smoothly -- fold a couple tablespoons of extra milk into the batter at a time until reaching desired consistency).
- Set the batter aside and allow to rest while heating up your pan or griddle.
- Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over low-medium heat and wipe over with a little butter to lightly grease pan. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto the pan and spread out gently into a round shape with the back of your ladle or measuring cup.
- When the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve with honey, maple syrup, fruit, ice cream or frozen yoghurt, or enjoy plain!
Notes
Nutrition
More Pancake Recipes!
Whole Wheat Choc Chip Banana Bread Pancakes
Jasmina P. says
I like how it doesn’t have much sugar because the syrup you choose (maple, honey, etc) to top it with will make the pancakes taste so good!
These are officially the best pancakes I ever made. After I finished making the batter, I let them sit for a while (I think 10-20 minutes) because I had to wash dishes and just walk around the house (it’s 60 degrees in NYC but it’s so hot). I used the quarter cup measurement and I made like 18 pancakes! I ate four and put the rest in the freezer.
I can’t wait to give some to my daughter when she returns!
Thank you for this AMAZING recipe!
Brittany McGee says
I wish there was a place to leave a picture because I’ve just created the most fluffiest most wonderful pancakes in the entire world by following this recipe. Seriously, the fluff is unreal! Taste amazing!
Karina says
Thank you!
Jennifer says
Oh my stars these are as fluffy as IHOP pancakes! I have made these a few times, and split the batter to add blueberries to one and chocolate chips to the other for the kids. They always come out amazing! I will forever use this recipe for pancake!!!! Thank you so much for sharing.
n maricar says
hi, my name is naveed and i am nine years old. i made your pancakes by myself and my mom said they were really good. thanks, i loveeee your reacipe
Karina says
Thank you Naveed!
Lana says
Most excellent recipe! I have been searching for sometime now a made from scratch pancake recipe that produces thick, fluffy pancakes. Not thin tortilla like pancakes. Finally…. Yay! This replaces all other recipes I have. Delicious
LittleMommaMC says
After trying many recipes, trying to achieve that perfect made-from-scratch but-not-too-complicated pancake, this is now my all time favorite go-to recipe!!! I have made it inumerable times and every time, without fail, they turn out spectacularly fluffilicious! They are flavorful and fluffy, just as promised! My family loves them! Thank you!
Nicole says
Thank goodness my search for the PERFECT pancake is over! I’ve tried countless recipes that always left me disappointed, but this one left even my husband wanting more! A great compliment 😉 Awesome texture, superb flavor, written in my recipe book, and now I’m excited to search this site for more recipes! Thank you.
Matilda says
Believe it or not, I occasionally fail making my pancakes by following recipes but not for this one. These turned out PERFECT! (I even doubled the recipe) and I also switched the milk to water and added no butter (because i’m dairy free) and they were still delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
Leslie Gallardo says
I came acrossit wanting to make good old fashioned pancakes for my kids..I have made this recipe several times
Its always a win win😊kids love it!!
I only add some mini choco chips somentimes.Yum Yum
Thanks for sharing!
Leslie Gallardo says
I have made this recipe several times
Its always a win win😊kids love it!!
I add some mini choco chips somentimes.Yum Yum
Thanks for sharing!
Sam says
Fantastic recipe, makes perfect pancakes- great batter, light and fluffy. We really enjoyed them! I rarely leave feedback on sites/blogs, but you certainly deserve the positive feedback. Look forward to reading and trying your other recipes.
Karina says
Thank you Sam! I really appreciate it 😊
Emmie says
Good recipe, thanks for sharing ❤️
Daniela says
Karina, these are truly amazing. Thanks for sharing. Cheers from Europe.
Hannah says
By far the BEST pancake recipe I have EVER come by. Not only are they fluffy, but they get a nice crispy outside with a wonderful light vanilla flavor. I’ve added blueberries before and chocolate chips another time, still we’re phenomenal! My 3 year old loves them! This is my new go to recipe!!!
Shar says
Just had to leave a rating. I’ve tried lots of “best” pancake recipes but this is the only one that truly deserves that praise. Now my family asks for these particular pancakes and won’t eat any others, even at restaurants! Well done, great recipe. These were requested for breakfast by my 9year old this morning and they turned out perfectly. I had heavy cream but no milk and had to substitute. [Half cream + Half ice cold water = milk].
Karina says
YES! I love when kids approve! Thank you for sharing your feedback Shar!
Tangela says
Absolutely amazingly fluffy and delicious!! Just made these for breakfast and had bacon.. Omg!! This recipe was better than the basic pancake recipe from Martha Stewart. Sorry Martha.. I did use the extra milk, made the consistency perfect. The leftovers I’ll freeze for easy breakfast for my teen on school days..
Thank you!!
Karina says
I’m so happy to hear that, thank you Tangela!
Terry Wyman says
They also make great PB&J’S..😉
Kone Reddy says
This was my first attempt at making pancakes and we are all enjoying them, thanks for the recipe.
Sasha says
After many attempts at making pancakes from scratch, this is the very first time my husband has liked them, as for my lil ones, they LOVED them. Thanks so much for the easy fluffly recipe! Will be making them again.
Karina says
That is so good to hear, I’m glad you and your family are loving them! Trust me, from scratch isn’t easy so it’s always good to adapt from a recipe as good as this one, happy holidays to you guys!
Jessica says
A-mazing!!! I have made many a pancake recipe and this is by far the yummiest. I had t enjoyed pancakes for a while and would just feed them to my kids. Not today!! Thank you
KAB says
I made them this morning. The comment from my daughter was “just look at this fluffiness and now…(chomp chomp) what yumminess!”
Karina says
Hahaha aw thats so GREAT! I’m so happy you tried them!
Sherry says
I have been searching for years for the perfect, easy pancake recipe. Some have called for more steps than my coffee energy can do at 7 AM. This recipe has the easiest clean up, perfect consistency, and is so easy! Such a well written blog post! Thank you for an awesome recipe that we enjoy weekly!
Cherisse says
These were yummy. I just made some and I’ll be making them again soon. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
Karina says
AW! Thank you so much! I am so glad that you had a great breakfast! XO
Julie says
These were perfect!!! Finally found a good pancake recipe. For those of you looking for dairy free, I used coconut oil for the butter and coconut milk in a carton for the milk. Came out perfectly
Jillian says
Hi Karina. Can’t wait to try this recipe, especially after reading all the rave reviews. One question: how do you measure the flour? Do you scoop it directly with the measuring cup, or spoon the flour into the cup and scrape off the excess? I’m used to measuring by weight, so I just want to make sure I don’t put too much/little flour. Thanks
Karina says
Yes, I scoop it into the measuring cup and use that to put in the recipe. Hope that helps!These are the best of the best! XO
Jillian says
Thanks. Made these as directed and they came out great. Perfect for peanut butter and jelly, too.
Alicia Wilson says
I absolutely love this recipe. I made it exactly the way it was written and it was fantastic….however I do like to use buttermilk in my pancakes so I started using that in place of my whole milk. I also add the baking soda directly to the buttermilk and allow that to sit. I melt the butter, add my vanilla then my one egg and beat it together before I add it to my buttermilk mixture. Its a very thick batter but thats what I like so I can spoon it onto the griddle and spread it out a bit. I’ve also discovered making the recipe this way and placing in a waffle griddle makes to die for waffles as well (my DD like waffles instead of pancakes). Such a wonderful recipe….thank you for sharing.
Destiny says
My family & I loved this recipe! It makes the house smell sooo good. The only thing I did differently was added a bit of vanilla extract, some cinnamon, a little nutmeg, & some water after I let the mix sit because I noticed the batter was a little TOO thick. Other than that, this recipe will be a go-to for me. 🙂
Amelia says
Can buttermilk be replaced instead of nilk?
Karina says
Yes, that will be good too! Let me know how it turns out! XO
Michael Moberly says
Great recipe. Family loves it. I did change one little thing on my end. I added 2tsp white vinegar and allowed to sit 10mins before adding to dry ingredients.
Lourdes Porter says
What does the vinegar do?
Kristen Morgan says
If you add vinegar to milk it turns it into a homemade buttermilk.
Kate Nowell says
So good!
jrbsmk247 says
This is definitely a keeper! I have struggled with making fluffy pancakes and these are awesome! My toddler loved them! This is my new favorite site!
Corey Maune says
This is the most amazing pancake recipe. Soft, fluffy, rich, and moist! Do not try making this if you are alone.
Christine M says
Best pancake recipe ever! Thank you for adding the vanilla – I always add vanilla to any pancake recipe I try, and it boggles my mind that many people don’t. Adds such great flavor. Thanks for sharing! I’m so happy I stumbled upon your site!
Melissa says
I know it’s incredibly unhealthy but cooking pancakes in bacon grease makes them extra awesome haha.
Juliana says
Hi Karina! Greetings from Brazil! Love everything you share. Quick question: I have a highly allergic son who absolutely loves pancakes. So because I live abroad, every time I go to the US I bring those eggfree pancake mix. Do you happen to know an easy go to eggfree pancake recipe?? Thanks a million!! Keep up the good work.
Tom says
We use flax meal as an egg substitute. For each “egg” substitute 1TB flax meal in 3 TB of water. Stir well letting sit at least 5 minutes. Bob’s Big Red Mill is the best Flax Meal and has this egg substitute recipe on the bag.
Nikki says
Hi Karina! This is my go to pancake recipe! After years of trying to find “the one”, yours showed up on my FB and WOW!!! I have to admit that I made one adjustment and added another step. Here in the South pancakes just aren’t pancakes without buttermilk so I use buttermilk instead of milk. I always think mine out a bit so I do use whole milk for that. The addition I use is, I add a half Tbsp of butter and a tap of veg oil. It gives the outside edges that wonderful light crisp! They are AMAZING!!! I always add blueberries for my husband and chocolate chips for my daughter. I’m old fashioned and eat mine plain. My family says they are far better than Cracker Barrel!! If you’re from the South, that’s quite the compliment! Thanks so much for for sharing this!!!!
Chef Stef says
Best pancake recipe ever. I’m not a big breakfast fan but I like to make breakfast every once and awhile. My wife usually makes the pancakes but they always come out weak and are not fluffy at all. The first two cakes would always come out burnt. With this recipe nothing burnt. Perfection from the start. Thank you for sharing.
Sherri Eder says
Best . Pancakes. Ever! Light, fluffy and tasty. Love them!!
Holly says
These were so awesome & fluffy!! I did 1/8C white granulated sugar & 1/8C light brown sugar and added several dashes of cinnamon to the dry mix. I wasn’t even thinking and added the milk to the melted butter, which promptly curdled/ froze/ I don’t know, but it didn’t look right. My last 1/4 C of butter 🙁 SO, I subbed 1/4C coconut oil instead and they turned out perfectly!! Will definitely make again!!
Lori Simmons says
I made this with Measure For Measure GF flour and it was amazing! You couldn’t tell they were Gluten free! Love this recipe for regular and gluten free pancakes?
Karina says
That is awesome to hear! I am so glad you couldn’t tell. I am so happy! Thank you for sharing!
Steve says
I am experienced but this is my first attempt at pancakes. I tried Martha Stewart. Paper thin. I read dozens and all the ingredients looked alike. I’m so glad I watched your video where the cake rose up like a ghost. I try a recipe the first time exactly as written. No tweaks. No buttermilk, no separating the egg whites, etc. I followed your advice on heating the pan. The batter didn’t look like the usual thin batter so it was hard to tell when to flip at fist. But no matter how long or short it cooked the pancake was perfectly golden and thick. I have a heavy high quality pan so maybe that helped. They flipped easily with no batter spatter and no raw batter in the finished cake. They look just like yours. Did I mention they taste AMAZING! It’s nice to trip over the keeper recipe on only the second try. I might try out malt powder or pecans but my search for a basic recipe is done.. I am curious to know if buttermilk will accelerate the baking soda action which is the one item less common in other recipes. Goes to show that treatment and proportions are just as important as ingredients.
Agatha says
I have tried out several recipes for pancakes but nothing has come out better than this. It’s awesome. Fluffy. Yummy. To the point.
Thank you
Nancy says
5 stars *****These were fantastic! I found the recipe after my store bought mix flopped because it was in my cabinet for too long…I thought breakfast was going to be a disaster but your recipe saved the day! I will never by a mix again! My kids even eat the left overs the next day without any syrup.
Anna says
Ive been trying to make proper fluffy pancakes for ages with no success. Tried loads of recipes and I’m thrilled to say this one finally delivered! I didn’t have large eggs so I used a duck egg. I think it added some nice richness. This will be my go to recipe from now on thanks!!
Karina says
MMM! A duck egg! That is awesome and so creative! Thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad that they turned out! Breakfast has to be good;)!!
Jessi says
These are the ultimate fluffy pancakes!!! So yummy and easy to put together!!
Right now I’m writing this recipe to put on my recipe box. I think this will become our Sunday breakfast every week!! Thank you ?
Karina says
YAY!! That is so exciting! I am so glad that you enjoyed your pancakes! Thanks so much for sharing!! XO
mj bl says
So good and very fluffy!
Lisa says
How long will the batter last? We are headed on a camping trip and would like to pre-make them. ?
Karina says
The batter will usually last about 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Have so much fun camping! That will be such a great breakfast for everyone! Thanks so much for choosing one of my recipes!!
Rebecka says
These are PERFECT! Best recipe!
Cristina says
Just wanted to let you know that this recipe is as failsafe as you say- I am a Chef in a small cafe in Australia and we use your pancake recipe quadrupled every Sunday. We cook them on our large flat plate grill and they always rise and always look awesome. No-one on my Team has managed to mess them up and believe me they have tried !! Many thanks Karina – love your blog !!
Karina says
HAH!! That is great to hear and just what I was hoping for! Thank you so much for sharing and I am so glad that you are using it at your place of work. Thank you for sharing and following along with me! XO
Sita says
Wow best pancake recipe ever! I used soy milk instead of regular milk and soy butter instead of regular butter and it still turned out fluffy and perfect. Thanks!
Karina says
That is awesome to hear! Thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad that you love pancakes and they turned out so great! Thanks for sharing and following along with me!
Amy says
For real, you have the most amazing photography!
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Karina says
AW!! Thank you so much! That is so sweet of you to say! Thank you for the nice compliment and following along with me!
Mary says
I’ve been looking for a great pancake recipe and had a hard time finding one until now! Thank you so much!! I’ve been making these almost daily- so fluffy, do not burn, tasty batter- perfect!!
Karina says
That is awesome! I am so glad that you love them and can make them each day. Thank you so much for following along with me and sharing! I really appreciate it!
Sharon T. says
Oh my, these should come with a warning instead of a recommendation. I made these for Mother’s Day and they blew my socks off. Thank you for a wonderful day.
Karina says
That is great to hear! I am so glad that you made these for Mothers Day! Happy Mothers Day to you!!
Elizabeth says
Dear people,
I divided the recipe in half. (Two people only.). I used soy milk and not real butter. Please tell me, are those the reasons why my pancakes turned out rubbery and flat? Please don’t laugh. I’m learning to make this pancake by hook or by crook.
Estelle says
The best recipe I have tried so far, kids loved it.
Karina says
That is so great to hear! I am so glad that your kids loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Kelly says
Tried these this morning and they were the BEST recipe I’ve tried. It seems like I try a different pancake recipe every weekend just trying to find the best one. Well this is it! My whole family loved it. Even my picky pancake daughter! there will be no searching for a pancake recipe next weekend. Thank you for sharing!
Allore foodies says
I like your Fluffy Tips Karina, thank you for sharing!
Will definitely give this recipe a go for dessert this weekend:)
Gary says
So, my 2 grand children stayed over last night, they wanted pancakes for breakfast! I googled ‘fluffy pancake recipe’,
chose this recipe and they said my pancakes were the best they ever had!
Thanks for the glory!!
Karina says
That is so great to hear! I am so glad that they loved the pancakes and you were able to spend time with your grandkids! What a great time for all! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jack Smith says
Homemade pancakes sound so good! I love anything you can make homemade!
Candace says
The flavor of these blew my mind! I’m living in Indonesia and was craving homestyle FLUFFY sweet pancakes. I literally searched images, restaurants and recipes for two hours last night before going to bed (homesick) and decided to try these. OMGGGG! I even halfed the recipe because its just for me and they still turned out great. *I was liberal with the vanilla, of course. *I also added the egg separately, mixing the yolk with the wet ingredients and whipping the whites (too impatient to whip until firm but semi firm) and folding them in last, letting it all rest. I am sooooo happy. Thank you.
Jessica says
These were delicious! Thank you so much. My whole family enjoyed them.
Kat says
I just made these and omg the kids and I loved them! Best pancakes I’ve ever had- thank you, will be making theses again!! And thanks for the individual calorie calculation ? I forgot to mention- I accidentally used SR flour so I omitted baking powder and it all worked out fine!
Karina says
YAY! I am so glad you all loved them! I am in love with these pancakes! I am happy to hear that it all worked out!
Tina says
These really are the best! Super fluffy and full, not flat. I was afraid of the amount of baking powder, but they have a great taste, can’t taste the baking powder at all. I think my batter was a little thick and we substituted non-dairy milk and oil, but they still turned out great. This recipe went into our recipe box, thanks!!
Tymeron Smith says
YAY!! That is exciting! I am so glad that you loved them and it is a keeper of a recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
Alex says
Best pancakes ever!!! Super fluffy and such great flavor. Move over buttermilk, this recipe is the new standard 😀
Christopher Diaz says
Made these today and were amazing … only thing I did do different was I used 2 eggs and separated the egg whites and whipped them up and folded them in … made a very fluffy pancake!
Jackie says
The best pancakes I’ve ever had fluffy and light. Easy recipe too. Thanks!
Kelly says
These are the best pancakes my family has ever had! Thank you for this!
Karina says
You’re welcome Kelly!
Pam S. says
Finally, a great pancake recipe that lives up to the name! Have been disappointed in many homemade recipes I’ve tried. I followed the recipe as shown, but used eggnog in place of milk to use it up. Amazing!!
Karina says
Pam YUM! Eggnog sounds amazing!
Kandy McDonald says
Karina, after receiving this recipe in my EM, I had to try it. My husband and I have denied ourselves pancakes for a long time, thinking they weren’t worth the calories.
Well, your photos and simple list of ingredients made it so worthwhile. I even had some left over to freeze.
Thank you so much and mine looked just like yours! Melted in our mouths!
Karina says
Kandy that’s wonderful! I’m so happy to hear that’s wonderful! A good pancake recipes is essential to have ??
Christine says
Thank you so much again, Karina!!
These are a hit with my family. I never thought I’d be able to make homemade pancakes.
Thank you, thank you!!!! 🙂
Dorothy Sanders says
Your pancakes look terrific.Would the same recipe be ok to make piklets?
Karina says
Hi Dorothy! Yes, definitely!
Shan says
Hi,
These look delish! Some of us are off dairy. Any good substitute for butter?
Thanks!
Karina says
Hi Shan! I use cooking oil sometimes as a sub for butter. They come out with crispier edges but otherwise the same result!
Marie says
Hi Karina, I was wondering if these would freeze well? There are only the 2 of us and 12 pancakes are way too many.
Karina says
Hi Marie! Yes, of course! I sometimes halve the recipe and use 1 egg when cooking up smaller batches, if that helps?
Keri Coupar says
These are awesome! Be sure your baking powder is fresh or you won’t achieve the lift you’re looking for! Super yummy even with just butter! Definitely will make again!
Kelly says
I made this Thanksgiving morning and everyone loved them! By far the best pancake recipe I have made. This one is a keeper! Thank you!
Deedee says
Honestly eyeballed the entire recipe (except for the milk and flour) and it came out so fluffy. The batter was a bit thick so i added like 1/8th cup of water but these are the best pancakes I’ve ever made from scratch. Really fluffy like iHOP fluffy. Keeping it as a staple.
Lola says
I have been looking for a fluffy pancake recipe that doesn’t need buttermilk for a long time and I finally found it! Not flat or thin at all, light and fluffy. I prefer my pancakes without vanilla but that was the only change I made and they were delicious.
Sara Michaels says
We searched and experimented. The pancakes we came across were “eh”
THESE? Are extraordinary!!! They remind you of the PERFECT pancake that you think of whenever you compare other pancakes. We were searching for a recipe that reminded us of a local cafe with homemade pancakes. Lights, fluffy, sweet.
THIS IS THE RECIPE!
Joan beard says
These are very good !! My electric went off after just making two !! ?
Cindy says
What is a serving? 1 pancake? I appreciate the nutritional information, but would like to know the serving size as I’m trying to calculate the points for WW. Thanks!
Karina says
Hi Cindy. I calculated it per pancake so readers can decide how many to have! And you’re welcome!
Rob says
These are the best pancakes I’ve made. My wife loved them thank you.