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Look no further, because a steaming stack of the world’s Best Fluffy Pancakes are right here! Weekends will never be the same again. No buttermilk needed!
SIMPLE. EASY. QUICK. FLUFFY. This is the best pancake recipe you will ever find, full of tips and tricks to help you perfect your pancake batch.
NO FAIL WEEKEND PANCAKE RECIPE
Every single Sunday morning begins with pancakes… and ends with leftover pancakes. These are everything you want in a pancake. They’re soft and so fluffy… each mouthful melts in your mouth, making this great recipe from scratch is so much better than the store bought powdered mix. You’ll be reaching for more than one… stack. Possibly. Probably.
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 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, skillet 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-sized 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.
Behold… perfect pancakes. Almost like a good sponge cake!
Watch how we make the BEST pancakes!
Did You Love It?
I love breakfast and love cooking for my entire family and get the kids to help. After all these years, I’ve been able to create, make, and taste a lot of recipes that just COMPLETE your table.
If you love fluffy pancakes as much as I do, see my list of pancake tuesday recipes. There are plenty of other brunch recipes on the site that follow the same idea. Things like cappuccino pancakes, which add a little coffee flavor to the batter, or paffles, a mix between pancakes and waffles with crispy edges and a fluffy texture.
For something savory, try a simple brunch frittata or classic eggs benedict.
For something creamy, dishes like turkish classic eggs with garlicky yogurt or simple poached eggs on toast fit right into the same kind of brunch spread.
My top FAQ’s
I get asked this question a lot, and unfortunately the answer is NO. The secret to this easy recipe comes from mixing the baking soda, baking powder and milk. It gives off a chemical reaction creating bubbles and lift for the batter. This is the crucial step in getting the perfect rise making the pancakes the world’s fluffiest.
Never store the pancake batter in the refrigerator as you will get flat pancakes. You can cook them ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The cooked pancakes can be reheated in the microwave on high for 30 sec, making sure they are covered with a damp paper towel, trapping the moisture in. Alternatively you can heat them in the oven, preheating it to 350°F (175°C), make sure they are on a baking sheet in a single layer for 5-8 mins.
In the recipe card I have given the option of taking out the sugar and replacing it with sweetener like Splenda, making this suitable for prediabetics. I would suggest serving the pancakes with sugar free maple syrup, sugar free chocolate chips (like Bake Believe or Choc Zero brands), blueberries and strawberries as they have low glycemic index.
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Best Fluffy Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose or plain flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or sweetener
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 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 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!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve tried everything from boxed mixes to mixing my own, and this is THE best tasting pancake recipe I have ever used. It is also one of the simplest. I’ve made them twice in the past week and have found myself having to double the recipe because my two boys and husband devour them as soon as they come off the griddle. Thank you for sharing! This is the only recipe I will be using from now on.
When is 9pm and your husband asks for pancakes you know you found the one. This recipe is everything!! Thank you! Soo soo good!!
Wow this recipe makes a great pancake! I’ve been using the same recipe for years but decided to try another one today and they came out perfectly, golden, fluffy, and flavorful. It was also easy to follow, so glad I tried it.
We made this recipe this morning, and the pancakes were delicious! Barely used any syrup, they had a great flavor on their own. Only slight modification we made is using 1/4 cup less milk and added 1/2 cup ricotta cheese.
Just found your recipe and tried them this weekend – absolutely the best pancakes I have made!
Family loved them – wonderfully smooth, light texture
Thank you so much!
I want to give this 5 stars – but the site wont let me click on them properly
Thanks turned out perfect
This was a very easy recipe to use and they turned out fabulous. I decided to separate the egg and whip the egg whites to a stiff peak and they were super fluffy! I highly recommend this!!!
I’ve made these pancakes twice now. My daughter cannot stop eating more and more. My wife, who usually does not eat pancakes, had two. Easy recipe and taste as good as any restaurant pancakes we have ordered!!
Winner! Hubby requested pancakes like the ones we’d get from a diner when we first married. While it took lots of ingredients, this recipe was easy to put together and delicious! Saving it for our weekend pancake breakfasts!
Definitely saving this recipe – my partner and I agreed that these really are the *best* pancakes we’ve had. Honestly, I think they can compete with some restaurant pancakes. Super fluffy. I subbed almond milk for regular milk. Loved the addition of vanilla extract. Thank you! 🙂
I have tried possibly hundreds of recipes and I don’t like pancakes but my husband and daughter do. Out of frustration I found myself trying yet another recipe and BAM! Pancake Nirvana! All ingredients always in hand? Check. Easy to whip up? Check. A child could cook them? Check. THE MOST AMAZING BREAKFAST YOU’VE EVER HAD? CHECK!!! I can’t thank you enough for sharing this recipe. You’ve made this Momma’s life so much better with such a simple thing-a recipe. God bless you and may your food continue to make people happy. ❤️
Love love love!!! I’m actually singing opera right now. Pancakes for breakfast this morning were a smash hit. My daughter who wouldn’t bring a spoonful near her mouth ate 3… There were rave reviews by the fam… and I’m overjoyed.
I didn’t want to add too much baking powder… Added just 2 tsp but turned the milk into buttermilk by adding a tbsp and a half of vinegar and BAM!!! Yum yum. Thanks so much for this recipe. It goes into my golden book today! Hugs xoxo
Thank you.
God bless you
These were absolutely amazing! I usually don’t like the way pancakes come out, they’re rarely fluffy and they’re always too sweet but these were actually so soft and fluffy, felt like I was cutting through foam!
Very easy. We made them really big so we ended up with 8! 10/10 will make again and I recommend them to everyone. Thank you for this recipe!!
Excellent
I only have unsalted butter. Is that ok or should I add more salt?