Homemade Pancake Recipe
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Rise and shine! This easy pancake recipe makes the perfect pancakes: fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
This homemade pancake recipe, adapted from The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne, has been a beloved staple in my kitchen since my kids were little, and for good reason. Made with ingredients I always have hand—like flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, and butter—the pancakes have the perfect texture: fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
While they’re delicious on their own, you can customize them with your favorite add-ins. When my kids were younger, I used to dot them with chocolate chips for a special treat. Now that they’re older, I sometimes add fresh or frozen blueberries (these banana pancakes and pumpkin pancakes are delicious, too). Once you try from-scratch pancakes, you’ll never look at boxed mixes the same way again; homemade pancakes are just as easy to whip up and taste so much better.
Table of Contents
“My husband and daughter agree, best pancakes ever! It was so simple and quick to whip up on a busy Saturday.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Homemade Pancakes
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the pancakes. Use the spoon-and-level method to measure to correctly.
- Baking powder: Acts as a leavening agent, making the pancakes light and fluffy.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with browning.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Milk: Provides moisture and helps create a smooth batter.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the pancakes; also helps with browning.
- Vegetable oil: Used for cooking to prevent the butter from browning and to promote even cooking.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Mix well.
Combine the eggs and milk in a bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients and the melted butter into the dry ingredients.
Stir just enough to moisten the flour mixture. It should look a little lumpy. (If you overwork the mixture, the pancakes will be tough.) This is a thick batter but if it seems too thick, add a bit more milk.
Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat; coat it lightly with vegetable oil and swirl in a thin pat of butter. Ladle the batter onto the skillet, using about ¼ cup for each pancake; cook until the first side is golden brown, or until the top surface bubbles and is dotted with holes.
Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. This happens quickly so peek after 30 seconds and watch carefully! Adjust the heat setting if necessary.
Wipe the griddle totally clean with a paper towel between batches. Serve these crispy, fluffy pancakes immediately with maple syrup and a pat of butter, if desired.
How To Freeze Pancakes
Freezing pancakes is a great way to enjoy them later. Cool the pancakes completely on a wire rack to prevent condensation. Then, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper between each pancake and stack together. Wrap the stack of pancakes tightly in aluminum foil or place inside a heavy-duty freezer bag. To reheat, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake in a 375°F-oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until hot.
Variations
You can personalize your pancakes with a variety of mix-ins. You can also flavor the batter with vanilla extract or citrus zest for added depth. It’s often best to dot the add-ins like blueberries, chocolate chips, or banana slices directly onto the pancakes after you’ve poured the batter into the skillet. This approach allows for more even distribution and prevents the heavier items from sinking to the bottom of the bowl.
Can Pancake Batter Be Used For Waffles?
No, pancake batter can not be used to make waffles. Waffles require a batter with more fat to create their crispy exterior and fluffy interior, which is different from the lighter, more pourable pancake batter. For the best results, I have a wonderful waffle recipe that’s tailored to give you the perfect texture and flavor. Trust me, it’ll turn out much better!
Video Tutorial
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Best Homemade Pancakes
Rise and shine! This easy pancake recipe makes the perfect pancakes: fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups milk, plus more if necessary
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for cooking
- Vegetable oil, for cooking
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and milk until evenly combined.
- Pour the milk/egg mixture and the melted butter into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. If the batter seems too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk.
- Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat; coat it lightly with vegetable oil and swirl in a thin pat of butter. Ladle or drop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each pancake; cook until the first side is golden brown, or until the top surface bubbles and is dotted with holes. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. This happens quickly so peek after 30 seconds and watch carefully! Adjust the heat setting if necessary. Wipe the griddle clean with a paper towel between batches. Serve immediately with maple syrup.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The pancakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper between each pancake and stack together. Wrap the stack of pancakes tightly in aluminum foil or place inside a heavy-duty freezer bag. To reheat, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake in a 375°F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 262 mg
- Cholesterol: 67 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
this is the best pancake recipe ever, and we are making this recipe every Saturday now, it is like a tradition 🙂 thank you
My 11 year old has started to make these pancakes. This is such an easy way to make delicious pancakes.
These are the best pancakes I have ever made – wow. So fluffy. I added a small bit of Nutella to the centres and they were amazing.
Like that idea!
Waaaaay to salty! Throwing out entire batch, won’t use again! Also, don’t beat eggs just wisk or they will turn out very spongy.
There’s not very much salt in the recipe. Perhaps you added baking soda instead of powder? Or maybe table salt?
You may have used the wrong measuring tool if you could even NOTICE the salt! This mistake happens all the time, but if you just want less salt, then add less salt! Different kinds of salt have bigger and smaller impacts on a recipe, so you could also try a different kind of salt!
I’m throwing mine out too. They were so salty and I used baking powder. I’m pretty sure my problem was using kosher salt. I’m throwing this batch out and making a new one with only a pinch of salt.
Great recipe. I just made these for my office this morning! Recipe was easy to follow, I actually tripled the recipe and made the batter last night. All I needed to do this morning was add some additional milk to it!
These turned out great. They were easy to make, the instructions were clear and easy to follow, and it’s just the right portion size.
These did not rise and barely browned. I made a double recipe for father’s day. Oh well.
Wow that’s really interesting – I have made them many times now- it has become my favorite pancake recipe. They are very talk and fluffy when I make them but I have never doubled the recipe. Maybe the baking powder was aging? I always let them rest while the pan is heating and I add a splash of vanilla.
I bet your baking powder was stale. Also I use melted butter in the pan to cook the pancakes, not only do they have a better flavor, they turn a beautiful golden brown and have the most marvelous crispy edges.
I too, add a splash of vanilla.
Delicious pancakes! Easy to make and easy to cook. I practically have this recipe memorized now that I make them almost every morning. I usually can only make 4 large pancakes though, but it’s enough for 2 people. Best pancakes recipe!
I agree with the serving only 2 people and they are not huge pancakes. I find I double it for more than 2. Love everything about this recipe!
What is the best temperature for cooking them? I almost burn some of mine and even in mid to low temp. They cooked to fast and got black on the edges….
But these were by far the best pancakes I’ve ever made!
Hi Laura, I find medium to med-low is best, but you may have a hot stove. Just adjust the temp as necessary 🙂
Also make sure you pay attention! I found that when I set my stove to medium, it only took about ten seconds for one side to fully cook!
I think these pancakes were really good nice and fluffy and buttery but in stead of 2 table spoons of sugar I added vanilla extract it came out really good thanks for the recipe I loved it!
Can I keep the batter overnight. My pancakes were not as fluffy. What do you think is the problem?