Looking for an easy and classic pancake recipe? These are so fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth tender with simple ingredients (no buttermilk required!) and so delicious doused in maple syrup!
As a self-proclaimed pancake lover, I’ve tried dozens of pancake recipes. This is my go-to easy recipe when I want a fluffy, classic pancake with no special ingredients.
These homemade pancakes are the perfect blank canvas for any type of pancake you’re craving. Add blueberries for buttermilk pancakes, chocolate chips for chocolate chip pancakes, or just some fresh fruit on top!
Ingredients for perfect pancakes
- Unsalted butter: I usually start these pancakes by melting the butter first so it has time to cool before incorporating it into the rest of the wet ingredients. You can also swap salted butter in and simply omit the added salt.
- Whole milk: Instead of using buttermilk (which I rarely have on hand), using regular milk and adding a splash of vinegar works just as well. You can use 2% or skim milk, though the results will probably be slightly less rich and tender. I’ve also used half heavy cream and half water, which actually yielded an even more melt-in-your-mouth pancake and was my favorite rendition. Plant-based milk like soy, oat or almond milk also works, but will have a slightly eggier flavor. You’ll need room temperature milk so the melted butter doesn’t seize up in cold milk, so just pop the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds or so to take the chill off.
- Eggs: It’s also important that your egg is room temperature to keep the melted butter from seizing. I never remember to take out my eggs ahead of time, so I’ll just soak an egg in a cup filled with hot water for 5 minutes before adding it to the recipe.
- All-purpose flour: I’ve tried these with all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour and half whole wheat, half all-purpose. All will work–using half whole wheat will yield a thicker pancake since it absorbs a bit more liquid! Using 100% all-purpose flour (as pictured) will yield the best golden appearance.
- Apple cider vinegar: The acid in the vinegar helps activate the baking soda for extra fluffy pancakes. It’s such a small amount that you can use most clear-colored vinegars if you don’t have apple cider on hand–white vinegar, champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even lemon juice will work.
How to make the best fluffy pancakes
This fluffy pancake recipe comes together in six easy steps.
Step 1: Combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda) in a bowl.
Step 2: Combine all wet ingredients together (room temperature milk, melted butter, an egg, vinegar).
Step 3: Add the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir gently to just combine.
Step 4: Your final batter should look lumpy, but all big pockets of dry ingredients should be mixed in.
Step 5: Add batter to a greased, preheated pan over medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbles start pop on the surface of the pancake.
Step 6: Use a spatula to carefully flip the pancake over and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Enjoy warm!
Tips for making the best pancakes
Whether you’re making buttermilk pancakes, vegan pancakes or anything in between, a few things always stay the same with the technique:
Don’t overmix the batter
For the fluffiest pancakes, fold the batter just until most of the dry pockets are mixed in but with a few lumps. If you mix the batter until it’s totally smooth, the batter will flatten in the pan. Having lumps helps give the pancake body and keep them thick and fluffy!
Cook them in a generous amount of oil or butter
For years, I’d cook my pancakes in the smallest amount of oil or butter possible. But I finally realized that the key to crispy rings around the edges of your pancakes is a generous amount of fat in the pan.
If you like frying pancakes in butter, using clarified butter or ghee is best to avoid burning the milk solids. But I’ve also fried pancakes in olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil and all will work! Just try to keep your heat from getting to high to avoid smoking the oil.
Wait until you see bubbles to flip
When making pancakes, I usually start a large skillet over medium heat and reduce it to medium low if oil starts to smoke or the outsides of the pancakes are browning too quickly. On medium to medium-low heat (and depending how big your pancake is), it should usually take around a minute or two for you to see bubbles starting to erupt on the surface of the pancake. Once the bubbles are bursting and the edges of the pancake are starting to look set, nudge a spatula underneath and flip!
Storage
Store any leftover pancakes in an airtight container. You can reheat pancakes laid out in a single layer on a baking sheet in the oven at 300 degrees or one at a time in a toaster oven for the best crisp.
Classic Fluffy Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, egg and vinegar until smooth. Pour milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined–you want some lumps at this stage.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with oil and raise the temperature to medium. Use a quarter cup to measure the batter onto the preheated pan. Cook until bubbles start to appear on the exposed surface of the pancake, about 1-2 minutes. Flip pancake and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until golden brown on the underside.
Eva
I made these twice last week. Absolutely divine. This will now be my go to pancake recipe! Thank you for sharing Erika!!
erika
So happy to hear, thanks Eva!!