These are the easiest, fluffiest homemade pancakes I’ve made! See how to make the best pancakes from scratch using simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. They’re light, fluffy, and delicious!
Watch the Video
This easy pancake recipe makes the best light and fluffy pancakes. The secret is baking powder, which reacts with the heat of the skillet and helps the pancakes rise tall and fluffy.
Say goodbye to the boxed pancake mix. Everything you need to make delicious homemade pancakes is probably in your kitchen right now.
Key Ingredients
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for these pancakes, but whole wheat, spelt, or even your favorite gluten-free flour blend will work in this recipe.
- Sugar: I don’t like really sweet pancakes, so we add just enough sugar to the batter to ensure they taste great, but we don’t go overboard.
- Baking Powder: Keeps our pancakes light and fluffy. Use recently purchased double-acting baking powder (it lasts about 3 months). If you are sensitive to the flavor of baking powder, make sure that yours is aluminum-free. If you only have baking soda, check the tips below the recipe for a substitution.
- Milk or Non-Dairy Milk: Both work for this recipe, so use what you have. I’ve successfully made dairy-free pancakes with oat milk, almond milk, and coconut milk (carton, not canned).
- Egg: Adds structure and flavor, but you can make these pancakes without eggs (use a flax egg or see this vegan pancake recipe instead).
- Butter: You can’t beat the taste of butter when making pancakes. Use unsalted or salted butter. For salted butter, omit the salt in our pancake recipe.
- Vanilla: Adds a soft, sweet flavor. I always add a splash of vanilla to pancake batter (even when someone tells me not to).
How to Make Pancakes from Scratch
These easy pancakes come together FAST! So many of our readers love this recipe and have even made it with their kids. Sometimes, the kids even make them!
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Melt your butter and warm the milk. Warming the milk helps our butter stay melted in the pancake batter.
Whisk the melted butter, warm milk, egg, and vanilla, then stir into the flour. As you stir, the batter will start to thicken and get bubbly (that’s the baking powder beginning to work its magic!). Be careful not to mix too much, or your pancakes won’t be as fluffy. We want to keep those bubbles.
To cook your pancakes, heat a skillet or flat griddle to medium heat, melt some butter, and add your batter. The butter gives our pancakes amazing crispy edges! I like using a 1/4 cup measure or a large cookie scoop to scoop the pancake batter into my skillet.
Flip the pancakes when the edges look dry, and bubbles appear and pop on the top surfaces. They need 1 to 2 minutes on each side. If you notice them browning too quickly, reduce the heat a little. I keep my skillet over medium heat.
Here’s a photo of our pancake after cooking. Look at how fluffy it is in the middle! I love how thick and fluffy these turn out (and remember, it’s all thanks to that baking powder).
Pancake Recipe Variations
Our favorite thing about this basic pancake recipe is how easy it is to customize. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Stir berries, chopped strawberries, nuts, cooked bacon, or chocolate chips into the batter.
- Layer slices of strawberries or banana onto the wet side of the pancake in the skillet before you flip.
- Add lemon or orange zest to the batter.
- Add baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice.
- Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal, chia seeds, or hemp seeds.
Storing and Reheating Pancakes
Store cooked pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze cooked pancakes on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes. Then, put them in a freezer bag with parchment paper between each pancake to prevent sticking. They’ll keep for up to 2 months.
To reheat pancakes, place the pancakes on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 20 seconds per pancake (add more time for multiple pancakes). To use the oven, wrap the pancakes in foil and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
What to Serve with Pancakes
Our family loves topping pancakes with fruit, but serving alongside a simple fruit salad is a nice idea, too. Bacon or sausage is classic, here’s our favorite way to cook bacon. We also love eggs, here’s how we make creamy scrambled eggs.
For more pancake toppings, try whipped cream or whipped coconut cream (so good), nuts, apple butter, pumpkin butter, chocolate chips, or try this homemade butter pecan syrup.
More Easy Pancake Recipes
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Buckwheat Pancakes
- Banana Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
Easy Fluffy Pancakes
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
These easy fluffy pancakes are made from scratch. They’re not too sweet and are flavored with vanilla, making them extra delicious. These are easy to adapt (try adding a handful of berries, nuts, or chocolate to the batter).
*We call for unsalted butter in the recipe. You can use salted butter, but you may want to reduce the amount of salt used.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour, see tips below for how to measure flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder, see notes for substitutes
1/2 teaspoon of fine sea or table salt, reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if sensitive to salt
1 ¼ cups (295ml) milk, dairy or non-dairy
1 large egg
4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Make Batter
1Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and the salt in a medium bowl.
2Warm milk in the microwave or on top of the stove until lukewarm, not hot. You should be able to keep your finger submerged for 10 seconds.
3Whisk milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined. (By warming the milk slightly, the melted butter mixes into the milk instead of turning into small lumps).
- Cook Pancakes
1Heat a large skillet (or use griddle) over medium heat. The pan is ready if when you splatter a little water onto the pan surface, the water dances around the pan and eventually evaporates.
2Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour milk mixture into the well and use a fork to stir until you no longer see clumps of flour. It is okay if the batter has small lumps – it is important not to over-mix the batter.
3Lightly brush skillet with melted butter (this is optional if you have a high-quality non-stick pan). Use a 1/4-cup measuring cup to spoon batter onto the skillet. Gently spread the batter into a 4-inch circle.
4When edges look dry, and bubbles start to appear and pop on the top surfaces of the pancake, turn over. This takes about 2 minutes. Once flipped, cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked in the middle. Serve immediately with warm syrup, butter, and berries.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Measuring flour: Fluff the flour in its container, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup until slightly mounded. Level off the top with a knife for accurate measuring. For even more accuracy, use a scale and measure the flour by weight (in grams).
- Best baking powder: Use aluminum-free baking powder (Rumford and Bob’s Red Mill are examples), as they prevent the tinny flavor that can appear when baking powder is used in higher quantities (like in this recipe).
- Pancakes without baking powder: For the fluffiest pancakes, use baking powder. Swap the milk for buttermilk and use 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda. If you do not have buttermilk, you can make homemade buttermilk by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into the 1 ¼ cups of milk called for in the recipe and setting it aside for 10 minutes.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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Great and simple recipe!
This was a fantastic recipe and the instruction and guidelines perfect. Thank you. My kids enjoyed it. Added cream and custard as toppings.
You are so welcome. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave such a kind review 🙂
Happiness to the both of you. I never had such a fantastic fluffy pancakes. Currently I am in cooking school and pancakes was my assignment. I know my instructor will be impressed. Thank you again.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Too thick so burn before cooked thru.
Bummer it didn’t go as planned! Could be the batter needed a bit more milk, or possibly your pan was a touch too hot!
Since one year, every two weeks. They are the best!
Easy, quick, so fluffy and delicious!! Thank you!
This is THE BEST pancake recipe I’ve ever tried and I’ve tried plenty! Hubby and kids agree and they are tough critics! Thank you so much!!!
My daughter has food sensory issues & it’s hard to find recipes that she likes. I made these pancakes yesterday & as she brought her plate into the kitchen she said, “well, you got the fluffy in these pancakes!” Also husband approved. I’ve tried many pancake recipes throughout the years but this one I will continue to make. Thank you!
These were excellent. They lived up to their name…easy, and nice and fluffy!
SO GOOD. And easy. Made for second time today with blueberries and it’s a hit in our house. Thank you!
Omg! I love these pancakes! I was so proud to serve these to my daughter. I have a mini pancake maker and poured it in and poured some sprinkles on it and when it was done some butter,syrup and yum yum!!!!