Easy Fluffy Pancakes
- PREP 10min
- COOK 20min
- TOTAL 30min
This recipe makes the best fluffy pancakes I’ve ever made, and I’ve spent years tweaking it for the perfect flavor and texture. I’ve increased the butter and vanilla slightly (feel free to use less, but I promise the quantities below make these pancakes taste amazing). I use unsalted butter in this recipe, but salted is perfectly fine. If you use salted butter, consider reducing the salt by 1/8 teaspoon.
When measuring the flour for these pancakes, either weigh it or use the “spoon and level” method: Fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level off the top with a flat edge. You can see me do this in our video!
You Will Need
1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
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
5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, plus more for skillet
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, reduce if sensitive to vanilla
Directions
Make Pancakes
Melt the butter and set it aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract. (Don’t worry if the butter solidifies slightly).
Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in the milk mixture and stir gently with a fork until the flour is just incorporated. A few small lumps are okay. As the batter sits, it should start to bubble.
Place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Sprinkle in a few drops of water to test if it’s ready. You want them to dance around a bit and evaporate.
Brush the skillet with melted butter (this creates crispy edges, but you can skip it if using a quality nonstick pan).
Scoop the batter onto the skillet using a 1/4 cup measure or large cookie scoop, and spread each pancake into a 4-inch circle.
After 1 to 2 minutes, the edges will look dry, and bubbles will form and pop on the surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned and cooked in the middle.
Serve immediately with warm syrup, butter, and berries.
Storing
Store pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them for up to 2 months. If freezing, line the pancakes on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag with parchment paper between each pancake to prevent sticking.
To reheat pancakes, place them on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 20 seconds per pancake (add more time for multiple pancakes). Or wrap the pancakes in foil and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
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). I use Bob’s Red Mill baking powder in this recipe with great results.
- 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.
- Optional add ins: Add berries, chopped strawberries, nuts, cooked bacon, or chocolate chips to the batter. Use 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup.
- Make ahead pancake batter: You can keep this pancake batter covered and stored in the fridge overnight. Pancakes made the next day will be slightly less fluffy but still excellent.
- Recipe changes: On 4/27/2024, I increased the butter by 1 tablespoon and vanilla by 1 teaspoon for better flavor. Also, I no longer warm the milk before mixing it with the butter and egg for better texture. Feel free to use the older method of heating the milk, but I no longer find it necessary. These changes are reflected in the recipe above.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.