The Best Homemade Pancakes
I tested and tweaked this pancake recipe to perfection, down to the exact time to rest the batter for perfect, fluffy homemade pancakes! Now I'm sharing it with you complete with all my best pancake batter tips.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups (354ml) milk I used whole milk
- 1 large large egg
- 3 Tbsp (43g) unsalted butter melted & cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat a griddle or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. If using a griddle, set it to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted and cooled unsalted butter, egg and vanilla extract.1 ½ cups (354ml) milk, 1 large large egg, 3 Tbsp (43g) unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
- Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes. This helps the ingredients meld, improves the texture of the pancakes, and helps to create fluffier pancakes. **See note**
- Lightly grease the griddle or pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Use the back of a spoon to spread the batter into a round shape if needed.
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake and the edges look set, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook the other side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pancakes from the griddle or pan and keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
- Serve the pancakes warm with your favorite toppings such as maple syrup, fresh fruits, or whipped cream. Feel free to add extras like chocolate chips, blueberries, or nuts to the batter for added flavor and texture.
Video
Notes
Letting the pancake batter sit for a while makes the pancakes softer and more tender. It helps the gluten, which can make pancakes tough, to loosen up. This resting time also smooths out any lumps in the batter, making it nice and even. Some chemical reactions happen during this time, producing bubbles that make the pancakes fluffy when you cook them. In simple terms, giving the batter time to rest makes the pancakes taste better and have a nicer texture.
During my recipe testing, I experimented with the amount of rest time. Here is what I noticed.
- Baked right away: thinner but not too thin
- 10 minute rest: thicker, taller, fluffier than baked right away
- 15 minute rest: it’s hard to tell if the 15 or 10 minute rest ones are taller, so I’d say 10 minutes is perfect!