Best Homemade Pancake Recipe
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Rise and shine! These fluffy homemade pancakes with irresistibly crispy edges are simply the best.
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 Pancake Recipe
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 milk mixture 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 pan 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 immediately with maple syrup and a pat of butter, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 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.
Yes, you can personalize your pancakes with a variety of mix-ins. 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.
No, 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! These fluffy homemade pancakes with irresistibly crispy edges are simply the best.
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.
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These were not the best pancakes. I think I’ll stick to my buttermilk pancakes recipe.
I first stumbled upon this site as I was looking for pancakes-from-scratch recipes in my Yummly app one evening about a year ago. My husband and I loved the end result and these are now the only pancakes we have in our house. Since then, I’ve tried many of your recipes and have never been disappointed.
These pancakes are perfect with Vermont maple syrup.
Of note, the first time I did these I didn’t have baking powder at home and instead used 1 tsp baking soda. This worked well, however I just went ahead and bought the baking powder for subsequent occasions.
This is a fabulous pancake recipe! Very easy to whip up and so much better than any boxed batter! Just follow the steps and you will love the end result. You may even want to double the recipe because you’ll love the cakes so much!
Tried your pancake recipe.
It was delicious, and the whole family loved them.
Thanks.
Love em love em love em!! I burned some and they still were sooo effing delicious.
Can I use salted butter and remove the salt from the dry ingredients?
Hi Dawn, Yes, that’s fine, although I would probably not remove it entirely. Maybe cut by half.
My husband made these pancakes for breakfast this morning and they are TO DIE FOR!!! Something you would get in a restaurant. This will forever be our pancake recipe. Thank you for sharing it 🙂
Can I use non fat milk in this recipe
Hi Michelle, Yes, nonfat milk will work.
These were honestly the best pancakes I have ever made. Wow! I will be sharing this recipe with everyone I know!
If I’m using a pan on a stove how many degrees do I set it to? Thank you for your help (:
Hi Silvia, Heat should be set to medium.
I love your recipes!!
Can I use butter, instead of vegetable oil with the pancakes?
Or will it taste vastly different?
Thank you!
Hi Laura, Thank you! Butter on its own will burn, which is why I call for vegetable oil. You could do half oil/half butter without it burning but you’ll probably have to wipe the pan clean between batches, as the butter will still brown.
Those were the most amazing pancakes ever! I added some vanilla aroma but the important part was the consistency and the fluffiness. I just had them right now and I’m thinking about when to make them again. BEST PANCAKES EVER!!!
Can make this the night before for breakfast
Hi Al, Unfortunately, this recipe needs to be made fresh. But you could combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another to give yourself a head start.
Great recipe! I made it vegan by subbing the egg for applesauce, used almond milk and Earth Balance vegan butter. They turned out great! I also added huckleberries, so good!!
I made the Best Breakfast Pancakes today. They are, by far, the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten, either homemade or in a restaurant. They are amazingly fluffy on the inside. Thank you for the recipe!!
You’re right. This is easy to make and I had all the ingredients on hand. Delicious!!
Wow, these were amazing! Perfect with real Maine maple syrup!
Fantastic! My mom said these were better than the pancakes at her favorite local breakfast joint. I folded in blueberries at the end and a couple teaspoons of vanilla to the egg and milk mixture. This will be my go to pancake recipe!
These were the best pancakes I’ve ever had!! The batter made 4 big ones and 2 small ones, and that was fine!! I made them for my brother and myself and we both could only eat 2!!! Sooooooo good! If making for a family of 5 or 6, double the recipie!!
we love these pancakes! my 6 and 4 year old can make them and it has become our saturday morning tradition. thanks for creating such a simple yet super delicious recipe!!
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another Once Upon A Chef recipe that is going into the family recipe book. I make this once a week.
Amazing, fluffy pancakes! We added 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and we cooked them in coconut oil, which is my FAVORITE way to make pancakes. Delicious.
Sounds delicious, Joe. I’ll be sure to try that next time 🙂
Holy crow! I am a picky pancake connoisseur. Those are without a doubt the best pancakes I have ever eaten.
Unfortunately, this didn’t work out with gluten-free flour. I had heard that you can substitute gluten-free with regular flour in recipes depending on what you’re making. However, the strawberries and whipped cream helped!
Best pancakes ever!! I add almond extract.
Like that idea, Julie…I love almond extract in anything 🙂
We loved how fluffy these pancakes were. My 2 year old devoured them.
This has become my favorite pancake recipe, I usually add blueberries……Yum!
I had never made or tasted homemade pancakes till I saw this recipe! They were just AMAZING! ;D
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
A hug from Dominican Republic!
Family and friends all adore these amazing pancakes. They are such a delicious treat either plain or studded with dark chocolate chips, blueberries or little pieces of strawberry. Yum!
What makes these pancakes turn out so fluffy? I never see pancakes like this.
Lots of baking powder and not too much liquid 🙂
Wow! The name says it all, best pancakes ever! Very easy to follow and make. Just perfect! I love pancakes but I am very picky with my pancakes. I don’t like the boxed pancake mixes and the recipe I was using in the past was not hitting the spot. I was almost giving up on pancakes until I came across this website. I made a double batch and they were gone in an instant so I had to make a second double batch. This will definitely be my go-to pancake recipe. This is the first recipe I tried from Jenn Segal and trust me it will not be the last.
I like to add a little bit of almond flavoring to pancakes and waffles……
Ive never made homemade pancakes from scratch before until I came across your recipe. My daughter just loves pancakes! So for her cooking girl scout badge, I helped her make these. Literally the best pancakes… So big and fluffy! Both my daughter and I love the crispy edges. I’ve also added chocolate chips and blueberries…. Dee-lish!!! I’m never going back to box pancake mixes. 🙂
This recipe is what my husband follows when I want pancakes! Spoiled, I know 🙂 The only change we’ve made is to the flour. We do 1/2 c. whole wheat and 1/2 c. all purpose flour. Sneak some whole grains in there.
Best Pancakes!
These have become my go-to pancakes now. I have these several times a week.
Will never buy pancake mix again! My boys love these.
Made these Sunday morning. Chocolate chip for my daughter and blueberry for my wife and myself. It was great to hear my 10 year old daughter say that thet were incredible, amazing, and best ever. I’ll never make pancakes out of a box again.
Made this and drop some blueberries in it , absolutely delicious!
I made these this morning because I didn’t have to go to work until 11….
….HEAVEN! I usually just use the out-of-the-box pancakes. These had so much more to them!
avalenti6936 at yahoo dot com
I used Splenda instead of sugar, and added a bit of vanilla, and – secret ingredient – nutmeg! – a contribution from my 24-year old son. How’d he know?! DELICIOUS!
Tip: Buy whole nutmeg instead of ground. It’s a cinch to grate with a microplane, and wow! the flavor really pops. Whole nutmeg never loses its potency.
I made these last weekend and the first bite I took I thought, wow, now I know I’m not going to eat the box stuff ever again. I keep vermont maple syrup in the freezer wich was the perfect icing on the pancake! The dry ingredients can be made ahead and left in container of plastic bag, which makes preparing them even quicker an easier.
I will never buy boxed pancake mix again. Made them this am & the kids loved.
This was delicious! I added half a teaspoon of vanilla and let the batter sit a couple of minutes to thicken up before pouring in the skillet sprayed with Pam. I poured the batter in a glass measuring cup so I can easily pour it out. The batter made four 6 inch pancakes. I would make this again!
My family LOVES this recipe! I was wondering if you could use it for waffles too? Thanks, Carol
I wasn’t convinced that homemade was worth the effort… until now. These pancakes were simple, quick, and like silk in my mouth. Delicious recipe and I’ve already thrown the box mix in the trash. I’m officially a fan. Thanks for the great recipes! Keep them coming!!
Home Economics taught my son a buttermilk pancake recipe which is similar to Todd Johnson’s recipe and just a yummy as the one you have…….who knew that the 13 year old could love to cook. He also enjoys your blog and looks forward to sampling/trying the new recipes you come up with.
Yummy! This receipe makes a perfect pancake!
Made these for my kids this morning and added chocolate chips…they loved them! then again, who wouldn’t??!!
Jennifer, I love your webpage. I am a pancake guy-aren’t we all? So accordingly, I wanted to share the Buttermilk Flapjack Recipe. Please try this one out. The recipe is from a country store in New Hampshire.
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 beaten eggs
1. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
2. Whisk together buttermilk, butter, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk together until just combined to make a thick batter. (For tenderer flapjacks, don’t overmix the batter.)
3. Heat an 8″ nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. butter and heat until the butter’s foam subsides. Ladle in about 1⁄2 cup of the batter. Cook the flapjack, turning once, until deep golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate; keep warm. Repeat process with additional butter and remaining batter to make 8 flapjacks in all. Serve hot, topped with butter and maple syrup and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
Enjoy, your neighbor Todd Johnson