Homemade Pancake Recipe
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Rise and shine! This easy homemade pancake recipe delivers the perfect pancakes—fluffy inside, crispy outside, and way better than store-bought mixes.
This homemade pancake recipe, adapted from The New York Times Cookbook, has been a beloved staple in my kitchen since my kids were little—and for good reason. Made with pantry staples I always have on hand, the pancakes turn out perfectly fluffy with crispy, golden edges every time.
They’re delicious on their own but also easy to customize with your favorite add-ins. When my kids were younger, I’d sprinkle in chocolate chips for a fun treat. These days, I love adding fresh or frozen blueberries for a fruity twist.
If you’re looking for variety, my banana pancakes and pumpkin pancakes are fantastic options, too. Once you’ve tried making pancakes from scratch, you’ll never go back to boxed pancake mix—homemade is just as easy and so much better.
“My husband and daughter agree, best pancakes ever!”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Homemade Pancake Recipe
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar & salt – The dry ingredients: flour gives structure, baking powder makes the pancakes light and fluffy, sugar adds sweetness (and helps with browning), and salt balances the flavor.
- Eggs & milk – Work together to bind the batter and make it smooth and pourable. (Do not substitute buttermilk for the milk.)
- Butter – Adds richness and flavor to the batter and helps with browning.
- Vegetable oil – Used for cooking the pancakes; it prevents the butter from burning and helps the pancakes brown evenly.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk until evenly combined.
Step 3: Combine everything. Add the wet ingredients and melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened—it’s okay if the batter looks lumpy. If it seems too thick, go ahead and add a splash more milk.
Step 4: Cook the pancakes. Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat, coat with oil, and swirl in a pat of butter. Scoop ¼ cup of batter per pancake into the pan and cook until golden on the bottom and bubbly on top—that’s your sign they’re ready to flip.
Step 5: Flip and finish. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side until golden, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the rest of the batter, wiping the pan clean between batches. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup and enjoy! Leftover pancakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
More Breakfast Recipes to Love
Best Homemade Pancakes
These pancakes are simple enough for a weekday yet special enough for a weekend.
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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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!
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