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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I loved this recipe, and so did my family! It was really simple, was fast & easy to cook, and it turned out a little thick, but moist and soft. What I found that made these pancakes extra delicious was about a teaspoon of vanilla extract and around a tablespoon of ground cinnamon. After adding these, the pancakes tasted like churros or French toast, and didn’t even need any toppings!
Great recipe! Made it for husband and friend who said it had great flavor. Basically tasted like thicker crepes – buttery, soft, and delicious!! 🙂
I loved this recipe, but it was supper thick batter.:( But the flavor of the pancakes were amazing and will so use this recipe agin. #1 PANCAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tried making pancakes first time at my kid’s School Pan cake day. I liked it but did not want to use ‘Boxed mix’. Googled this recipe and tried it!! Wonderful and very easy to do. Pancakes turned out fluffy and tasty! Thank you! A keeper for a novice pancake maker like me :))
Think they might have been the best Pancakes we’ve ever had! So light and fluffy! Delicious!
Can you substitute butter with coconut oil?
These pancakes were ridiculous. Crispy edges, thick, fluffy. I loved the irregular shape they naturally took on from the thick, foamy batter. I cooked them in coconut oil for health and flavor. I have forwarded this to all of my friends. I may try buttermilk instead of milk next time just to see how it tastes, but I can’t imagine them being better. — For anyone who said they had runny batter, I’m thinking their baking powder was probably old. I used a fresh opened can and my batter was so thick with air, that it could not be poured. It was like scooping thick heavy foam. They were amazing.
These pancakes were AMAZING! I used shortening because I was out of butter but they still came out awesome! I’ve been looking for a pancake recipe for so long- all the others I’ve tried never seem to come out right. That being said, mine came out a tiny bit thin so I added some flour to thicken them up (But that may be because I used shortening instead of butter). Amazing would definitely recommend!
Kids loved them!
These were so delicious!! I added a little splash of vanilla to the batter, and used butter instead of veg. oil, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, and it made those perfect crisp-edged, soft and fluffy pancakes I was craving! Thank you! Perfect snowstorm treat.
I’ve made these pancakes several times now and you’re right – they are definitely the best I’ve had! Soft and fluffy every time, perfect with maple syrup and fresh fruit.
These are so delicious – big hit with my 9 year old daughter
Just made these for myself and they turned out perfect. For those who said they turned out runny – maybe you mixed it too much. Also, I subbed the vegetable oil for coconut oil and it was great!
While these tasted okay, they are definitely not that great. Batter was runny even though I followed the recipe to a T, they were not fluffy and we’re rather flat. Also, cooking in vegetable oil? Yuck!!! Used a very thin layer and my first 3 pancakes were crunch on the outside as a result of the oil. Luckily once I wiped the pan clean for the next few, they turned out a little better. I fed my husband the “okay” ones and ate the oily ones myself. I was hopeful to find a new, better pancake recipe but will stick to the one I’ve been using the past few years.
What is your recipe for your pancakes.. I tried this one too and it was really runny I would really appreciate your recipe if you don’t mind sharing it
my batter was supper runny also !!
Not sure how your batter was runny. Could it be that your baking powder was old? The baking powder makes this batter so thick and foamy that it has to be scooped; not poured. Not runny at all. Hope you will give it another try because these are amazing!
I also followed it to a T and the batter was like water. Very strange since the recipe said it may be too thick. I added a half cup more flour to get it to a consistency that didn’t spread all over the skillet! In the end, the were completely flavorless and pasty white, like the vegetable oil wouldn’t let them brown. Something went very wrong for me with this recipe… lol.
This pancakes are awesome! I normally not that into pancakes, but this made me fall in love with them! Crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside. Add some sliced strawberries on top, drizzle with the Orange confite syrup! Perfect!
Serena — What is the orange confite syrup that you mentioned? That sounds great.
Hi Debbie, I made some orange confite, which means candied orange, and the syrup that came from soaking the oranges is perfect for waffles, pancakes, tea, coffee, or making bread or cakes! So much yummier than store bought maple syrup!
Thank you, Serena. After reading your original post, I had found recipes for orange confite, but not for syrup. I get it now. I’ll have to try that.
For a neat change, add a shot and a
half of banana liqueur. Wow.
I made this recipe for new years breakfast…Simple, easy to follow instructions, It was delicious….. great balance… I added a teaspoon of almond flavoring… I slow cooked them and came out fluffy….The best pancakes we had….
Thank you!
I have tried many, many pancake recipes over the years for my kids. This is an amazing recipe – the fluffiest pancakes to date. I was worried about the amount of salt in this recipe, but no need to worry -This one is a keeper!
Good as hell.
We made these for a leisurely Christmas Eve Breakfast. Easy ingredients and easy to make which are always pluses…
Whoopsie! forgot the 5 stars
My kids have really gotten into the pancake recipe for winter break. Anyway that I can swap out some or all of the white flour for whole wheat pastry flour?
Yes, I’d suggest using 1/2 whole wheat flour and half white flour. Glad your kids are enjoying them!
What an excellent recipe, easy and quick to put together. The results were fluffy and light and very deliciosos!!! I generally make pretty bad cakes from scratch and the box mix are definitely worse. Thanks so much.
I found this recipe looking for a crispy pancake recipe. I cooked the pancakes for about 40 seconds on each side to achieve the perfect crispy fluffy pancake.
This recipe yielded 5 nice sized pancakes for me me.
Overall I was satisfied.
These pancakes are so amazing. they are a more dense pancake, but i like them that way. It’s nice to know that it came from scratch rather than out of a box. You should try these.
Tried this recipe for my daughter´s 15th birthday “breakfast-in-bed”. It was a school morning so I was rushed for time and had planned to use (gasp) Bisquick. When the mix was too old, I had to take a chance on finding a “quick” recipe on the internet. Sooo glad I found THIS recipe! I was hoping for good pancakes, but these were perfect. They looked and tasted like the best breakfast cafe pancakes I have ever had. More importantly, my daughter loved them! Will be making these again. You saved me, Jenn – thank you!
This recipe turned out really nicely. Great fluffy texture, buttery flavour and just the right amount of sweetness. I may even reduce the sugar slightly next time.
I have a question regarding the Best Breakfast Pancakes recipe. I have made these for my family and we love them! I have also noticed they are great re-heated the next day but I was wondering do they freeze well and if so how would you recommend we freeze/thaw them?
Thank you
Carla
Hi Carla, You could thaw them in the fridge overnight but I usually just cook them straight from the freezer. Simply place the frozen pancakes 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.
Best recipe ever, thank you so much. Really couldn’t fault them. Make them at least once a week for the family. I also like how I can make slight variations on flavor (extracts, choc chips, etc) and it doesn’t have a negative effect on the pancake. Fluffy and soft; PERFECT EVERYTIME!
Really didn’t care for this recipe. These were way too dry and needed flavor. Prefer a more spongy pancake. I used all new ingredients.
mmmm delicious! the taste and texture are interesting, feels like a mix between american pancakes and european style crepes. I might add a bit less milk next time so they are thicker. I added chocolate chips, for even more tastiness. Enjoy!
I will never get all those Saturday breakfasts back when I used a boxed pancake mix. Thank goodness I have found this recipe and can make better pancakes for my kids. This recipe is superb!
this is the best pancake recipe ever, and we are making this recipe every Saturday now, it is like a tradition 🙂 thank you
My 11 year old has started to make these pancakes. This is such an easy way to make delicious pancakes.
These are the best pancakes I have ever made – wow. So fluffy. I added a small bit of Nutella to the centres and they were amazing.
Like that idea!
Waaaaay to salty! Throwing out entire batch, won’t use again! Also, don’t beat eggs just wisk or they will turn out very spongy.
There’s not very much salt in the recipe. Perhaps you added baking soda instead of powder? Or maybe table salt?
You may have used the wrong measuring tool if you could even NOTICE the salt! This mistake happens all the time, but if you just want less salt, then add less salt! Different kinds of salt have bigger and smaller impacts on a recipe, so you could also try a different kind of salt!
I’m throwing mine out too. They were so salty and I used baking powder. I’m pretty sure my problem was using kosher salt. I’m throwing this batch out and making a new one with only a pinch of salt.
Great recipe. I just made these for my office this morning! Recipe was easy to follow, I actually tripled the recipe and made the batter last night. All I needed to do this morning was add some additional milk to it!
These turned out great. They were easy to make, the instructions were clear and easy to follow, and it’s just the right portion size.
These did not rise and barely browned. I made a double recipe for father’s day. Oh well.
Wow that’s really interesting – I have made them many times now- it has become my favorite pancake recipe. They are very talk and fluffy when I make them but I have never doubled the recipe. Maybe the baking powder was aging? I always let them rest while the pan is heating and I add a splash of vanilla.
I bet your baking powder was stale. Also I use melted butter in the pan to cook the pancakes, not only do they have a better flavor, they turn a beautiful golden brown and have the most marvelous crispy edges.
I too, add a splash of vanilla.
Delicious pancakes! Easy to make and easy to cook. I practically have this recipe memorized now that I make them almost every morning. I usually can only make 4 large pancakes though, but it’s enough for 2 people. Best pancakes recipe!
I agree with the serving only 2 people and they are not huge pancakes. I find I double it for more than 2. Love everything about this recipe!
What is the best temperature for cooking them? I almost burn some of mine and even in mid to low temp. They cooked to fast and got black on the edges….
But these were by far the best pancakes I’ve ever made!
Hi Laura, I find medium to med-low is best, but you may have a hot stove. Just adjust the temp as necessary 🙂
Also make sure you pay attention! I found that when I set my stove to medium, it only took about ten seconds for one side to fully cook!
I think these pancakes were really good nice and fluffy and buttery but in stead of 2 table spoons of sugar I added vanilla extract it came out really good thanks for the recipe I loved it!
Can I keep the batter overnight. My pancakes were not as fluffy. What do you think is the problem?
Great pancakes. I used whole wheat flour, almond milk instead of cow milk and coconut oil spray to cook. Really yummy!!
Absolutely loved these pancakes!! I work at an iHop do I’m always eating their pancakes but these are soooo much fluffier and I’m so proud that k cooked them myself! I’m a young college student and learning how to cook on my own and I plan on using this recipe forever. Definitely give it a try!
These were absolutely amazing! I’d never had fluffy American-style pancakes before, but now I think I’ll make these all the time. I used butter to cook them instead of vegetable oil and I used a soup ladle to scoop them into the pan. I managed to get five large pancakes and a small one, so I’m not sure if this recipe is really enough for 6 to 8 pancakes (but perhaps I made mine too big). They were absolutely delicious and really fluffy and not too sweet at all. I usually don’t put any sugar in my pancakes and crepes, but I did this time, since the recipe demanded it, and I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know how people manage to eat stacks of them, though. They are so satisfying that I only managed to have two of them. I served them with fruit (bananas and strawberries).
I made your pancakes like 10mins ago..well! Well! ..my husband and son can’t get enough. .your pancake recipe is the bomb..thanks for sharing it..love love it
I had been meaning to try these for so long (I found it on yummly) & finally got around to making them today. I’m an amateur in the kitchen but these were sooo easy to make & tasted so so good!! So crispy on the outside & soft on the inside. Definitely the best homemade pancakes I’ve ever tasted. Thank you so much for this.
I needed a quick pancake recipe for dinner and these hit the spot, they were so light and fluffy (which I love) and I was tempted just to eat them on their own. My husband and kids loved them too! Thank you for a great recipe, I’ve tried so many and this is the best yet!
First comment is that it is unnecessary to usr 3/4 and 2 tablespoons of milk when you will be saying ” if batter too thick add milk” – no point. Second the batter was way too thick and i had to modify it by adding more milk and souring it with vinegar and to get more fluffiness so it reacts with baking powder as well. I definetly had to not work it too much. Not as fluffy as my other recipes. Will have to get a rating from my kids.
I would try these without vinegar first, and the reason the recipe called for milk was so that you wouldn’t have to add as much in the end. The batter may seem thick, but it since they turn out so soft, the thickness, I think, compliments the pancake!
Hey I know it says 6-8 pancakes, but the ingredients look quite small in the sense of amounts. Does anybody know if it actually makes 6-8?
I find that I get 4 to 5 pancakes from he recipe. I make them in an 8″ omelet pan so they are not huge, either. It is a small amount of batter, so I double it when serving four people.
These were really good. That is high praise from me; I am not a big pancake fan, unless they come from Original Pancake House (best I have ever had.) I have tried about a zillion scratch recipes, and this is the only one I have liked to date.
These are the closest to OHP so far and I will definitely make again. But if you could make an OPH copycat recipe…. that would be awesome!
These pancakes were so lumpy, they didn’t cook all the way at all. They burned faster than they could cook. I have made pancakes so many times before and these were just a failure. Do not waste your time on these – I feel like I wasted a bunch of ingredients.
Hi Sydney, Sorry you had trouble with the pancakes. Sounds like they weren’t mixed well enough and your heat was too high.
I think you should give them another try, Sydney. I’ve been making pancakes for 45 years and these are by far the best I’ve ever made!