Homemade Pancake Recipe
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Rise and shine! This easy homemade pancake recipe delivers the perfect pancakes—fluffy on the inside, crispy on the 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. And 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 Pancakes
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the pancakes. Use the spoon-and-level method to measure correctly.
- Baking powder: Acts as a leavening agent, making the pancakes light and fluffy.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with browning.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a smooth, pourable batter. You might wonder if you can use buttermilk instead, but that’s a whole different recipe with its own adjustments.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the pancakes; also helps with browning.
- Vegetable oil: Used for cooking to prevent the butter from browning and to promote even cooking.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
Pour the wet ingredients and melted butter into the dry ingredients, then give it a quick stir—just enough to moisten everything. Don’t worry if you see a few lumps; that’s exactly how it should be. If you mix too much, the pancakes can turn out tough. The batter will be on the thick side, but if it feels too thick, just add a splash more milk.
Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat, then lightly coat it with vegetable oil and swirl in a thin pat of butter. Scoop about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake and pour it onto the skillet. Let them cook until the bottoms turn golden brown and the tops start bubbling with little holes—that’s your sign they’re ready to flip.
Flip the pancakes and cook until the other side is golden brown—this happens fast, so take a peek after about 30 seconds and keep an eye on them. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan clean with paper towels between batches. Serve right away while they’re crispy on the outside and soft inside, with a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, if you like.
Leftover pancakes freeze beautifully for a quick breakfast later. Just let them cool completely on a wire rack, then stack them with parchment or wax paper in between to prevent sticking. Wrap them tightly in foil or pop them into a freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re warmed through and ready to serve.
Best Homemade Pancakes
Whip up a batch of these light and fluffy pancakes with simple ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Whether you enjoy them plain or loaded with your favorite mix-ins, they’re the perfect way to start your day.
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 followed the directions, and they had an awful taste as if too much baking powder; big waste and disappointment!
Then you didn’t make them right. All of Jenn’s recipes are the BEST!!!
My family and I love these pancakes!! Is there a griddle you recommend that you could link?
Hi Heather, Glad you all like the pancakes! I’d suggest Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Nonstick Double Burner Griddle.
That is very helpful, thanks!!
Made this for the first time this morning, husband and I both agreed there was some weird chemical taste to the recipe. Any idea what I could’ve done wrong?
Hi Jade, I’m sorry you had a problem with the flavor of these! Too much baking powder can cause a bitter taste. Is there any chance you may have made a measuring error with it?
Delicious pancakes! I made ours with gluten free flour mix and added 3/4 tsp Xanthan gum. Turned out perfect. Thank you
The pancakes are very light and fluffy. We had them for dinner with eggs and bacon. Delicious!
Can I use Avocado oil instead ? Thanks.
I assume you mean for cooking? If so, yes that’s fine. Hope you enjoy!
What are the ingredients ? Thanks.
Hi Marcelo, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions above. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
I made the pancakes exactly as the recipe shows, and they are the best homemade pancakes my family and I have ever had! We had some leftovers and rather than microwaving them to warm up, we put them in the toaster at the lowest warm setting and the pancakes tasted like fresh made. These pancakes are delicious!
Delicious light and fluffy pancakes!
Whoever finds them dense maybe isn’t measuring flour correctly. I added a splash of vanilla and always let pancake batter rest. It puffs up considerably.
Thanks Jenn for another great recipe ❤️
Just to be sure: If your recipe has been doubled, the 4 TSP measurement is correct?
If I use this amount to make 16 pancakes, which is too much for my husband and me, can the left over batter hold in refrigerator for a couple of days?
Thanks,
Sunny Drohan
Hi Sunny, Yes, the 4 teaspoons of baking powder is correct. And the pancakes will definitely fluffier if cooked them right after you make the batter, but you can store some of it in the fridge for a day or two. You can also make the whole batch and refrigerate the extras for a few days or freeze them for up to 3 months (see the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions).
Just made these with mini chocolate chips (the miniature ones avoid any issues with sinking in the batter or burning on the griddle, while ensuring lots of chocolate throughout), and they were perfect! Fluffy, lightly crisp, and everything a chocolate chip pancake should be. The only recipe better than this one is yours for banana (chocolate chip) pancakes!