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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Was looking for a recipe that made truly fluffy pancakes. This one delivers! I waited some apples with cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter and put it on top. Yummy!!
Amazing results. Fluffy, favorable pancakes and I didn’t mix the milk/eggs separately as instructed. Super easy to make. Topped them with pears.
Very light and fluffy but do not use vegetable oil for human consumption. Use ghee or coconut oil. Seed oils are toxic.
I have made these for years, and changed to coconut oil. I promise it does not get the crispy edges that it does when used with vegetable oil. That being said, coconut oil is the healthier option. Every blue moon, I will still make pancakes with the vegetable oil when I’m craving the crisp.
These pancakes turned out so fluffy and yummy! I added one cup whole wheat flour and one cup unbleached white flour and some blueberries to some of them. Delicious! And so easy and quick to whip up!
These were terrific! I used a smidge less sugar, some vanilla and a bit of lemon juice. No syrup needed. Just perfect- so light! Thank you!
Can I substitute buttermilk for the milk? I have extra on hand that I would like to use up.
Hi Tracy, I don’t recommend using buttermilk here. If you own my second cookbook, there’s a recipe for buttermilk pancakes on page 200. If you don’t have the book but would like the recipe, let me know and I’d be happy to email you with it.
Almost everything was great on the recipe expect it doesn’t say how much it makes. It’s a big problem if I need to make a certain amount. Is there an estimate?
Hi Anza, It makes 16 medium pancakes. Assuming each person is eating 2 pancakes, it will serve 8. Hope you enjoy!
This pancake recipe is perfect. It’s all I use now. Whether full or halved (the recipe halves, perfectly for small meals)… it’s the best recipe I’ve come across. The pancakes are fluffy and gorgeous. I have to guard the plate I’m putting cooked ones on as i make the rest, or they somehow vanish to stray wanderers in the kitchen and get snacked on.
Easy to make and cooked them on my blackstone, they came put perfect, fluffy on inside and crisp on the outside.
These are the best pancakes ever! My daughter made them for me twice and I just had to have the recipe. I have since made these pancakes four times, once for my mom and aunt, and they both asked for the recipe. These pancakes are light, airy, have great flavor and are easy to whip up. Thank you!
The best pancakes! Made them over the weekend, and they were so delicious! I added a splash of vanilla extract. These will be our go-to recipe from now on.
Made these for my roommates. Turned out so good and super simple to make!