We love breakfast in both the morning and evening, and the star is usually my fluffy Everyday Pancakes. They take seven ingredients and are ready in just 15 minutes, which makes them my go-to meal in a pinch: easy to make and always satisfying.
They're so straightforward that my husband and I have memorized the recipe. My 10-year-old Girl Scouts make them on troop trips - it's a great way to introduce them to cooking, and they can do every step themselves. They're becoming pancake pros.
They're also the kind of homemade pancakes you can customize and play with. I often use half whole wheat flour, and I've swapped in gluten-free flours like millet flour to make them multigrain. However you adapt them, they stay reliable and delicious - which is why I keep making them over and over.
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Why I Love These Pancakes
You'll love this pancake recipe too, because they're:
- Made with a few basic pantry staples - nothing fussy, nothing fancy
- A one-bowl recipe - no separating eggs, no electric mixer!
- A great canvas for add-ins like blueberries and chocolate chips
- Easy to adapt - make them whole grain, multigrain, egg-free, or dairy-free
- Fast and reliable - perfect for a weekday breakfast or a weekend brunch
Ingredients You'll Need
The beauty of pancakes is that you only need 7 ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
Flour: Pancakes usually take all-purpose flour. Whole wheat, multigrain, and gluten-free options also work; see the substitutions notes below.
Sugar: Granulated or brown sugars add flavor; either works fine. Break up any brown sugar lumps before adding liquid; they won't dissolve otherwise.
Baking powder: This lifts (or leavens) the pancakes. Be sure yours is fresh for the best rise.
Milk: I use 1% milk at home. Buttermilk is too acidic unless you adjust the leavening, so I can't recommend it.
Vegetable oil: This provides a little fat that keeps pancakes tender. Melted butter would add flavor but solidifies if your ingredients are cold.
Egg: This binds the batter together and helps it rise. A flax egg work for an egg-free option.
Equipment I Recommend
Wire whisk: A wire whisk (affiliate link) breaks up the egg and blends the batter more effectively than a rubber spatula.
Nonstick electric griddle: I scorched pancakes for years in cheap stovetop skillets because of hot spots and uneven heating. A nonstick electric griddle (affiliate link) fixes that - it heats evenly, I don't need to oil the surface, and it fits the whole batch. I also use mine for English Muffins, and it's the only nonstick item I use. Flip the pancakes with a plastic spatula so you don't mar the surface.
How to Make Everyday Pancakes
If you're cooking sides, start them first. Pancakes cook very quickly.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, breaking up lumps. Whisk in the milk, oil, and egg until just combined.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes - no stirring - while you heat the griddle. The short rest lets the batter thicken, giving you fluffier pancakes. You'll notice how much thicker the batter becomes in 5 minutes.
- Grease your pan or griddle if it's not non-stick. Without stirring the batter, scoop around ¼ cup onto the heated griddle, leaving space between pancakes.
- Cook for 2 minutes, until bubbles begin to break through the surface and the edges look dry or set. Flip and cook for 1 minute more, then remove to a plate.
If you've swapped in other flours, the batter may be heavier and may not bubble as much or poke through the surface. It's fine - just flip when the edges look dry.
Cover the pancakes with a clean towel if you're making multiple batches so they don't cool off too quickly.
Ingredient Substitutions
These pancakes are flexible, and I've played around with them a lot. Here's what works, and what doesn't.
Flour
Whole wheat: Half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour works great; pancakes are just a little flatter. You can also go entirely whole wheat; those pancakes aren't as fluffy, but are still delicious.
Multigrain: I often swap in a little barley flour, millet flour, or other flours I have around. Be sure you're still using 1 cup (120 grams) total of flour.
Note: Coconut flour isn't a 1:1 swap; it absorbs more liquid and requires recipe adjustments.
Buckwheat flour and cocoa powder: You can swap in up to ¼ cup of all-purpose flour with one of these. Lower the heat slightly; they both scorch easily.
Millet flour: Using all millet flour makes the pancakes gluten-free! The flavor is slightly nutty, a little like cornmeal, and a tiny bit sweet. The pancakes are more delicate to flip but cook normally otherwise.
Milk
I use 1% dairy milk in my cooking, but most non-dairy milks work at a 1:1 swap. The batter may be slightly thinner, and the flavor may change depending on what you use.
Buttermilk: This doesn't work as written because of its higher acidity. You'd have to reduce the baking powder and add baking soda to adjust the leavening.
Eggs
Eggs bind the batter together; don't omit them.
You can also swap in a flax egg for an egg-free version. Combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxmeal with 2 ½ tablespoons water, and let set for 5-10 minutes to thicken. The batter may be loose.
Note: Whole flaxseeds won't work; they must be ground.
Swap Cautiously: Swaps work, but go one at a time. Once I tried multigrain pancakes plus non-dairy milk plus a flax egg, and the batter was runny. Stick with a single substitution before attempting multiple.
Flavors and Add-Ins
I meant it when I said pancakes were customizable! Here's some of my favorite ways to mix things up.
Double the sugar for lightly sweetened, no-syrup-needed pancakes. Cooking time remains the same.
Add flavorings like 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond extract, or ground cinnamon.
Add fruit by placing blueberries or sliced bananas on top of the pancakes before you flip them. Flip and cook as usual.
Go fun by sprinkling M&Ms onto the batter before flipping! A friend did that when we visited once, and it made for an extra-fun breakfast.
Toppings and Serving Suggestions
Butter and maple syrup are classic toppings, but there's plenty of other options. Here's what we like to have on - and with - our pancakes.
- Cinnamon sugar - lots of it
- Fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, and bananas
- Whipped cream, chopped nuts, and/or chocolate chips
- Warm sauteed apples
- Bacon or sausage - I especially like having bites of sausage with pancakes!
Tips for Great Pancakes
Pancakes are easy to make, but they're not always foolproof. Here's how you get the best results.
🔥Choose a pan or griddle with that heats evenly, without hot spots.
🌡️Use moderate heat. If you're unsure, make a test pancake, and adjust the temperature up or down as needed.
🍳Use nonstick cookware so you don't have to oil it. This is the only time I use nonstick.
🥄Use a wire whisk (affiliate link) and mix only until everything is combined.
⏲️Let the batter rest while the griddle heats; this thickens the batter and makes fluffier pancakes.,
🥣Don't stir the batter before ladling it onto the griddle - stirring breaks up bubbles, making flatter pancakes.
🔍Flip pancakes when bubbles pop across the top and the edges look dry or set. You can gently push the pancake into another or the rim of the griddle - if the pancake doesn't leave behind smeared batter, it's ready to flip.
❄️Refrigerate leftover batter if you're not cooking it all at once, but don't stir it again before cooking.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
These pancakes rely on leavening to rise, so they can turn out flat if the batter is overmixed or if it's stirred again after resting. Pancakes can also be flat if there's too much liquid in the batter.
Breakfast-for-Dinner Favorites
Here's some of my other hearty breakfast favorites:
Weekend Breakfast Recipes
Here's some of my other favorite recipes to make for weekend mornings.
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Everyday Pancakes
Equipment
- wire whisk (affiliate link)
- flipping spatula
- electric griddle (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (15 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (12 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ cup milk (180 grams)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (28 grams)
- 1 egg
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, vegetable oil, and milk. Use a whisk to mix until just combined. Do not overmix; it's okay to have lumps.
- Set batter aside for 5 minutes while you heat an electric griddle (affiliate link) to 375F (or medium-high heat on the stove). This allows the batter to thicken, leading to better pancakes.
- If your griddle is non-stick, you don't have to oil it. Otherwise, wipe it with a thin layer of vegetable oil or butter, or spray with cooking spray.
- Do not stir the batter, as that will pop air bubbles and lead to flatter pancakes. Scoop about ¼ cup per pancake onto the griddle. Cook for 2 minutes, until bubbles pop through the surface of the pancake and the sides begin to look dry.
- Flip pancakes, then cook for another minute. Remove from the griddle, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
[Originally published as a different version, this recipe and post has been completely refreshed for clarity and ease.]
Leona Konkel says
My go-to recipe for pancakes, so good that I almost never try a different one. I hope you find it as straightforward as we do. I'd love to hear how yours turn out!