The Best Pancakes from Scratch

Last Updated on January 3, 2024 by Michele Tripple

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If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!

Homemade Pancakes

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!

Saturdays are a big deal in our home. It usually consists of waking up, staying in our pajamas for a few hours and making a big breakfast and eating together as a family.

One of our favorite things to make is pancakes from scratch. I know you might be thinking how can homemade pancakes be easy, but seriously this recipe is so easy, like just as easy as opening the yellow box, but yet they taste so much better!

This homemade pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes (see how to make whole wheat pancakes below), chocolate chip pancakes, and our favorite, birthday cake pancakes, better known as funfetti pancakes.

No matter how you adapt this easy pancake recipe, one thing is for sure, your family will love eating these pancakes from scratch!

Easy Pancakes

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!
  • Serves 4
  • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 Minutes
  • Total Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients for Quick and Easy Pancakes:

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3 Tablespoons melted butter

How to make Pancakes from Scratch

  • In a large bowl, you will want to whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Be sure to not sift the flour.
  • Then you will want to add the milk, egg, and melted butter with an electric mixer on medium-low spread. You want to make sure that you do not overmix these quick and easy pancakes because overmixing is a major cause of flat pancakes.
If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!
  • You will want to heat your electric mixer to medium-high heat (375 degrees).
  • Once hot, add butter or use cooking spray to grease the griddle.
  • Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, pour each pancake on the griddle. Be sure you don’t pour them to close together.
If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!
  • When bubbles begin to form and pop and the holes stay open it is time to flip your pancakes.
  • Cook for an additional minute or two and then remove from the griddle and serve.
  • Serving with Syrup, butter, and fresh fruit, whipped cream, etc.
If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!

Tips and Tricks for the Best Puffy Pancakes

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!
  1. Be sure your griddle is hot before you start trying to cook your homemade pancakes. After hot, cook your pancakes on medium-high heat.
  2. Get a wide spatula/ flipper. This helps your pancakes not to flop off the spatula while flipping.
  3. For lighter, fluffy pancakes, use cake flour.
  4. Don’t sift your flour with this recipe it will make you have runny pancakes. If you do want to sift you will need to adjust your liquid ingredients.
  5. If your pancake batter is too thick for your liking, add milk a little at a time.
  6. If your batter is too runny, add more flour.

How do you make fluffy pancakes?

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!

Everyone loves a fluffy pancake, but how do you make a fluffy pancake?

To make a fluffy pancake you will want to make sure that you:

  1. Don’t overmix the batter
  2. Let the batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking the pancakes.
  3. Separate the egg whites and beat these separately before adding to your homemade pancakes.
  4. While cooking your fluffy pancakes, wait for lots of bubbles to appear before flipping. Once the bubbles appear, then flip.
  5. After you flip resist the urge to hit the fluffy pancake with your flipper. I know I love doing it too!
  6. And the final secret to fluffy pancakes, be sure to only flip them once.

What is the best way to cook pancakes?

The best way to cook pancakes is on a griddle. Heat your griddle to medium-high heat and make sure that it is hot before starting to cook your homemade pancakes.

To test to make sure your griddle is hot, you can take a few drops of water and toss them on the griddle, if they sizzle you know you are ready to cook your simple pancakes from scratch.

Once hot, brush your non-stick griddle with butter or use cooking spray.

Take ¼ cup of batter and add to the griddle. Wait for bubbles to form before flipping and be sure to only flip once for fluffy pancakes.

Can I make whole wheat pancakes with this recipe?

This homemade pancake recipe is the perfect base for a variety of pancakes! I use it for our chocolate chip pancakes and our birthday cake pancakes.

But you can also use this recipe to make whole wheat pancakes!

To make whole wheat pancakes from this recipe, substitute the 2 cups of flour for 2 cups of whole wheat flour. These will be a heavier pancake, so to make them a lighter whole wheat pancake add an additional ½ teaspoon of baking powder.

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!

Can you freeze homemade pancakes?

Yes! You can absolutely freeze homemade pancakes! In fact, I do it all the time for a quick and easy breakfast on busy days.

To freeze homemade pancakes you will first want to fully cook your pancakes. Once cooked, you will want to place them on a sheet pan with parchment paper. Be sure they are not touching.

Then place the tray in the freezer for about 1 hour or until your puffy pancakes are frozen.

You will want to label a freezer resealable bag with the type of pancakes (classic pancakes (there), Eggnog pancakes, funfetti pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, etc) and the date.

Pancakes in the freezer last about 1-2 months.

If you are looking for the best pancakes from scratch, this is what you are looking for. This simple pancake recipe easily adapts to whole wheat pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, or even funfetti pancakes!

How do you reheat frozen pancakes?

There are two methods that are tried and true to reheat frozen pancakes.

The first is the good ol’ microwave.

Place 1-5 pancakes on a microwaveable plate and plan on cooking for about 20 seconds per pancake. You don’t need to cover the puffy pancakes.

The other way you can reheat your pancakes is in the oven.

You will want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Lay the pancakes flat on a sheet pan. Then cover the whole pan tightly with foil. Bake this for about 10 minutes.

You want to make sure you tightly cover with foil or your pancakes will dry out very quickly.

And there you have it! The best fluffy made-from-scratch pancakes!

Looking for More Pancake Recipes?

Yield: 4 Servings

Classic Pancakes

Classic Pancakes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3 Tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
  2. Add the milk, egg, and melted butter. Use an electric mixer on medium-low speed to mix just until all ingredients are fully incorporated, being careful not to over mix. 
  3. Heat an electric griddle to 375 degrees or heat a skillet over medium-high heat. 
  4. Lightly spray the surface with non-stick spray and use a ¼ cup measuring cup to pour each pancake.
  5. When the batter bubbles pop and the form holes stay open, that is when it’s time to flip your pancakes.
  6. Cook for an additional minute or two then remove from skillet and serve.

Notes

*Serving Suggestions: Syrup, butter and fresh fruit.

Be sure your griddle is hot before you start trying to cook your homemade pancakes. After hot, cook your pancakes on medium-high heat.

Get a wide spatula/ flipper. This helps your pancakes not to flop off the spatula while flipping.

For lighter, fluffy pancakes, use cake flour. 

Don’t sift your flour. This recipe will make you have runny pancakes. If you do want to sift you will need to adjust your liquid ingredients. 

If your pancake batter is too thick for your liking, add milk a little at a time. 

If your batter is too runny, add more flour. 



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