Is there really anything better than a big stack of fluffy homemade pancakes?? My easy, go-to recipe is the perfect base to start your weekend pancake-making tradition. They’re always fluffy, golden, and oh-so-cozy! Making your own at home is pretty easy, but I’ve got a few tips and tricks for you to make sure yours are the fluffiest and tastiest stack around!
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“The best pancakes ever! I followed the instructions almost exactly, except I did add chopped apple to the batter. Perfect for Sunday brunch. Everyone loved them!”
Kathy
Easy Recipe for Homemade Pancakes
These pancakes are really simple to make and don’t require any special ingredients, which makes them easy to whip up on any given Saturday morning. They’re light, airy, and so fluffy they practically bounce off the plate. There are no crepe-like pancakes here; I can tell you that for sure! (though I do love a good crepe when the craving calls! But today, we’re going big and pillowy.) I often make a double batch and freeze the extras for easy breakfasts during the week. I just pop them in the microwave to warm up, and hey presto, pancakes on demand. 😉
Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
Servings 4 2 pancakes eachIngredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour ($0.18 *)
- 1.5 tsp baking powder ($0.08)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.03)
- ¾ cup warm milk ($0.14 **)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter ($0.20)
- 1 large egg ($0.67)
- 2 Tbsp sugar ($0.12)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.32)
- 4 tsp cooking oil ($0.05 ***)
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir just until combined. DO NOT overmix. The mixture should be thick, but still pourable, and a little bit lumpy. If it's not pourable, add an additional tablespoon or two of milk until it is thick, but pourable. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium. Once hot add enough cooking oil to coat the surface (I use about ½ tsp per pancake). Add the batter to the hot griddle, ¼ cup at a time. Use the back of the measuring cup to spread the batter into a 4.5-inch diameter circle.
- Cook until bubbles form over the surface and begin to pop, the edges look dry, and the bottom is golden brown (about 60 seconds). Flip them and cook on the second side until golden brown (about 30 seconds).
- Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet between batches or as needed, until all the pancakes have been cooked. Keep them warm on a plate under a towel or in a warm oven until all of the remaining batter has been cooked. Serve warm with your favorite toppings!
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Equipment
- Measuring Cups Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cup
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Homemade Pancakes step-by-step photos
Mix the dry ingredients: Add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt to a bowl. Whisk together to evenly distribute the baking powder and salt throughout the flour.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a different bowl, whisk together ¾ cup warm milk, 2 Tbsp melted butter, 1 large egg, 2 Tbsp sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla extract. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth.
Make the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Stir just until there is no dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. It’s okay if there are a few lumps left in the batter; just make sure not to over-stir.
Thicker batter will make thicker pancakes, and thinner batter will make thinner flat ones. But if the batter is too thick, they can also become a bit dry. So if the batter is too thick, add a touch more milk, if needed, to make the batter thick but pourable. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
Cook: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, brush some cooking oil over the surface.
Scoop ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet and use the measuring cup to spread it out into a circle (about 4-inches in diameter). Cook the batter until the surfaces are covered in bubbles, and some of them have burst open. You can cook multiple pancakes at once. I just did one at a time for demonstration purposes.
Flip and cook until golden brown on the second side. You may need to adjust the heat up or down as you cook to maintain even cooking.
Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet in batches until all of the batter is cooked. Place the pancakes on a plate and cover with a clean dish towel to keep warm as you cook the rest of the batch.
Serve: Plate them up and serve with your favorite toppings!
Tips for Making Fluffy Pancakes
Baking powder is the main leavening agent in this recipe, but other ingredients and techniques will affect how well the baking powder works. Here are a few of my favorite tips to make sure your pancakes are extra soft and fluffy:
- Make sure your baking powder is fresh. Check the expiration date or do a quick test to make sure it is still active. Mix a couple of teaspoons of baking powder into a cup of hot water. If it fizzes, the baking powder is still active.
- Don’t over-stir the batter. Stir just until the flour is moistened and a few lumps remain. Over stirring the batter will develop the gluten in the flour and make the pancakes rubbery rather than soft and fluffy.
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after mixing. This allows the flour to fully hydrate, the remaining lumps to soften without the need for more stirring, and the baking powder to start activating, creating a light, aerated batter.
- The batter should be thick but still pourable. If the batter is too runny, your pancakes will be thin. If the batter is too thick, they can turn out slightly dry. So, you may need to adjust the amount of milk in the batter to get just the right consistency.
Topping Ideas!
My favorite part about making homemade pancakes is having fun with the toppings. And there are so many more options than just butter! Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Your favorite spread, e.g. jam, jelly, lemon curd, Nutella, peanut or almond butter
- Powdered sugar
- Cherry sauce
- Fresh fruit, such as blueberries, strawberries, or sliced banana
- Whipped cream
- Caramel sauce or maple syrup
- Hot buttered apples
- Nuts
- Applesauce
- Ice cream!
What is your favorite thing to put on pancakes?
How to Freeze Pancakes
This recipe is great for batch cooking and freezing! If you want to make a lot at once and freeze some for quick breakfasts later, it’s easy. Simply let the cooked pancakes cool completely, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in single layers, with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to three months. Reheat them in the microwave until hot.
Try These Other Pancake Recipes
Our Homemade Pancakes recipe was originally published 5/7/22. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 6/2/25.
Don’t like pancakes myself, but since the entire family adores them, I’ve learned a few tricks over the 70 years I’ve been making them (I was 11 when I started doing much of the family cooking, due to my mother’s illness but under her careful instructions). Beth has included the key ones in this recipe. First, and vital, the 15 minute wait!!! The purpose is two-fold–it lets the flour get absorbed into the liquid, and starts the leavening to work. This works for both scratch made pancakes and those from mixes. Also important is to purchase baking powder in small amounts and replace often, certainly within a year so it’s fresh and lively. If the baking power is a bit aged, try adding 50% more than a recipe calls for–it may help, but no guarantees.
Honestly, that 15 minute wait isn’t a hardship. Start your batter and then do all of the other little breakfast chores. Set the table, start the coffee, get your sides ready: that bowl of fruit or glasses of juice, heat your grill or skillet, whip some cream to go along with fresh fruit, put syrup on the table, etc. That 15 minute wait passes in less time than I ever imagine.
I make 4″ pancakes and use a 12″ cast iron skillet which holds 3 at a time. I also use a 1/4 cup measure as Beth suggests. Larger pancakes are hard to turn. This recipe makes between 5-7–it’s hard to make each of them perfect. Pancakes hold well in the fridge for a couple of days and revive in the toaster–up to a couple of months in the freezer. My well seasoned skillet takes only a dab of butter (1 tsp?) for frying each batch, so I use less oil than this recipe specifies.
Perfect didn’t need to change a thing. Light, fuffy, pancake perfection.
Thanks
Came out light and fluffy. Subbed margarine for butter but otherwise followed exactly.
My only issue is this made 3 large pancakes rather than a bunch of four inch ones. Not sure if it was a matter of me being heavy handed while pouring the batter into the pan.
Love this site
Loved this. Didn’t have milk so I used 1/2 & 1/2 and was fine. Nice and fluffy
I sifted the flour, and it made the batter smooth and not lumpy at all. I didn’t have to add extra milk, but it depends on how dense you loke your pancakes. Overall, very good recipeel
was bored on a Saturday morning and felt like making pancakes, this recipe was amazing and they turned out perfect. i added a little bit of cinnamon to my batter and they taste amazing
We’re RVing way out yonder West, and out of Milk. Substituted sour cream and water and followed the recipe exactly otherwise. They are fantastic! I’m never buying pancakes in a box again. Easey peasey.
A vote for vanilla ice cream & maple syrup on these pancakes!
These were the best! I was using another recipe online, but decided to give this one a try. So glad I did, bc it’s my new recipe! I had to triple for 3 people, as one recipe wasn’t enough. My child asked for leftovers for lunch tomorrow. lol
I will double the recipe next time. Didn’t make much, but perfect pancakes!
I made this with whole wheat, and it still was delicious
these were the best pancakes ive ever made, not even kidding. surprisingly, finding a good and easy pancake recipe is hard, this one was an absolute banger
Dang, came out almost perfect. For my first attempt at making pancakes from scratch, this was pretty amazing. Kids + pancakes – breakfast = clean plate.
Very happy.
If I want twice as many pancakes do I simple double the recipe?
Yes!
My son and I truly enjoyed this pancake recipe. I loved it. Added blueberries. Fried with butter. This recipe is a keeper.