This is the best homemade pancakes recipe from scratch. You can fool around with all sorts of other ingredients when it comes to pancakes, but in the end it’s always Grandma’s recipe that rules them all.
This was my Grandma’s and then my Mom’s recipe and now it’s all that I use for my family anymore! It’s perfect every time! I also have a great Belgian Waffles recipe if you want to try those as well.
How to Make Pancakes from Scratch
Making these is easier than you think. Here’s how to get started:
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, white sugar and salt in a medium bowl. (see the recipe card below for measurements)
- In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and vanilla.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ones, whisking until smooth.
- Start heating your griddle (medium heat) then take a scoop of batter and pour onto the preheated griddle. Flip when slightly bubbled and golden brown underneath. Cook until golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy!
Variations
- Whole Wheat: You can substitute whole wheat flour easily (just add another 1/2 tsp of baking powder to compensate for the heaviness).
- Cake Flour: If you want your pancakes to be fluffier, follow the instructions below and use cake flour!
How to Make Fluffy Pancakes
I have a whole post on how to make fluffy pancakes, so make sure to read that! I suggest letting the batter sit for a while ( 5-10 minutes) and let the chemical reactions start working. I’ve also found that waiting to heat your griddle AFTER you make the pancakes gives you that time to let the batter sit.
Making Pancakes From Scratch Tips & Tricks
- Use a hot griddle. Not as hot as a lot of recipes tell you, because then you just burn the outside of the pancake and the inside is raw. Try using a medium-high heat setting.
- Get a wide spatula/flipper. This will help you lift the pancake properly and turn it over. I like flippers.
- Serve this with my Homemade Brown Sugar Sauce (that’s what is in the photos)
- If you want lighter, fluffier pancakes use the cake flour, but the end product pancakes do soak up the syrup more than the all purpose flour pancake recipe does. I personally like it better, and will keep a bag of cake flour on hand for pancakes.
- Don’t have cake flour? See below for instructions!
IMPORTANT NOTE
IF YOU ARE USING SIFTED FLOUR, adjust your liquid measurements! I do NOT use sifted flour and that is why your batter will be too runny. Don’t sift your flour!
How to Make Cake Flour
Making your own cake flour is so easy it’s not even funny! I just happened to have a bag of it, but when I make pancakes and don’t have that bag anymore (because obviously I am bad at remembering to buy flour) I will make some cake flour. All you have to do is:
- For every cup of all-purpose flour that you use, you are going to remove 2 tbsp of the flour, then replace it with 2 tbsp of cornstarch and whisk in.
- So for example, scoop 4 cups of all-purpose flour into a bowl. You will then remove 8 tbsp ( which is 1/2 cup) of the all-purpose flour and put it back in the bag. Then you will get 1/2 cup of cor
nstarch and add that into the bowl of flour. Take a whisk and whisk it all together. - Voila! Cake flour!
This is the recipe that my mom used while we were growing up as she always made pancakes from scratch. She would freeze then and then we would eat them during the week for a quick breakfast! Try my Overnight Cinnamon French Toast Casserole or my Best Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins for more great breakfast and brunch recipes!
Happy cooking!
Karlynn
The BEST Homemade Pancake Recipe From Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or a large 16 cup capacity liquid measuring cup, whisk together the flour, baking powder, white sugar and salt.
- In another large capacity liquid measuring cup, combine 2 1/2 cups of milk, eggs, oil and vanilla. Mix until combined. If you need to, add more milk until the batter reaches desired consistency.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, and pour the egg mixture in. Whisk together until the batter is smooth with only a few flour chunks – it doesn’t have to be completely smooth.
- Let the batter sit for a while ( 5-10 minutes) and let the chemical reactions start working. This will cause it to fluff up, giving you that texture you want.
- If you have a griddle start it heating now on medium heat. I have a cast iron one that I adore, but it takes a while for it to heat up uniformly. If not, heat the largest pan that you have.
- To make the pancakes I use a muffin batter scoop, which is called a #8 disher scoop. This is one of my favourite kitchen hacks, that scoop! It measures out muffins, pancakes, extra large cookies, you name it!
- Take one scoop of batter and pour onto your already heated griddle, fitting on as many as you can at once. Flip your pancakes when they are slightly bubbled on the surface and golden brown underneath. The key is a medium heat that is ready and raring to go, so they instantly sizzle when you place them on the surface, but not so hot they burn.
- Continue to cook all of the batter, placing cooked pancakes on a covered plate when cooked.
- Serve with my Homemade Brown Sugar Sauce.
Video
Nutrition
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The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I don’t know why folks were griping – literally the lightest fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever made. I think the nay sayers didn’t let the batter sit as recommended. I did half and half cake flour and AP. Most recipes I use less liquid so I went with only 2 cups, but I could have gone for the full 2.5 and been ok. It thickened up a lot. I was worried it might be bitter with 2 TB of baking powder but the flavor is perfect. Definitely a keeper!
Karlynn Johnston says
Yes, these are the only pancakes I make almost EVERY WEEKEND for decades! They DO turn out if you follow the instructions! I have made these over a hundred times in my life, they have always worked out.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I tried this recipe; the pancakes were light and very fluffy. The batter was very runny and I thought to add flour but didn’t…thank God. I added 1tsp extra vanilla and blueberries. I used wholewheat flour as well and allowed the mixture to sit for 10mins. 1st pancake recipe I tried from scratched and will keep until I find one better.
Chad Fluharty says
Batter thickened up after sitting 10 minutes like the recipe states. I did use 2 cups of cake flour and 2/3 all purpose (just had some left over cake flour). Pancakes tasted great.
Rose says
I tried these pancakes and was pleased on how they came out. I made them a few more times and every time they were a hit. I do have a question for you Magpie if you see this. Any recommendations for someone who wanted to make a big batch of the dry ingredients?
Kelly says
Wish I would’ve read the comments. I weighed everything with a scale like I always do. I let the batter sit. This recipe is horrible. Super runny batter. Thin, weird pancakes. Sucks.
Jane says
My husband said these are the best pancakes. I have one question, I have only made them using melted butter, what would you suggest oil or butter?
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
Butter is better overall for flavor and is what we use.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Maybe if you’re looking for a crepe recipe… but these are the most disappointing pancakes. save your ingredients.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I actually change my review after using more of the batter. it’s better out of the fridge (consistency) and they are delicious even if not super “fluffy”
Kona says
This is absolutely the worst recipe for pancakes I have ever tried. It is a straight up LIE, these pancakes are runny, flat, and do not rise. They do not become fluffy. The picture used here is misleading.
DO NOT USE THIS RECIPE, SAVE YOUR INGREDIENTS. There are inconsistencies between the recipe and the video even. It seems like they may be PAYING for good reviews for this recipe because every negative review on here echoes my experience.
They don’t rise. They are runny and they are flat after they’ve been cooked. Whoever wrote this page is a damn grifter.
Jane says
This is the third time using your recipe, great recipe, this is the first time using olive oil instead of melted butter.
Kris M says
I should have read the comments, because these were NOT fluffy pancakes, but flat, rubbery round things. What a disappointment after spending time trying to make these in the morning before school.
Dorothy says
I made the same mistake by not reading the comments first. I thought I measured wrong by accident, but I double and triple checked the measurements for all the ingredients and it wasn’t that. It’s just the recipe itself. It was very thin and liquidy. I used cake flour. The milk amount seems way too much for this recipe. Do not recommend this recipe, unless you want to keep adding sugar, baking powder, and flour until it gets to the right consistency.
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
I think the issue here is people are not reading through the recipe and jumping straight to the recipe card. If you want them fluffy, like we mention, you need to let the batter sit for a while ( 5-10 minutes) and let the chemical reactions start working. I’ve updated the card to point this out for those who skip reading the post. We make this recipe regularly for years and it has never failed. I suggest reading through the entire post for tips beforehand to ensure success otherwise you may very well have issues. We try to cover everything to make sure readers don’t fail but if you don’t read it, we can’t do much about that. To try to make things easier, I’ve put as much as I can in the recipe card but please DO read the recipe fully to ensure success! Thanks!
NAM says
Hands down the best pancake recipe EVA!
kristofferbartreau says
can you send me your favorite Recipe?
Amanda says
Hi Karlynn! Wow ! I have a comment and a tip !!
Finally a perfect pancake recipe ! My kids want pancakes almost every morning and I’ve tried numerous pancake recipes that are great at all.
This recipe turned out amazing with the homemade cake flour! I followed the recipe exactly and these were so fluffy and pillowy and densely delicious, like restaurant style!
However the next day I tried making them I forgot I didn’t have milk ( I used water instead) and used baking flour that was close to expiration instead of the newer stuff and they did turn out watery and thin…. But still tasty like a crepe!
So my tip is too follow the exact recipe and make sure you have FRESH exact ingredients!!! ❤️ Hands down best pancake recipe Ever!!! 🙂
Anna says
I don’t normally leave reviews but this recipe is terrible. I have a lot of experience with pancakes and they should NEVER be runny. It was so thin. I had to doctor it and ended up using about a full extra cup of flour. I do not recommend.
Cheryl says
Same exact experience! I had to keep adding flour, then more baking powder hoping for fluffiness, but with no success. flat and rubbery.
Neil Galeano says
The original poster said it’s the BEST, but this the WORST pancake recipe I’ve ever tried!
I don’t try to post recipes to get clicks. She or the admin should take this down! I don’t know about the fake “best” replies but this is the worst! Tried it 3x, followed the ingredients and directions EXACTLY! Even down to the iron skillet, but no success. Please please don’t follow this recipe. It’s just wasteful and bad with all the oils/butter. I ended up going to McDonald’s.
Corrie says
In the video, you used 3 eggs. Your written recipe, it has 2 eggs. Which is which?
elaine says
I just finished making these again. Great recipe. I only made half a batch and threw a few blueberries into the batter. Thanks for sharing the recipe. All your measurements are perfect.
Barbara Ann Sandoval says
anxious to try this, but I recently got a waffle iron. can this be made into a waffle mix?
Maureen says
Was wondering if you could use buttermilk.
John Callas says
Question? My mother always greased her griddle with oil before frying. Is this really necessary?
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
Depends on the griddle. We have a large one that we do not have to grease, it’s one that plugs in. I would think in most instances it wouldn’t be necessary.
John says
Horrible recipe that wasn’t checked by the poster before she uploaded it.
Ingredient measurements are way off.
Theresa says
These were great! I made half a batch, I used cake flour and melted butter instead of oil. At first the batter seemed very thin, but I let it sit for about 5 minutes and it thickened up nicely. Without disturbing the batter as much as possible I scooped out about 1/3 cup and put on my griddle and they started to rise nicely and even more when I flipped them over. This will be my go to pancake recipe from now on! Loved them, thanks for posting!!!
Sandra says
Literally the worst pancakes I’ve ever made.
The liquid amount is way too much and no, I didn’t sift my dry ingredients.
These turned out like oily crepes.
Nikki says
i halved the recipe and these came out so good! I used all purpose flour and they were still very airy and fluffy. I ended up just scooping to measure my flour and I thought it was the perfect thickness.
has anyone tried making these and freezing them, then cooking in the toaster? I may just try it anyways! thanks for a great recipe!
Vi says
Waaaaaayyyyy too thin, had to add a lot of extra dry ingredients, and they still did not come out thick and fluffy.
Cheryl says
Same. Then they were rubbery when cutting into them.
Kelly says
I just halved the recipe because I thought it would be another disappointing fluffy pancake recipe, and I was so wrong, wrong, wrong. Delicious and fluffiest pancakes I have ever made at home. Thank you for posting!
Rachel says
Hi there,
I don’t know if somone else has mentioned that in your video, you add 3 eggs in the milk. The written recipe calls for 2. Could you clarify?
Thanks
Natalie says
These were the fluffiest pancakes we have had in a long time. Your recipe is point on! No issues with the batter. Recipe worked to a tea. I made a hot strawberry slurry of sort for our topping. Thank you for this recipe. This is our new pancake mix!
Christian T says
I typically make pancakes using regular flour but I tried your suggestion using cake flour and they were very airy and fluffy. Family absolutely loved them. Thank you.
Charlene A says
This was amazing. Thank you for the recipe. The best pancakes recipes I’ve ever made and super simple and super fluffy. I used cake flour and it was perfect. I didn’t have the issue some others have reported about runny batter. Once the batter sits for about five minutes it starts to thicken up.
Dawn says
Best pancakes I’ve ever made. So simple. Makes a batch big enough to last me 5 days and they are literally perfect every time! Love this recipe.
Emma says
Great recipe! I was running low on all purpose flour so I used cake flour and they were so light and fluffy! I used about 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract instead of 1 and the flavor was amazing! I highly recommend!
Noor says
Tooo much milk in the recipe. Pancakes mixture was way too runny. Didn’t have any more flour otherwise would have added that. Didn’t turn out as fluffy as they’re shown in the picture. I think I will keep looking for another plain pancake recipe.
Farrah says
Same experience. I had to double the dry ingredients and they were still not that thick and fluffy. 😞 they tasted good, but I love thick and fluffy pancakes. I’ll keep trying to adjust.