This is your go-to homemade pancake recipe. Bookmark it for lazy mornings, leisurely brunches, or any time a warm, fluffy stack sounds correct. Made entirely from pantry staples, including plain old milk or whatever alternative dairy you keep on hand (we tested with almond milk, but oat, soy, or cashew milk will all work well), they’re quick, reliable, and always satisfying.
A few tips: The easy pancake batter comes together in minutes but needs a brief rest before hitting the griddle. Use the time to start the coffee or slice some strawberries, bananas, or peaches to serve over the top. Second, this may shock you, but don’t grease your pan; a dry, nonstick skillet or griddle is the secret to an even golden brown surface. Finally, melt your butter in a larger pan than required; after pulling it from the heat, pour in the cold milk to temper the liquid and quickly cool the melted butter.
These delicious pancakes are great as is, but they’re also a blank canvas. Add a few blueberries or chocolate chips to each as the first side cooks or dust them with cinnamon sugar. Add a dash of vanilla extract if you want them more cake-like, or bump up the salt by a half teaspoon if you prefer more savory breakfast recipes. Serve with plenty of butter, a gush of real maple syrup, and a side of crispy bacon; then squirrel away the leftovers to slather with peanut butter and jam to make PB&J pancake sandwiches.
Looking for buttermilk pancakes? Try this ‘Gourmet’ classic via the Epicurious app.
What you’ll need
Nonstick Griddle
$75 At Amazon
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6
$39 $36 At Amazon
French Wire Whisk
$18 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
28 minutes
Yield
Makes about 14 pancakes
Ingredients
2
¼
2
1½
6
2
2
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. aluminum-free baking powder, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt in large bowl until well combined, about 30 seconds.
Step 2
Whisk 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 2 large eggs, and 2 cups whole milk or full-fat nondairy milk in a medium bowl until well combined (butter may form tiny clumps, especially if milk is still cold). Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until just combined and no large, dry pockets of flour remain (batter may be thin and lumpy; it’ll be fine). Let batter sit at room temperature until noticeably puffy and thick, about 10 minutes.
Step 3
Place a dry large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat (if using an electric griddle, heat to 325°). Stir batter gently to deflate any large air bubbles. Working in batches, scoop ¼-cupfuls of batter onto griddle. Cook pancakes until golden brown underneath and matte around edges and bubbles have formed on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer pancakes to plates (or keep warm on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet in a 250° oven up to 30 minutes).
Serve pancakes with lots of butter and pure maple syrup.
Step 4
Serve pancakes with lots of softened butter and pure maple syrup.
Editor’s note: This easy pancake recipe was first printed online in December 2022 and has since been updated to address reader concerns about the amount of leavening and salt. For those mornings when pancakes are out of the question, check out our best make-ahead breakfast ideas →