Fluffy Pancake Recipe

Fluffy Pancake Recipe made simple! These homemade pancakes are made of leavening, buttermilk, and eggs and rise super high in the pan! They are the best buttermilk pancakes served with maple syrup! This pancakes recipe is a favorite breakfast food, shared by a Mennonite family, they are the softest, fluffiest pancakes, I’ve ever made!

We have pancake recipes to try for all, like Potato Pancakes, Homemade Pancake Mix, Cheese Pancakes, and Zucchini Pancakes. Need more Pancakes? Try our mashed Potato Pancakes and if you’re into waffles try our homemade Oatmeal Waffles cooked in a waffle iron. 

Fluffy Pancake Recipe

Pancakes are the American breakfast food made with leavening to create a thick and fluffy pancake when fried in a pan. Grandma’s old-fashioned pancakes were usually made from sour milk and a pinch of soda. Europeans, also make flat pancakes without leavening like these Crepes, or oven-baked Dutch Baby The addition of baking soda and the tartness of buttermilk quench any bitterness and make the fluffiest pancakes!

This is how to make pancakes at home using an easy pancake recipe from a Mennonite mom. She has been making this recipe for years and when I made it for our family, I was told they were the best pancakes ever! Long story short, since I was told it was the best pancake recipe, it is how I’ve been making pancakes from scratch since. Everyone seems to love them from kids to adults and they work well using white flour or freshly milled flour!

BEST Pancake Flour To Use?

To make fluffy pancakes, it’s best to use low-gluten, soft wheat flour like pastry flour or all-purpose flour. It is lower in protein and higher in starch ideal for pancakes. We have tested this pancake recipe using freshly milled soft wheat berries and had fantastic results. The only difference we had to make was to decrease the buttermilk content. We love the healthy pancakes variation better but this recipe for pancakes works with a higher gluten flour like King Arthur bread flour too. I’ve even mixed in 1/2 cup of sprouted Spelt flour to the dry ingredients so this recipe is very versatile!

Pancake Ingredients:

Everything you need to make this recipe is probably in your pantry right now, if you need a substitute for buttermilk in pancakes simply sour some milk with lemon juice or vinegar 5 minutes before using. This is a quick pancake recipe using easy ingredients. Here are the ingredients for pancakes;

• Flour- a low-gluten flour like all-purpose or pastry flour is ideal for making fluffy hot cakes. We’ve tested this pancake recipe with bread flour and freshly ground flour with the same delicious taste and fluffiness!
• Leavening- a combination of baking powder and baking soda is used for superior fluffy results. Baking soda always requires the addition of an acid to do its thing and it helps eliminate any bitter aftertaste.
• Sugar- a little sugar enhances the pancake batter so leave room for additional sweetness with pancake toppings later. Substitute with honey or a tsp of vanilla. I like to use organic sugar cane for the granulated sugar.
• Salt- sea salt is what I use.
• Eggs- eggs are rich in lecithin and bind the batter wonderfully creating fluffy results. The best dairy-free egg substitute for pancakes is 1 Tbsp of ground flaxseeds soaked in 3 Tbsp of boiling water for every egg. Another substitute rich in fat and moisture is 1/3 cup of cream for every egg.
• Cultured Buttermilk- is fermented milk that is thicker in consistency and sour. The acidity quenches any bitterness from the baking soda.

How To Make Pancakes:

To make pancakes you will need a pan or griddle. I love cooking pancakes in my large round Griddle Pan which has low sides perfect for cooking multiple pancakes. I will typically run that alongside my stovetop cast-iron griddle to cook all my pancakes faster. An electric pancake griddle is perfect for camping!

1. To cook pancakes measure out the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the leavening, this is the secret to getting the softest, fluffiest pancakes. As the pancakes cook the leavening will react to create air for the perfect pancake texture.
2. Continue adding the rest of the dry ingredients like the salt and sugar.
3. Use a whisk to stir the dry ingredients together until combined. In the same bowl make a well and add the wet ingredients (for a dairy-free substitute use almond milk with the addition of white distilled vinegar to quench the baking soda.)
4. Mix the batter together with a wire whisk until there are no large lumps. Don’t over mix you want fluffy pancakes not tough. This is also the time to add blueberries or chocolate mix-ins.
5. To Cook pancakes heat a pan or griddle over medium heat. When the pan is hot add a small amount of coconut oil to melt. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of batter for medium-small pancakes or 1/3 cup of batter for larger pancakes.
6. Pour batter into the heated pan and let the batter spread on its own. Don’t flip until the edges form bubbles. You can also use a spatula to lift up a side and check if the underside is golden. Flip and cook for another few minutes. If pancakes are browning too quickly, lower the heat. Cook pancakes in batches until done. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

How To Reheat Pancakes:

Making pancakes from scratch is easy! Once you cook up a batch it’s best to eat hot pancakes, however leftovers store and reheat well. Refrigerated pancakes reheat in the microwave quickly.

• To reheat in the microwave: microwave every two pancakes over high for 1 minute and every additional pancake for 30 more seconds.
• Reheating in the oven: preheat oven to 375°F and bake on a cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes.
• Toaster instructions: pop pancakes into a toaster at the lowest setting until warmed.

Can you Freeze Pancakes?

Pancakes can be frozen! How to freeze pancakes? Simply cool all the pancakes first, then wrap every 4 pancakes in plastic wrap and place them into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Freeze-cooked pancakes for up to 3 months. Remove pancakes from the fridge the night before and follow the reheating instructions above. If you are starting from frozen pancakes double the reheating time.

Pancake Variations:

Who said you can’t mix and match a pancake breakfast? These perfect pancakes can be made into all kinds of shapes and sizes with different add-ins;

• Blueberry Pancakes- gently fold 1 cup of fresh blueberries into the batter or dollop about a tablespoon of frozen blueberries onto the top of each pancake when cooking, (mixing frozen blueberries into the batter can turn the batter purple.)
• Pumpkin pancakes- whisk 1 cup of canned pumpkin into the batter with 1-2 tsp of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
• Chocolate Chip pancakes- add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter.
• Whole Wheat Pancakes- use 3 1/2 cups of freshly milled soft white wheat and use about 2 3/4 cups of runny buttermilk.
• Sourdough Pancakes- add 1 cup of, discard sourdough starter.

Creative Ideas to Serve Pancakes:

Need pancake ideas or creative pancake toppings? Sausage links and bacon aren’t the only ways to serve pancakes.  Here are some good ideas to incorporate for a special weekend or occasion;

• Pancake Sandwich (McGriddles)- sandwich a sausage patty, American cheese, and an egg patty between two thick pancakes.
• Make savory pancakes by mixing in scallions and cheddar cheese (serve like Cheddar Bay Biscuits.)
• Top with Nutella, Strawberries, bananas, or pecans.
• Mix in a wildberry blend of your favorite berries.
• Slather softened butter over the tops and drizzle with pure maple syrup
• Spread a fruit jam or honey instead of the syrup.
• Turn into muffins by baking in a muffin tin.

 

Have you tried this Pancake recipe? I would love to hear from you, be sure to leave a review down below! 

How To Make Pancakes: