Is there really anything better than a big stack of fluffy homemade pancakes?? This easy, from-scratch recipe gives you classic diner-style pancakes with golden edges, soft fluffy centers, and that cozy weekend breakfast feel. They’re made with simple pantry staples and work as the perfect base for butter, maple syrup, fruit, chocolate chips, or whatever toppings your family loves. Homemade pancakes are easy to make, but I’ve got a few tips and tricks to help you 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. 😉
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.
- Pancake batter is best made fresh. It can typically last for 1-2 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container, though it’s best used within 24 hours for maximum fluffiness. The longer the batter rests, the more the baking powder loses some of its rising power, and the flour continues to absorb moisture. That can make the batter thicker and the finished pancakes a little denser instead of light, soft, and fluffy.
Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
Cost $1.79 recipe / $0.48 serving
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (150g, $0.22*)
- 1½ tsp baking powder (8g, $0.07**)
- ½ tsp salt (4g, $0.02)
- ¾ cup milk (warm, $0.16***)
- 2 Tbsp butter (melted, $0.19)
- 1 large egg ($0.14)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar (25g, $0.04)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract ($0.07)
- 4 tsp cooking oil ($0.05****)
Video
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just combined. DO NOT overmix. The batter should be thick yet still pourable, with a few lumps remaining. If it isn’t pourable, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of milk until it reaches the right consistency. A batter that’s too thick can turn out slightly dry once cooked.
- Next, let the batter rest for 15 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate fully, relaxes the gluten, and activates the baking powder, resulting in tender, thicker, and more evenly cooked pancakes.
- 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 1-2 minutes. Flip them and cook on the second side until golden brown, for 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 the remaining batter is cooked. Serve warm with your favorite toppings!
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Homemade Pancakes step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Mix the dry ingredients: Add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1½ 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. I use warm milk here because it helps the butter blend more easily into the batter!
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 as this can make the pancakes chewy or rubbery.
Check the consistency: The batter should be thick, but still pourable. 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. If the batter looks more like dough than pourable batter, stir in an extra tablespoon of milk at a time until it slowly pours from a spoon (as shown here). Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
Heat the skillet: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, brush some cooking oil over the surface. You can also use clarified butter or ghee, which adds a buttery flavor and can withstand the heat of the skillet better than regular butter.
Cook: Scoop ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet.
Use the measuring cup to spread it out into a circle (about 4-inches in diameter).
Cook until bubbles form across the surface and some start to pop, the edges look a little dry, and the bottom is golden brown. This usually takes about 1-2 minutes, but the exact time will depend on your pan and heat level. If the outside is browning too quickly before the bubbles form, lower the heat slightly. If the pancakes are staying pale and taking too long to cook, bump the heat up just a little.
You can cook multiple pancakes at once. I just did one at a time for demonstration purposes.
Flip and finish: 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: Continue cooking the batter in batches, adding a little more oil to the skillet as needed. Keep the cooked pancakes on a plate covered with a clean dish towel, or place them in a warm oven, so they stay soft and warm while you finish the rest.
Serve: Stack the pancakes and serve warm with butter, maple syrup, fruit, whipped cream, or any of your favorite toppings (optional!). They should be soft and fluffy in the center, golden on the outside, and ready for all the cozy breakfast toppings you can throw at them! Enjoy.
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. strawberry 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
- Peach sauce
- Nuts
- Ice cream!
What is your favorite thing to put on pancakes?
Serving Suggestions
These pancakes are great with any of the toppings above, but a few simple sides can turn them into a more filling breakfast or brunch. This recipe makes 8 pancakes, which is perfect for 4 people if everyone gets 2 pancakes with toppings. If you’re serving a fuller breakfast with sides, you could even stretch it to 8 smaller servings with 1 pancake each.
For a savory side, I love pairing pancakes with oven cooked bacon. I pop the bacon in the oven while the pancake batter rests, and it pretty much finishes by the time all the batter is cooked. If 2 pancakes won’t totally fill you up (but you don’t want to cook anything else), a strawberry mango smoothie is a quick, creamy option. Or if you want a breakfast side you can prep ahead, egg muffins are delicious and savory. I also like homemade granola with yogurt to keep things simple without adding another hot dish!
Storage & Reheating
This recipe is great for batch cooking and freezing! Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Let them cool before storing and either wrap them in plastic wrap or keep them in an airtight container.
Or 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 Cozy Breakfast Ideas Next:
- Try our French Toast next when you want another cozy skillet breakfast the whole family will love!
- My Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding has crispy edges, a soft, custard-like center, and cozy apple-cinnamon flavor.
- I love these Banana Muffins for make-ahead breakfasts because they’re moist, fluffy, budget-friendly, and freezer-friendly for busy mornings.
More Easy 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.
5 stars
Terrible. I followed the exact recipe and it came out like dough. Had to add lots more liquid and took me 10 minutes to get all the clumps out. They came out super dense, I strongly advise you skip on the recipe.
Idk what everyone complaining about, we doubled it. Turned out great. Will make again
Probably one of the worst pancake recipes I’ve ever made. Followed the directions exactly and the batter was basically dough. Had to add another 2 cups of milk to make it pour able to the griddle.
On paper this seems ok, but in practice it’s not
I made this recipe after my wife texted it to me and it came out great. The batter was good, but it was for 15 minutes and did all the rest of the recipe with the dryer with the dryer and the wet with the wet and then mix both. Otherwise known as a two stage method. Next time we cook these, I’ll add a couple tablespoons more of milk to thin out the batter a little. They were great but the first few comments threw me off a little bit about saying they were bland. I didn’t think so at all neither did my wife or my two-year-old.
Absolutey awful, thin, bland, terrible
I followed this recipe exactly and these did not come out fluffy and thick at all. They were really thin. I don’t understand how adding more milk will make the batter thicker because extra liquids thin a batter. Also, who wants to fry pancakes in oil
Delicious! I achieved crispy edges on a couple batches too—this reminded me of a thin, soft, delicate crumpet. One of the best pancakes I’ve ever had, and definitely the best I’ve ever made.
I made this recipe with my 2 year old. We are working with a dietician and trying to get more fiber into her diet to help with some chronic gut issues she has so I did this recipe a d use 1/2 oat flour 1/2 white flour and added a few tbsp of chia seeds. I also used plant milk that had protein and fiber in it and I used brown sugar instead of white because that is what I had handy and these were absolutely amazing this is the second time in her whole life she has actually eaten pancakes and she absolutely devoured them.
I doubled the recipe for two hungry people and used buttermilk because I happened to have some. They were delicious!
Can you substitute with oat flour? Otherwise, I have to try this with gluten-free flour.
We worked so hard for nothing…. :( they’re thick and dense it may be our fault but still. Thinking back it was our fault we over mixed it 💔🥀. They tasted good but they’re like biscuits
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
Mine turned out perfect? Were your ingredients fairly new? I substituted real butter, but I do that with all recipes, sorry yours are flat, that’s usually b powder or b soda issues.