Breakfast · American
How do you make fluffy American pancakes?
The short answer
Whisk the dry and wet ingredients separately, then stir them together just until combined — lumps are good, overmixing makes pancakes tough. Rest the batter five minutes so the raising agents activate, and cook on medium heat until bubbles pop on top before flipping once.
Good American pancakes are all about a thick, barely-mixed batter and gentle, patient heat. Keep the lumps, rest the batter, and resist the urge to press them down in the pan — that is the whole secret to a tall, cloud-soft stack.
This weekend staple comes together in one bowl of dry and one bowl of wet, so it is easy enough for a sleepy Saturday morning. Finish a big cook-up with something sweet like chewy chocolate chip cookies later in the day.
Why are my pancakes flat?
Flat pancakes usually mean the batter was overmixed or the raising agents are old. Stir only until the flour disappears, leaving lumps, and check that your baking powder is fresh. A rest before cooking also helps the bubbles build.
No buttermilk?
Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 300 ml of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. It gives the same tang and tender crumb as real buttermilk.
Tips
- Cook on medium, not high — too hot and they brown before the centre sets.
- Keep finished pancakes warm in a 100 °C (210 °F) oven while you cook the rest.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze between sheets of baking paper for up to 2 months. Reheat in a toaster or a warm oven.
SiteName Kitchen
Breakfast · American
Fluffy American Pancakes
Tall, fluffy American pancakes from scratch — a simple buttermilk batter that makes light, golden stacks every weekend. Ready in 25 minutes.
- Prep
- Cook
- Total
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- ~320 kcal / per serving
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) plain flour
- 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 50 g (3½ tbsp) butter, melted, plus more for the pan
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
- 2
In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
- 3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined — a few lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- 4
Heat a little butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour about 60 ml (¼ cup) batter per pancake and cook until bubbles form and pop on the surface, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until golden. Keep warm and repeat with the rest of the batter.
- 6
Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Non-stick pan
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