All the different types of pancakes out there and, frankly, I love them all. But if I had to choose, nothing quite beats classic American-style pancakes. These pancakes are thick and incredibly fluffy, needing only a slab of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup to bring the best flavours out. There are no fancy ingredients needed, requiring only the simplest of ingredients to create this absolutely winning pancake recipe.
Funny story, pancakes are the first dish I ‘mastered’ in the kitchen when I was a kid. It had been my motivation to get out of bed early on a Sunday morning as a kid if I was allowed to make pancakes that morning. It’s something I was really proud of back then and, truthfully, still am for this pancake recipe!
How to make the best fluffy pancakes
Ingredients
- Self-raising Flour – can be substituted with plain flour plus baking powder
- Sugar
- Egg
- Buttermilk/Milk
- Vanilla Essence
- Salt
- Butter – for cooking
Recipe notes
- One of the keys to making fluffy pancakes is height. Self-raising flour, or the combination of plain flour plus baking powder, would act as a rising agent for the pancakes to gain height.
- If you can, buttermilk would do wonders for the recipe. The science behind buttermilk is that its acid kickstarts the baking powder into action for extra height. It also helps to break down strands of gluten, leading to a fine and tender crumb.
- But worry not if you don’t have buttermilk. I’ve used regular milk plenty of times and it worked just fine. As long as you’ve got the right consistency and have let the batter sit for a sufficient amount of time, the pancakes will still turn out amazing. It’s just that buttermilk would make the pancake recipe extra amazing!
- Speaking of batter consistency, buttermilk is thicker in texture so I would double the amount from that I use with regular milk. I have listed the amount to use for both types of milk in the recipe card below. You’d want the pancake batter to have a thick consistency, make sure it’s not too liquidy (especially when you’re using regular milk) so that the pancakes can hold their shape and rise in height.
- I have not tried it myself but some of you have messaged me to let me know the recipe works beautifully too with the likes of oat milk and almond milk!
- Another tip before cooking the pancakes is to rest the batter. Resting the pancake batter for at least 20 minutes before cooking allows the air bubbles to distribute evenly, which helps in creating height for the pancakes.
- When cooking the pancakes, keep them on medium-low heat so that the pancakes rise more evenly. A slightly lower temperature allows the batter to rise more evenly, which helps to create that light and fluffy texture.
Need more sweet breakfast recipe inspo? You should check these out too:
The Best Easy Fluffy Pancake Recipe
The best pancake recipe you ever need. Easy, no-fail, and guarantees to make the fluffiest and most delicious pancakes
Ingredients
- 220 g Self-raising Flour sieved
- 160 g Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 cup Buttermilk or Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
- ¼ tsp Salt
- Butter for cooking
Instructions
- Sift flour and mix with sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the centre and whisk in the egg. Stir in the milk and mix until it forms a smooth batter.
- Add in vanilla essence and salt. Stir to combine and let it sit for at least 20 minutes.
- Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Melt a tsp of butter and ladle in pancake batter, about ¼-⅓ cup per pancake.
- After 3-4 minutes, air bubbles should start to form and the edges should begin to set. Flip your pancake and let the other side cook for another 3-4 minute until risen and golden in colour. Set aside on a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining batter. Stack up the pancakes and serve with toppings of your choice.
Notes
- Cooking time refers to the time per pancake.
- If you don’t have self-raising flour, simply substitute with equal amounts of plain flour plus 1tsp of baking powder.
- It is highly recommended for you to use buttermilk for the recipe. The science behind buttermilk is that its acid kickstarts the baking powder into action for extra height. It also helps to break down strands of gluten, leading to a fineer and more tender crumb.
- Make sure the pancake batter have a thick consistency and not too liquidy (especially when you’re using regular milk). The texture plays a key role for the pancakes to hold their shape and rise in height during the cooking process.
- I have not tried it myself but some of you have messaged me to let me know the recipe works beautifully too with the likes of oat milk and almond milk!
- By resting the pancake batter for at least 20 minutes before cooking, it allows the air bubbles to distribute evenly and helps in creating height for the pancakes.
- When cooking the pancakes, keep them on medium-low heat so that the pancakes rise more evenly. A slightly lower temperature allows the batter to rise more evenly, which helps to create that light and fluffy texture.
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These are so good. Thanks for sharing! The buttermilk tip is a game changer.
Thank you! Yay, so glad you enjoyed it, the buttermilk is where the real magic happens!
The best pancakes!
Thank you, Stephy! So pleased you enjoy it 😄