Imagine waking up to the aroma of freshly made pancakes sizzling on the griddle. What could be a better start for the day?

Let’s get real for a second. The number one mistake people make with pancake recipes is treating the batter like they’re kneading bread dough. You whisk and whisk until it’s perfectly smooth, right? But that is the wrong way!

Lumpy batter is your friend here. When you overmix pancake batter, you activate the gluten in the flour, which makes your pancakes tough and dense instead of light and fluffy.

Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients come together. If you see some lumps, it is fine. Those lumps will not show up in the final cooked pancakes. ^[1]

The Ultimate Easy Pancake Recipe

Grab These:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 3½ teaspoons baking powder (this is crucial!)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups milk (room temperature works best)
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Let’s Cook:

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Make a small well in the center like you’re building a volcano in science class.

In another bowl, beat the egg and then add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour this into the well you made in the dry ingredients. Now here’s where people mess up: stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until combined. You should still see lumps! This takes maybe 15-20 stirs, max.

If you do not eat eggs, mashed bananas are one of the best substitutes. ^[2]

Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. This is where the magic happens. The baking powder starts working, and the gluten relaxes. Meanwhile, heat your griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat and add a small pat of butter.

Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Wait until you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look set, about 2-3 minutes. Flip once and cook for another 2 minutes until golden. That’s it! You’ve just mastered one of the simplest pancake recipes out there.

Pro Tips That Make All the Difference

Want them even fluffier? Separate your egg. Beat the egg white until it forms soft peaks, then fold it into the batter last. The egg white adds extra air and takes your pancakes from good to absolutely incredible. ^[3]

Room temperature ingredients matter more than you think. Cold milk and eggs can make the melted butter seize up into little clumps. Let everything sit out for 20 minutes before you start.

Don’t press down on the pancakes with your spatula! We know it’s tempting, but you’re literally squishing out all those air pockets you worked so hard to create.

Toppings That Take It Over the Top

While classic maple syrup and butter are timeless, why limit yourself to just those?

• Fresh berries and whipped cream
• Sliced bananas with a drizzle of honey
• Chocolate chips (add them right after pouring the batter on the griddle)
• Nutella and strawberries
• Lemon juice and powdered sugar for a simple but elegant twist

Making fluffy pancakes from scratch takes maybe 5 minutes more than opening a box, and the payoff is worth every second. Once you nail this basic pancake recipe, you can start experimenting with add-ins like blueberries, cinnamon, or even pumpkin puree.