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Fluffy Pancakes

…plus, tips on how to fix them when things go wrong

This is the best, American Diner style pancake recipe; simple, delicious, soft and fluffy. Plus, I’ve answered everything that can go wrong when making pancakes and how to fix them. So next time you make a batch using any recipe and they don’t seem quite right, just follow these tips to get you back on the right path!

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Fluffy American diner Style mini pancakes with sliced banana, vanilla ice cream, fresh mint, whipped cream and maple syrup

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This will be your new favourite pancake recipe and here's why!

These pancakes require no fancy equipment – just a bowl, whisk, non-stick pan and a spatula! Plus, you can make these using ingredients you’d already have in your kitchen… you don’t even need self raising flour! I’ve even given you substitute ingredients so there’s no need for a shopping trip when you’re craving fluffy pancakes on the weekend!

Lastly, the batter is extremely versatile and can be made into different sizes (I made mini pancakes for this recipe) and flavours. Feel free to add chocolate chips, blueberries, raspberries, peanut butter chips, nuts, spices, dried fruits or whatever else you like! You could even set up a little DIY bar where everyone gets to pick their own!

This recipe uses just 6 simple ingredients that I’m sure you have floating around in your kitchen already. Those ingredients are:

  1. Plain Flour
  2. White Sugar
  3. Baking Powder
  4. Eggs
  5. White Vinegar
  6. Milk
 

That’s it! If you happen to be missing an ingredient or 2, I’ve even listed some substitutes later on in this post, so there’s no excuse not to make these!

A picture of pancake ingredients including clear containers of plain flour, white sugar, baking soda, a carton of milk and a carton of eggs.
Ingredients required for my pancake recipe.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

I mean this is a bit pointless as I’m sure everyone reading this already has their preferences on pancake toppings. But if you want to try something a different, these are my top 5 favourite combos:

  1. Nutella, banana and whipped cream
  2. Cheesecake cream and raspberries
  3. Lemon and sugar with vanilla ice cream
  4. Strawberries, mango, nectarine and vanilla yoghurt
  5. Almond butter, stewed apples and ice cream – a different one, but so good!

STORAGE INSTRUCTION

Can I make these in advance so I'm not stuck in the kitchen cooking while I have guests?

If you’re planning on making a big breakfast of fluffy pancakes and want to make them the night before so that you’re not stuck in the kitchen flipping batter while you’re guests are having fun, follow these tips and no one will notice the difference (except you when you’re enjoying yourself!).

Can I make them the night before and will they keep overnight?

Although pancakes are best served warm, straight from the pan with a heavy dousing of maple syrup and ice cream, they can be refrigerated in an airtight contained for up to 3 days. If you intend to make them ahead of time or simply made too many, leave them on the bench until cool to touch (approx. 30 minutes). Place them in an airtight container (stacked on top of each other is fine) and pop them in the fridge.

 

Make sure the container is well sealed otherwise they will become infused with different smells and flavours in the fridge because they’re so light and porous (No onion flavoured pancakes for me thanks!). It’s important to let them cool first before packing them away. Otherwise, the steam will become trapped within the container, making the pancakes soggy, stale and stuck together.

I'm not going to finish my pancakes within 3 days, can I store them in the freezer instead?

You might be wondering what to do when you make way too many pancakes. And to answer the question above, yes, you absolutely can freeze pancakes! Again, they won’t be as good as when they are freshly made. But if you’ve made too many or are the type of person who likes to make food in bulk and freeze it, then by all means.. Freeze away! Pancakes will keep in the freezer for around 3 months. Any longer than that and they will start getting a bit of freezer burn and taste not so nice. The best way to do it is as follows:

  1. Lay the pancakes in a single layer on a tray lined with a tea towel. Leave them on the bench to cool for around 20-30 minutes.
  2. Once they are cool, place the whole tray in the freezer for another 30 minutes so the pancakes can firm up and not stick to each other.
  3. Once they are slightly frozen, remove them from the freezer and place them in a zip lock bag marked with the date and contents. Then, they are ready to be stored until you need them next!

The Pan I Use to Make Perfect Mini Pancakes

The pan I use in the video tutorial makes is super easy to use and makes perfectly uniform mini pancakes. I bought mine in Japan (not the brightest idea when limited on baggage), but I found one online which seems to be the same one. You can find it here if you’d like to get one for yourself!

A black non stick pan with 7 individual holes for mini pancakes

REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS

Reheating Pancakes in the Microwave

I find that the microwave is the easiest method and the one I use most often. To do so, lay as many pancakes on a microwave safe plate in a single layer as you can fit. Microwave for 20 seconds (for 1-2) up to 60 seconds (for 4 or more). These times will vary drastically among different machines, so if it’s your first time reheating frozen pancakes in the microwave, I would recommend reheating in 20 second intervals and checking them after each zap. This way you get to know what works best for you. If you overdo it, they will become dry and rubbery. Every microwave is very different so it’s a good idea to learn what works best in yours. Follow this same method if they’ve been stored in the fridge but obviously reduce the time and take them out once they’re warm and steamy.

Reheating Pancakes in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 180˚C and line a tray with baking paper. Place the frozen pancakes on the tray in a single layer. Once the oven is to temperature, place the tray of pancakes in for around 5-10 minutes. This method will crisp them up a little on the outside, so in my opinion it gets a slightly better result than the microwave. But then it is also a bit more time consuming so it’s up to you which method you prefer.

Reheating Pancakes in the Toaster

I don’t love this method as they always seem to bend and get stuck, but if you want to try it, this is how you’d do it. Place as many frozen pancakes into the slots as your toaster can fit. Toast on a light setting for two to three minutes. Check that they are warm in the middle by inserting a skewer into the toasted pancake and feeling the tip of it. If it is warm, they’re ready. I wouldn’t opt for this method if you are reheating them from the fridge as the chances of them getting stuck is much higher than if they’re frozen stiff.

CAN I MAKE A BIGGER BATCH?

This recipe is extremely versatile and can be doubled, tripled or even multiplied tenfold if you need! I tried to make the quantities simple so that you could easily increase or decrease the amount of pancakes you end up with. The recipe makes 3-4 medium sized pancakes or about 12 mini pancakes but make them as big or small as you like.

A close up photo of a stack of mini pancakes topped with whipped cream, mint and a scoop of vanilla ice cream

TROUBLESHOOTING

Why are my pancakes rubbery and chewy?

The most common cause for pancakes turning out dense is over mixing. This is for 2 reasons:

  1. The first reason is due to gluten development. The more you work and agitate the flour mix, the stronger and more complex the gluten network becomes. Gluten is already in flour in each individual grain and is activated as soon as water is added. So kneading doesn’t add gluten to the mix as such. What happens instead is when you work and knead a dough or batter, these single ‘pieces’ of gluten interlock and line up into a long and tight structure that make something that is strong and elastic. This is why it’s important to mix all of the dry and wet ingredients separately before combining them to prevent how long you need to stir the mix. So, in summary, the more you mix the batter, the more of these gluten clumps unravel and form a chain, making the batter tight, dense and chewy rather than light and fluffy.
  2. The second is due to the bicarb soda. Bicarb soda provides 2 rises by producing carbon dioxide. The first rise is when it comes into contact with an acid (eg vinegar, buttermilk, yoghurt etc). The second is as a result of exposure to temperatures over 80˚C where the bicarb decomposed and again, produces CO2 gas. When the bicarb and acid react within the batter, small bubbles form throughout. Just like with a souffle or macaron, if you over-mix the batter, these tiny air bubbles will pop and disappear leaving batter flat.
 

Another common cause for chewy and dense pancakes happens in the pan. It’s important that you only flip your pancakes once and do so as gently as possible. You want to do everything in your power to avoid knocking out the air bubbles, and while they’re cooking is a crucial time for their development… So be gentle.

How do I know when my pancakes are ready to flip if I can only do it once?

You will notice after a couple of minutes that small bubbles begin to form on the top of the pancake. This is them telling you they’re ready to flip! If you’re new to cooking pancakes, start small. In a smaller pancake, by the time bubbles begin to form, the raw side will be about 80% cooked anyway. This means they’re much easier to flip as you don’t have a puddle of raw batter to try and contain and not spill everywhere. Then once you’re comfortable, advance to bigger sizes!

What oil should I use to cook my pancakes?

You want to use a mix of a high smoke point oil and butter. The butter is there to give that, for lack of a better term, buttery flavour, while the oil prevents the butter from burning. You also don’t want to use too much fat either – you want them just browned, not fried and crispy. The best way to do this is to combine an equal quantity of melted butter and oil (canola or veg oil would be the best) then wipe a small quantity onto the pan with a paper towel. This makes sure there’s enough in the pan to prevent sticking, but not too much that they become greasy.

Why are my pancakes flat and not fluffy?

A flat pancake is usually the result of the batter being too wet. This is because there isn’t enough strength from the flour to trap the bubbles produced by the baking soda. This recipe produces a good viscosity but sometimes it’s hard to replicate quantities exactly. For example, the egg that I used for my recipe might be half the size of the egg you find in your grocery store. As a result, your batter would be a lot looser than mine and might produce a flat pancake. This is where a little bit of intuition comes to play. Your batter should be about the consistency of yoghurt or custard. It shouldn’t really be runny – somewhere in between thickened cream and Nutella.

Why are my pancakes pale and white and not golden brown?

Turn the heat up! Not much more to it than that really. Sugar can have an effect as it caramelises with heat, but not a whole lot. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles in the pan, but not so hot that it evaporates immediately. A good medium flame will do.

Why are my pancakes sticking to the pan?

Make sure to use a good non-stick pan and that you re-oil it after each pancake.

Why are my pancakes burning but still raw in the middle?

This one is pretty obvious, but it just means the pan is too hot. If you are finding that the batter isn’t cooking before it starts to burn, just turn it down, trust in the process and be patient. If you struggle to regulate the heat on your stove, brown them enough on the outside and finish them in the oven for 5-10 minutes (depending on their size). You can test if they’re done by inserting a skewer into the centre like you would a cake. If the skewer comes out clean, they’re done. If it comes out with batter on it, surprise, surprise, they need a little longer.

Why are my pancakes doughy and not cooking?

This could be a result of your batter being too thick. If it is too thick and tight, the CO2 produced by the baking soda wont be strong enough to push through batter and create pockets of air. If this is the case, just add a splash of milk to bring it to the right consistency.

Why are my pancakes falling apart?

If your pancakes are falling apart when you flip them over, you might be turning them too early. I usually wait until at least 80% of the upper, still liquid side is tacky and doesn’t leave residue on your finger when lightly touched. This way, there is less risk of batter flying everywhere and breaking your beautiful pancakes.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTES

What if I don’t have some of the ingredients listed?

Like I said earlier, this recipe is very versatile and forgiving. So if you don’t have one or 2 of the listed ingredients, don’t fret!

  1. Only have self raising flour? 
  2. Use the same quantity as the plain flour but halve the amount of baking soda in the recipe.
  3. No sugar? It’s fine to skip it. But if you want a little bit of sweetness, add a tbsp of a sweetener such as honey, maple syrup or agave… Whatever you’ve got lying around. I would opt against using something like molasses or treacle as it will darken the pancakes and make them slightly bitter.
  4. No baking soda? Use 1 tsp baking powder.
  5. No Eggs? This is one that I wouldn’t really recommend skipping as it helps to bind and lift the pancake. If you must skip it, replace it with one flax egg or 3 tbsp milk.
  6. No White Vinegar? This one’s an easy switch. If you don’t have white vinegar, any other acid will do. Try lemon, apple cider vinegar, or even lime juice. Yes, they will add a slight flavour, but they’ll do if you’re in a bind.
  7. No Milk? Any other animal or non-dairy milk will work fine! I mean, technically, you could even use juice or water, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Can I make these pancakes sugar free?

Absolutely you can make these pancakes sugar free! The sugar isn’t crucial to the recipe and is more there for flavour than for a purpose. The sugar does give it a little bit of tenderness and moisture, but again, they’ll still work without it. I have included some substitutions below as well, so if you still want a bit of sweetness without the guilt, you can use a sweetener instead.

Variations

This pancake recipe is super forgiving when adding mix ins and different flavourings. I would avoid adding things that with change the batter. This includes liquids like jams, melted chocolate, caramel, peanut putter or solids like cocoa powder which will thicken the batter. Instead, opt for mix ins like chocolate or peanut butter chips, fruit pieces, nuts, spices etc!

Fluffy American Diner Style mini pancakes with sliced banana, vanilla ice cream, fresh mint, whipped cream and maple syrup
Mon Mack Food

The Best Ever Fluffy Pancakes

These are the best fluffy pancakes! Not dry or doughy in the slightest. They can be made big or small and feel free to get creative with them and add different mix ins if you'd like!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 cup plain white flour
  • butter (for greasing the pan)

Method
 

  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the milk, vinegar, egg and vanilla and whisk until fully combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and baking powder to incorporate and remove any clumps of flour.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix one last time until just incorporated. You don't want to mix the batter for too long, if not it can go dense and chewy.
  4. Heat a nonstick pan over a medium flame and grease with butter and a few drops of oil (see note on this under 'What oil should I use for my pancakes?')
  5. Depending on whether you want to make mini or full sized pancakes, add enough batter so it makes your desired size - Approx 2 tbsp for mini, up to 1/3 for larger.
  6. After a few minutes (around 3-5mins) - again, depending on the size you make - the pancakes will be ready flip. You will know they're ready because bubbles will begin to form and the top will be less liquid.
  7. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook for another 3-5 minutes to allow them to get golden on the underside and cook through the middle. (See recipe note below)
  8. Transfer them to a plate and cover with a towel while you cook the remaining batter.
  9. If you're making quite a few, pop the plate in a warm oven (just with the light on will do) to keep them from going cold.
  10. Serve with your favourite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

TIP: If you are unsure whether they are cooked in the middle yet, take a skewer and insert in the centre like you would when testing a cake! If the skewer comes out clean (or with a few dry crumbs on it) they're ready to serve.

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Hey! I’m Montana...

Mon Mack Food is my little space to share my passion for food. It is also a place to document the recipes I’ve created while cooking for friends and family! While it is now just a hobby, my absolute dream is to build this project into something I can one day call my job 🙂

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