Homemade Pancake Recipe
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Rise and shine! This easy homemade pancake recipe delivers the perfect pancakes—fluffy inside, crispy outside, and way better than store-bought mixes.
This homemade pancake recipe, adapted from The New York Times Cookbook, has been a beloved staple in my kitchen since my kids were little—and for good reason. Made with pantry staples I always have on hand, the pancakes turn out perfectly fluffy with crispy, golden edges every time.
They’re delicious on their own but also easy to customize with your favorite add-ins. When my kids were younger, I’d sprinkle in chocolate chips for a fun treat. These days, I love adding fresh or frozen blueberries for a fruity twist.
If you’re looking for variety, my banana pancakes and pumpkin pancakes are fantastic options, too. Once you’ve tried making pancakes from scratch, you’ll never go back to boxed pancake mix—homemade is just as easy and so much better.
“My husband and daughter agree, best pancakes ever!”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Homemade Pancake Recipe
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar & salt – The dry ingredients: flour gives structure, baking powder makes the pancakes light and fluffy, sugar adds sweetness (and helps with browning), and salt balances the flavor.
- Eggs & milk – Work together to bind the batter and make it smooth and pourable. (Do not substitute buttermilk for the milk.)
- Butter – Adds richness and flavor to the batter and helps with browning.
- Vegetable oil – Used for cooking the pancakes; it prevents the butter from burning and helps the pancakes brown evenly.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk until evenly combined.
Step 3: Combine everything. Add the wet ingredients and melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened—it’s okay if the batter looks lumpy. If it seems too thick, go ahead and add a splash more milk.
Step 4: Cook the pancakes. Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat, coat with oil, and swirl in a pat of butter. Scoop ¼ cup of batter per pancake into the pan and cook until golden on the bottom and bubbly on top—that’s your sign they’re ready to flip.
Step 5: Flip and finish. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side until golden, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the rest of the batter, wiping the pan clean between batches. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup and enjoy! Leftover pancakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
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Best Homemade Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups milk, plus more if necessary
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for cooking
- Vegetable oil, for cooking
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and milk until evenly combined.
- Pour the milk/egg mixture and the melted butter into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. If the batter seems too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk.
- Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat; coat it lightly with vegetable oil and swirl in a thin pat of butter. Ladle or drop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each pancake; cook until the first side is golden brown, or until the top surface bubbles and is dotted with holes. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. This happens quickly so peek after 30 seconds and watch carefully! Adjust the heat setting if necessary. Wipe the griddle clean with a paper towel between batches. Serve immediately with maple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These pancakes are great – and I love the cookbook too! Last few times I’ve made them, though, the batter has not been consistent. The pancakes have been coming out too “thick” and the batter is very airy. I’m using the exact same ingredients/measurements. Thank you!
Hi Christine, There’s always a little variation with pancake batter (and this is a thicker one) but if it seems too thick, go ahead and add a few more tablespoons of milk.
This recipe has become our failproof pancake recipe. Love it!
So good, this will be our new fave recipe from now on.
Hi Jenn
Firstly thank you! I’ve made this pancake recipe regularly for about a year and it always works beautifully.
I’d like to make ricotta pancakes – has this recipe been tested by just adding ricotta? Would I need to change anything?
Many thanks in advance
Gemma
So glad you like these Gemma! No, I’ve never made these using ricotta, so I can’t say how it would impact them. Please let me know how they turn out if you try it!
Hi Jenn
Thanks for your response. Tried making the recipe with ricotta – it turned out great! I put in about half a cup – next time I think I’ll reduce as it makes the pancake a bit wetter. They still came out fluffy though!
Good to know, Gemma – thanks so much for the follow-up. (I’m sure other readers will appreciate knowing about the alternative!) 🙂
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. I’m curious if anyone has mentioned having luck making these with GF flour? I’ve subbed Bob’s Redmill 1:1 in several of your muffin recipes with great results. This will be the first using it for your pancakes. Wish me luck!
Hi Emily, there is one reader who commented that the didn’t have luck with gluten-free flour when she made these (but that was back in 2013 and I know that these flours have probably improved since then). If you do end up trying them, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Best pancake recipe ever! Super easy. Way better than boxed mix. Thanks again Jenn for another perfect recipe. Can’t wait for your cookbook to arrive on my doorstep.
Just made your pancakes for breakfast and they were wonderful! So light and fluffy, absolutely delicious! And so easy to make. Definitely satisfied my craving for pancakes and I will be making them again often. Pre-ordered your cookbook too. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes Jenn! Love your website!
Glad you like the recipes, Debbie! And thanks for your support with the cookbook. 🙂
Very simple recipe. Turned out very good.
Made these this morning with your blueberry maple syrup for a nice Sunday breakfast. It was delicious! Will make again.
I used almond milk and added blueberries to this pancake recipe and…. BEST HOMEMADE PANCAKES EVER! I don’t usually even like pancakes, but these were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside and so delicious without being too sweet (I halved the sugar). I am so hooked!