The Best Way To Make Perfect Pancakes
Professional chef and chef instructor Frank Proto shows you his method for making perfectly fluffy pancakes at home, every time. Never subject yourself to flat, lifeless pancakes again with Frank’s foolproof method a for light, airy, homemade stack.
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Total Time
20 minutes
You’ll never reach for a box of pancake mix again after making this easy pancake recipe from scratch. Requiring only a handful of pantry staples and 20 minutes of your time, these homemade pancakes are as simple, fluffy, and delicious as breakfast recipes get. To make the batter, simply whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and a pinch of sugar) in one large bowl or large measuring cup and your wet ingredients (whole milk, eggs, some optional melted butter) in another, and then gradually combine the two.
Pancakes are forgiving and flexible, so you can adjust the consistency of the batter with either more milk or more flour as you see fit. And, if you’re a sourdough lover who keeps a starter at home, we even have directions below for adjusting the recipe to yield a tangy batch of sourdough pancakes. If you’re looking for buttermilk pancakes, though, click through for that recipe.
You can store this pancake batter, covered, in the refrigerator for up to two days, or enjoy immediately by ladling the mixture onto a skillet or griddle with some butter or neutral oil until golden brown on both sides. Want to take them beyond basic pancakes? Sprinkle a handful of blueberries or chocolate chips on top of each pancake before flipping them over to cook the second side. As for serving, a drizzle of maple syrup is compulsory, but if you’re feeling indulgent, a dollop of whipped cream, or even a scoop of ice cream, wouldn’t be amiss.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in ‘How to Cook Everything’ by Mark Bittman and first appeared on Epicurious November 3, 2016.
Ingredients
Serves 4–6
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Step 1
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter.
Step 2
Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs into 1½ cups of the milk, then stir in the 2 tablespoons cooled melted butter if you’re using it. Gently stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten the flour; don’t worry about a few lumps. If the batter seems thick, add a little more milk.
Step 3
Use a little butter or oil each time you add batter, unless your skillet is truly nonstick. When the butter foam subsides or the oil shimmers, ladle batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2 to 4 minutes, without burning it. Flip when bubbles appear in the center of the pan-cakes and the bottoms are cooked; they won’t hold together well until they’re ready.
Step 4
Cook until the second side is lightly browned, a couple more minutes, and serve or hold on an oven-proof plate in a 200°F oven for up to 15 minutes.
Sourdough Pancakes: This requires a sourdough starter, but if you have one this is a good place to take advantage of your foresight. Substitute 1 cup sourdough starter for half the flour; reduce the milk and salt by half, the baking powder to ½ teaspoon, and the egg to 1. Mix the starter, flour, and ½ cup of the milk to a medium-thin batter; let sit for an hour. Just before cooking, stir in the salt, sugar, and baking powder; then beat in the egg.