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Who’s Hungry??? Here’s your go‑to pancake recipe that’s made completely from scratch—no boxed mix in sight! These pancakes are tender, fluffy, and made from everyday ingredients. Perfect for lazy weekend mornings or weekday breakfasts.

The recipe is very easy and can be accommodated to a lot of different variations. Add some blueberries, and chocolate chips, or just enjoy them the way they are with some maple syrup.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Prep‑Ahead Friendly: Double or triple the batch, then refrigerate or freeze

Easy & Flexible: Simple pantry staples, short prep time

Kid‑Approved: Mildly sweet, fluffy texture—they’re a crowd‑pleaser

Customizable: Stir in fruit, spices, or chocolate chips for variety

RECIPE DETAILS

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Here are the basics of how to make this basic homemade pancake recipe. If you only want the recipe and missed the “jump to recipe” button at the top, just keep scrolling.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted unsalted butter, cane sugar, eggs, 2% milk, and vanilla extract.

Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Gently stir until just combined—lumps are okay!

Let the batter rest about 5 minutes while your griddle or pan heats up—this helps it relax.

JENN’S NOTES:

The batter will be thicker than the Diner-Style Pancakes

showing the thickness of the pancake better

Grease your griddle or skillet lightly. Use about 3 Tbsp batter per pancake (a cookie scoop keeps them uniform). Cook until bubbles appear on top, then flip and cook until golden brown. Serve warm with your family’s favorite toppings—maple syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, chocolate chips… you name it! SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS

Electric Griddle Cooking

Electric Griddles have almost twice as much cooking surface as even the largest cast iron skillet, allowing you to cook more than three pancakes at a time. The downside? They don’t brown as well or evenly. Because it uses a coil and there are hot spots. But convenience-wise, they’re great! It’s also a little healthier as you don’t need oil or butter.

putting batter on the griddle with the cookie scoop

pancakes on the griddle before being flipped showing bubbles.

Cast Iron Skillet

A cast iron skillet is the best when it comes to even and consistent heat distribution, and in my opinion, makes the best pancakes. If you want the happy medium between these… get a cast iron griddle.

putting batter on the cast iron with the cookie scoop

ENJOY

Serve warm with your family’s favorite toppings—maple syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, chocolate chips… you name it!

Finished Plain Pancakes with whipped cream. chocolate syrup, and strawberries. — My oldest decided to really deck out her pancakes.

COOKING WITH KIDS

DISCLOSURE: Please keep in mind that the following tips are general and are meant to be suggestive. I personally use these strategies with my own kids, who are all unique even within my own family of five. Therefore, please regard these as suggestions or ideas. If you feel that your child requires more or less assistance, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your child best.

Turning pancake mornings into family memories:

Help measure: Let kids scoop flour, sugar, milk—teaching both math and patience.
Whisk together: Small hands love a good stir! Just supervise.
Shape the pancakes: Give them control—thumb-sized scoops or huge farm-style stacks.
Flip practice: A shallow pan and a kid-friendly spatula make flipping fun. Let them try!

Decorating station: Set out a toppings bar—berries, bananas, yogurt, sprinkles—and let each child plate their masterpiece. Bonus: snap some cute photos!
Talk process: Use simple cooking vocabulary—fold, flip, sizzle, golden. It’s a mini cooking lesson in the morning.
Celebrate bites: Encourage them to taste and describe—sweet, fluffy, buttery—building their food literacy.

Tip: Keep it fun and messy—it’s part of the charm. And remember, they’ll learn more from the process than a perfect pancake.

STORAGE & REHEATING DETAILS

Got leftovers? Here’s how to store and reheat them so they taste fresh as day-old pancakes:

STORING

Refrigerator (Keeps well for up to 1 week)

Stack cooled pancakes between sheets of wax or parchment paper to prevent sticking
Seal in an airtight container or food-safe bag

Freezer (Store for up to 2 months)

Lay pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet
Freeze for about 2 hours until firm
Transfer to freezer-friendly Food-safe bag or food storage container, remove the air, label with date

REHEATING

Microwave: On a microwave‑safe plate, heat 1–3 pancakes for 1–2 minutes (shorten time for refrigerated pancakes, longer for frozen).
Oven/Toaster Oven: Preheat to 350 °F (175 °C), place pancakes on a baking sheet, and warm for 5–8 minutes or until heated through.
Skillet: Reheat on medium heat with a touch of butter or oil, about 1–2 minutes per side.

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Image of what finished pancakes look like off the cast iron. A Nice dark crunchy out side with a fluffy middle.

Recipe: Basic Homemade Pancakes

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This an easy recipe for pancakes at home using simple ingredients you should have in the pantry and fridge,

Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24 Pancakes

Ingredients

Scale

3 tablespoons cane sugar
½ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
2 ½ cups 2% milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt

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Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together, unsalted butter, cane sugar, eggs, 2% milk, and vanilla extract.
Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined (carefully, don’t over mix)
Let sit for about 5 minutes or so (this gives all the gluten a chance to sit and calm down a bit) I let my griddle/pan heat during this time. By the time the griddle is hot, the batter is ready.
Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter onto a hot, lightly oiled/buttered cast iron skillet, or non-stick electric griddle (I like to use a cookie scoop for more consistent pancakes). Let them sit until you see bubbles; then flip
Let that cook for a couple more minutes until lightly browned (you can gently lift and check if you’re not sure). Then take it off the heat and enjoy it with your favorite toppings!