The Best Old-Fashioned Homemade Pancakes

Have you ever wanted to know how to make the perfect short stack? You’re in luck because today we are sharing our recipe for old-fashioned homemade pancakes. Of course, anybody can add water to a box of instant pancake mix, but we believe you are better than that. So, for those of you who want to learn how to make some good pancakes, we have just the thing.

A plate of Old Fashioned Homemade Pancakes with syrup and milk

The Best Old-Fashioned Homemade Pancakes

A pancake is a flat, usually round, and thin cake made from a starch-based mixture that may also include eggs, milk, and butter. Pancakes are cooked in heated oil or butter on a hot skillet or frying pan. It is a variety of batter-baked bread. Breakfast is made from scratch using this wonderful Old Fashioned Pancake recipe. The nicest fluffy pancakes can be produced with this homemade pancake batter, which only requires a few pantry and refrigerator basics. These pancakes are as fluffy, soft, and buttery as they possibly can be! A few ingredients need only be combined in a whisk, and your batter is ready for the griddle. These traditional pancakes are the epitome of a nice breakfast.

They are amazingly soft, fluffy, and bouncy. Its flavor is very excellent despite being flavored with milk and butter. They have a tiny saltiness for contrast and are creamy and subtly sweet. You can’t go wrong whether you spray them with maple syrup, top them with fruit and berries, or cover them with lots of butter. To produce those crispy edges and the “old-fashioned look,” the batter is cooked on a sizable pan or cast-iron skillet, though a non-stick pan will also work. With this recipe, you may make the same delectable pancakes without leaving your home. Pancakes are thicker than conventional pancakes and have a soft texture that, when sliced, absorbs butter and syrup.

When to Serve Pancakes?

Who says these delicious treats have to be reserved only for breakfast? Pancakes should not be limited to quick ad easy breakfasts. For instance, my family adores them anytime, so they can even be served as dinner. Also, these pancakes are not too thick or too thin. They’re soft, fluffy, moist, and delicious, and can be paired with just about any type of fruit, syrup, or even fruit syrup, like our blueberry syrup. Moreover, you can even serve a delicious fruit salad alongside these homemade pancakes for a meal your family is sure to love!

However, if you’re anything like us, you’re the kind of person who goes to a mom-and-pop restaurant in the wee hours of the night for a special breakfast. Still, is there anything more fun than having pancakes and hot chocolate at midnight? Although, with this recipe, you’ll be able to whip up these delicious treats at home in no time. So, why not save yourself a trip to the dinner and a little bit of cash along the way?

Why We Love The Old-Fashioned Pancakes Recipe?

There comes a time when eating out becomes more of a luxury than an everyday activity. After college, you realize the need to save. However, staying in doesn’t have to be boring and cooking can become a fun family activity. The old-fashioned pancakes make it maybe more interesting than going out.

Furthermore, when it comes to comfort food, there’s nothing quite like flapjacks topped with butter and thick maple syrup to do the trick. Whether you decide to make some buttermilk or pancakes or add your own flavors for a little pizazz, this recipe has got you covered. So, just remember: cooking doesn’t have to be complicated!

Not to mention, for those of you who have kids, this is a meal that even the pickiest of eaters will know and love. Who doesn’t love some fluffy pancakes?

a list of recipe ingredients with egg

(Last but not least, can you see my chicken scratch on this piece of paper? It’s a much better idea to have this recipe on the blog than on this little piece of paper.)

How to Make Some Good Pancakes?

Old Fashioned Homemade Pancakes Recipe

Are you new to cooking? Don’t sweat it. We are here to walk you through the process. So, here’s the good news: this recipe is simple and pain-free. So, just pull out a skillet and a mixing bowl, and let’s get it started!

Preparing the Pancakes Mix

  • First, add one (or more) cups of all-purpose flour into the bowl along with one tablespoon of sugar, three teaspoons of baking powder, and one-half teaspoon of salt. Then, whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
  • Next, make sure to heat the griddle and add a non-stick spray to your frying pan.

Ozark Trail Large Cast Iron Griddle at Walmart

  • For your wet ingredients, crack one egg and add it into the mix along with three-fourths a cup of milk, and about half a stick of melted butter. Feel free to use egg whites instead of a whole egg if you like so, but add a little more butter too.
  • Then, make sure to stir it into the flour mix until you have a nice thick batter. You don’t want the pancake batter to be too thick or too runny. However, the egg whites should bring about the right consistency for the mixture. We are going for just the right creamy consistency.
  • Do you want your pancakes to be a little sweeter? Sprinkle some chocolate chips into the mix.

Cooking and Serving

  • Now, you are ready to pour the batter into the hot frying pan. So, cook each pancake until it is golden brown (this takes about three minutes). Then flip it and cook it on the other side too.
  • This common mistake is a tip that almost every home pancake-maker knows—but it’s not true. You should not flip when you see bubbles, but you should flip when those bubbles pop and form holes that stay open on the surface of the pancake. If a bubble comes to the surface, pops, but is filled in by more pancake batter, hold off on flipping. Make sure your pancakes are hole-y!
  • Each pancake should take about six minutes to cook if it is a standard size. It is important to note that this batter makes about one and a half cups. Use one-fourth of a cup for each pancake. So, you will have six large buttermilk pancakes in total.
  • It’s time for the fun part – aka the toppings. Once you’ve pulled the pancakes off of the hot frying pan, add some butter on top and drizzle on pure maple syrup for that perfect, sweet finish. Also, add how much maple syrup you want – we won’t judge! Feel free to garnish it with powdered sugar, too (our personal favorite), and chocolate chips.

As you can see, these are so easy that the kids could even make you breakfast in bed!

Old-Fashioned Pancakes Recipe

Pancake recipe adapted from My Wooden Spoon.

Quick Tip: Make the Pancakes Mix in Advance

Flour ready to be mixed

During the busy school year or just a busy week, we often make several batches of homemade pancake mix in advance and store the dry ingredients in sealed bags. So, simply mix the dry ingredients and place them in resealable bags, and write the wet ingredients that need to be added later on the bag with a Sharpie.

When you’re ready, grab a bag of the mixture, add the wet ingredients, and whip up some delicious old-fashioned homemade pancakes for breakfast…or even dinner!

On the other hand, keep in mind that you should never mix the wet ingredients with all the others long before you want to cook them. So, why you can’t make your batter the night before, or even an hour before you make your pancakes? It all goes back to those leavening agents: They start doing their job as soon as they come into contact with the wet ingredients and will get less and less effective the longer you wait to ladle the batter into the pan.

Why You’ll Love the Old-Fashioned Pancakes?

  • These simple homemade pancakes are incredibly light and fluffy.
  • They are mildly sweet and go great with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
  • The homemade pancake batter is really easy.
  • Pancakes are versatile and enjoyable.
  • An excellent breakfast choice is pancakes.
  • They are healthy.
  • It is the ideal weeknight meal.
  • It provides countless dessert choices.
  • Simple and easy to prepare
  • Need a few essential ingredients
  • Fluffy and delicious
  • Melts in the mouth
  • An effortless pancake recipe

Tips for Better Pancakes

Here are different tips to make your pancakes better.

A single bowl is perfect for mixing.

No need to use many dishes. Just combine the dry ingredients in a bowl at first, then add the milk, oil, and eggs and mix again.

Always rest the batter.

Make sure to let the batter rest for around 10 min after stirring. This allows the baking powder time to activate and the flour a chance to hydrate properly. When you get back, the mixture will be ready.

Use a cast iron skillet for cooking.

The best skillet for pancakes is cast iron. It heats evenly and browns the pancake without using excess butter. You can also use a griddle or non-stick skillet.

Health Benefits of Old-fashioned Pancakes

Pancakes contain milk, a source of calcium, which accounts for the majority of your daily calcium intake. However, the other components also contain trace levels of calcium to give you an extra boost. Calcium is essential for maintaining strong bones as well as healthy muscles and nerves.

Carb energy

 Carbohydrates are a great source of energy and act like the fuel of the body. Whole-wheat pancakes include fiber that aids in blood sugar stabilization and makes people feel energized after eating. However, since pancakes of all varieties are excellent providers of carbohydrates, they are the perfect food for persons who engage in physically demanding activities.

Source of iron

Pancakes indeed strengthen the muscles. Whole-wheat pancakes provide about 3 mg of this essential mineral or about 38% of the daily need for iron. Around 2 mg of iron is included in buttermilk pancakes. Iron has a similar function to carbohydrates in the production of energy. To produce the energy, it also oxygenates the tissues. Moreover, it improves immunity cell performance, which helps people fight off illnesses more efficiently.

Calcium

Pancakes are not known as a food that helps build bones, pancakes are a fantastic source of calcium.  It promotes healthier neuron and muscle function and aids in blood pressure regulation. Because of this, calcium is classified as one of the nutrients that our bodies require most.

Avoid sugar

As has already been mentioned, pancakes are healthy. But there are also other substances that, if used excessively, might turn unhealthy. Without syrup, pancakes are incomplete, but if too much syrup is added, the dish becomes a sugar bomb. 12g of sugar is contained in one serving of maple syrup. A quarter cup has a lot of calories and 50 g of sugar. This is harmful to your health because too much sugar is linked to heart disease and obesity.

How to Store Pancakes?

Store: Pancake leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to  3 days if they are kept in an airtight container.

Freeze: Make sure they are cool before freezing. Hot pancakes should not be tried to be frozen since they will stay together. Put them in a freezer bag with a square of wax paper in between each one when they have cooled off to make it easier to remove them one at a time. Pancakes can also be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe container.

Reheat: After defrosting, quickly reheat the food in the skillet or the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Per serving:

Calories179 kcalCarbohydrates30.7 g g
Calcium318 mgFat4 g
Saturated Fat2.1 gCholesterol31.9 mg
Sugar6.1 gFiber0.9 g
Sodium421 mgProtein4.9 g

Final Thoughts

Finally, it’s time for you to share now. What are your thoughts on this recipe? What would you improve and how would you serve them? Also, tell us everything about your cooking experience with this recipe and how your family reacted to it. We are excited every time you share your opinion with us. Not to mention that every further question on the topic is expected in the comments section. Feel free to ask anything and everything! We are here to help you!

However, for more breakfast recipes visit our Breakfast and Brunch Page! We are sure you’ll be impressed by the wide range of opportunities you’ll find there. Moreover, you may also like:

Comments

  1. I’ve been looking for quality recipes to replace the mixes that I purchase. This sounds perfect!

  2. Hi, this is great. I do make pancakes quite a bit, and this is such a great idea.
    Love it. great post.
    blessings,
    Debbie

  3. This is a great idea, packaging the mix like this! Nothing like good old fashioned pancakes!

  4. What kind of oil?

  5. I made these the other day, and I really love this recipe. Thanks for sharing.

  6. I’m wondering do you need to use Self Rising Flour? I just tried these with All Purpose and they do not look fluffy like yours in the picture.

  7. My son and i made these and added chocolate chips 🙂 absolutely amazing recipe!! We will never buy Bisquick again 🙂

  8. Made these added some nutmeg,omitted the oil was fab Ty for sharing

  9. ..what kind of milk?
    ..is it okey if I use the milk powder solution?
    ..thanks 🙂

  10. Robin Selman says

    I am a old southern girl and I miss good old fashion cooking. I came across this recipes and cant wait to try this for my family. Do you have any recipes?

  11. I think these where amazing

  12. These pancakes are amazing!! I’ve made them many times for my family. I will never use the box stuff again! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I just had them this am and wish I still had more lol

  13. Made these this morning. So good!

  14. Made these for my family and they were a huge hit! Fluffy and delicious! I added some vanilla extract and topped with blueberries and strawberries!

  15. These were great! I added chocolate chips to them too and the family ate them up!

  16. Carina Vollmer says

    Just made these for the kids this morning and they were super yummy and fluffy! I made a double batch and used 1 cup of white flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour. I used lactose free milk as well. The kids and I loved them….such a great alternative to the box stuff.

  17. Kiddos wanted pancakes this morning and we discovered we’d hit the bottom of our box mix. So I decided to try from scratch and found this recipe. They were delicious! So much better than the box! We will be doing homemade from now on! One question though is that the batter ended up being very thick so I added additional milk. My kids were helping so I wonder if they didn’t measure the flour out correctly or something but thought I’d check if it’s supposed to be a thicker batter. My fear was that they wouldn’t spread on the griddle and cook through properly had I not added more milk.

    • Hi Amanda, so glad you liked them. The batter is a bit thick, but adding milk to get the consistency you want is perfect. And I’m so excited the kids could help you!
      Happy Cooking!
      ~Liz

  18. Elizabeth A says

    Needed a good, quick pancake recipe and this was delicious! Added cinnamon and used applesauce in place of the oil and they were FANTASTIC! So easy to make and they were nice and fluffy.

    • Hi Elizabeth, so glad you like the Pancake Recipe! Adding applesauce and cinnamon is a great idea!
      ~Liz

  19. After many failed pancake recipes, this one is perfect. The only change I make is 1 cup milk. Thank you so much!!!

  20. I woke up this morning craving pancakes, and came across this recipe on Pinterest. Just took my first bite and OH.MY.GOODNESS. So delicious!!!!!!!! This recipe was amazingly easy to follow and the outcome was out of this world! Bonus points that all the ingredients were already in my cupboard and I didn’t have to leave my apartment on this gloomy day. Thanks!!!!!!

  21. I made these this morning, my whole family loved them. Thank your for sharing Liz:)

  22. Claire Carper says

    FANTASTIC! Because I am a concocter I couldn’t follow the provided recipe in a straight line…. 😉

    DOUBLED RECIPE W/ MY MODIFICATIONS:
    3 whipped eggs (for extra fluff), subbed oil for approx. 2/3c apple sauce + 2tbl melted butter(lighter on calories) = mixed batter well leaving slightly clumpy, let rest while pan is heating up on low/med (used coconut oil instead of veg./olive in pan)

    RASPBERRY/MAPLE SAUCE (enough for four 8″ cakes) I don’t measure when cooking so all amounts are approx.):
    a little more than a cup of frozen/fresh raspberries/any berry, few dashes of lemon/lime juice (to balance the sweet), 1/3c. white sugar, a big ‘ol blob of maple syrup (to taste), simmer all in sm. sauce pot until saucy. If too tart, add more sugar.

  23. I wanted to eat pancakes for breakfast, but my very picky 3 year old twins did not want them. Mom always has the last say in my house, so I made them. Perfect size for a 3 year old stomach. I made the boys pancakes first, by the time I was finished with my pancake they had inhaled theirs. Great recipe! Very easy and fast! I did increase the milk to 1 cup, but we use whole milk and prefer our pancakes not very fluffy. They tasted great! Will definitely be making them again.

  24. Why isn’t the recipe showing up anymore? this recipe is my go to pancake recipe and I should remember it. Can you post it again. The blog post is still here, but not the recipe.
    Thanks!
    Hilary

  25. JennetteLynn says

    I absolutely love this recipe! I doubled it for my family on the weekend and was asked for seconds! I resorted to using water in place of the milk for today’s brunch and they were a little touchy when flipping but still came out perfect glad I didn’t resort to another recipe.

  26. Thank you! No more buying pancake mix from trader joes. I made these this morning for my hubby and I. They came out delicious and so much better than store mix. So fluffy and soft and cooked all the way through. The only changes I made were I used rice milk and olive oil in the mix and to cook them. Also this recipe is the perfect amount for two people with leftovers 🙂

  27. Wow. This is the best homemade pancake I’ve ever achieved. Light, lofty, really puts the cake in pancake, not too sweet, didn’t taste like playdough. I grew up on box-mix pancakes and it doesn’t really occur to me to make my own, even though they’re pretty straight forward (yet, I always make crepes from scratch and never think that anyone would even use a mix… go figure?). Thanks for sharing, these will be a companion of many mornings I think.

  28. Thank you for creating this recipe!
    My sister has been diagnosed with celiac and so we are gluten free. She has been wanting pancakes for quite awhile and I’ve been on a search for a recipe. I came across yours and decided to try.
    I replaced the flour with Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Flour. It worked so well. My sister said it was even better than the pancake mixes. She loved them. Definitely a keeper.

  29. Made these this morning and my 7 year old said “best pancakes ever!” They were very good. Will keep this as my staple pancake recipe. Thanks so much!

  30. How long does the batter last in the fridge?

    • If it’s sealed well in an airtight container, it should be fine for about a week.
      Happy cooking!
      ~Liz

  31. I just made these but with chocolate milk instead and they turned out so good and fluffy. Yummy, will definitely be making these again

  32. Susan Harrison says

    Yum, we loved these pancakes. Quick and easy to make and so light fluffy. We had them for dessert last night and now I’m making them for breakfast ?

  33. Rose Spivey says

    Absolutely delicious and a very easy recipe made it for my granddaughter we gobbled it up.
    Thank you.

  34. Love this recipe! I have tried other pancake recipes and they all came out awful!! But this recipe is for sure a keeper, they came out perfect! They were fluffy and delicious! I added a little more sugar, a little less salt and a splash of vanilla.. amazing! Thanks for sharing!

  35. I’m confused. In the written directions you mention 1/2 stick of butter. But in the printable receipt there is no butter?

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