Easy Pancakes Recipe: Make Fluffy Homemade Pancakes

Pancakes are a light, flat cake made from flour, eggs, milk, and butter, often prepared on a frying pan or a griddle. They can be made sweet or savory to best compliment the rest of a spread and can contain a plethora of delicious mix-ins for creative variations.

Like most breakfast recipes, pancakes are flexible enough to customize for everyone at the table. Basic pancakes always feature:

• Flour. While all-purpose flour is the most common, you can get creative with a whole host of other types of flour.
• Eggs. Bring your eggs to room temperature before mixing into your batter for optimal results.
• Milk or buttermilk. Dairy and eggs whisked together provide the lift required for fluffy homemade pancakes.
• Butter. Use unsalted butter to control the taste of your pancakes.
• Baking powder. Baking powder, which contains baking soda, reacts with the other ingredients to create a rise in the batter.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar is best for the batter while powdered sugar is best as a topping.
• Salt. A pinch of salt balances the flavor profile.

Once you have a handle on the simple pancake, add fruits, candies, or nuts to the batter and get inventive with the toppings for a perfect finish.

Follow these tips to make perfect pancakes every time.

1. 1. Don’t overmix. You want little air pockets throughout the finished pancakes, and overmixing will knock all the bubbles out of your batter. Not only that, gluten begins to form as soon as the flour interacts with the wet ingredients—work it too much and you’ll have a tough, too-spongy pancake.
2. 2. Use cast-iron. For even heat distribution when cooking, use a heavy non-stick griddle, or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.
3. 3. Make a test batch. Think of making pancakes in rounds. Your first round is a test batch. that will allow you to practice your flipping technique and adjust heat accordingly. No one has to see (or eat) these but you!
4. 4. Avoid squishing with the spatula. After you flip, don’t press down with your spatula. This one seems obvious, but let the pancake do its thing naturally—remember, you don’t want to squish the lift.

Play around with the type of flour you use in pancakes for different flavor profiles and textures. Go for wholesome grains or make your pancakes gluten-free. Try:

• Brown rice flour
• Whole wheat flour
• Corn flour
• Buckwheat flour
• Oat flour
• Gluten-free flour (widely available in grocery stores.)

Read on to find out how you can spice up your pancakes with a variety of mix-ins and toppings.

• Blueberries. For an even distribution, you can also place blueberries directly onto pancake batter after you’ve ladled into the pan. Be sure to add a little bit more batter over the top if you can, so they don’t burn once you flip them and they’re good and sealed.
• Chocolate chips. For a swirl effect, choose smaller chips (about ½ to 1 cup, depending on preference) and mix directly into the batter.
• Raspberries. For lightly fuschia pancakes with a tart kick, gently mix 1 pint of raspberries into the batter.
• Walnuts or pecans. Chop finely before adding to the batter.
• Cinnamon apple. Peel and slice 2-3 apples into ½ inch wedges, then cook in 1 tbsp butter with ½ to 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Cook until soft and caramelized.
• Red chili flakes. Maple syrup and red chili flakes are a match made in heaven, especially with salty bacon on the side. Simply sprinkle one pinch over a fresh maple syrup pour.