Picture it: a golden, fluffy stack of homemade pancakes, lightly crisped around the edges and tender through the center. This surprisingly quick and easy recipe has been our most popular for years–and with good reason. These simple from-scratch pancakes use ingredients you likely have on hand- like all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, and egg- and taste much better than boxed mix versions.

Start with our basic recipe, or try one of our variations using buttermilk or yogurt. Either way, you’ll have a fluffy stack of pancakes ready to eat in less than half an hour.

To keep pancakes warm while you cook, place them on a baking sheet or oven-safe platter in a 200-degree oven until you’re ready to serve–it makes all the difference.

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Use fresh ingredients. Check your flour and baking powder to ensure they haven’t expired or gone rancid.

Don’t over-stir. When combining your wet and dry ingredients, stir only until you no longer see any dry spots of flour. Over-stirring will make pancakes more challenging (since gluten develops in the flour) and less fluffy (which happens when learners release bubbles).

Let the batter rest. Resting for about 10 minutes allows the learners to continue to work their magic, creating and expanding into thousands of tiny pockets of carbon dioxide. The fluffier the batter, the smoother the pancakes.

Start with a hot surface. Allow your skillet or griddle to heat up before you add the batter fully.

Make a test pancake. This is your practice run to gauge and adjust the temperature and cook time. Peek frequently at the underside to check if the pancake is browning at the right pace.

Don’t press the pancakes. Pressing down on the pancakes with a spatula after flipping is tempting, but this will result in a dense, gummy pancake.

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What to Serve With Pancakes

Butter, maple syrup, confectioners’ sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and fresh fruit are all delicious toppings for homemade pancakes. Try Mixed Berry Compote, Banana-Caramel Sauce, Lemon Curd, or Orange Spiced Syrup if you’re feeling creative.

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Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

Two tablespoons sugar

Two teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Two tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil

One tablespoon vegetable oil

Assorted toppings include butter, maple syrup, confectioners’ sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, or chocolate syrup.

Mix dry ingredients:

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Mix wet ingredients:

Whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg in a medium bowl.

Combine wet and dry ingredients:

Add dry ingredients to the milk mixture; whisk until just moistened. (Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.)

Heat and oil skillet or griddle:

Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub the skillet with an oiled paper towel.

Spoon batter onto skillet or griddle:

Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter for each pancake onto a skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread the batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).

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Cook the first side:

Cook until the pancake’s surface has some bubbles and a few have burst 1 to 2 minutes.

The underside should reach a gorgeous shade of gold just as the uncooked batter on top loses its wet sheen–indicating that it’s time to flip.

Flip pancakes:

Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Choose a thin, broad spatula (the same width as the pancakes, if possible) and turn each one over gently and quickly. The second side should take less time than the first, so keep an eye on them.

Serve immediately, or keep warm in the oven:

Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in the oven. Continue with more oil and the remaining batter. (You’ll have 12 to 15 pancakes.) Serve generously with desired toppings.

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Buttermilk

In step 1, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to the dry mixture. In step 2, replace the milk with low-fat buttermilk.

Yogurt

In step 1, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to dry mixture. In step 2, replace the milk with 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt and 1/3 cup milk.

Wholegrain With Yogurt

In step 1, replace the all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup each cornmeal and wheat germ, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. In step 2, replace the milk with 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt and 1/3 cup milk.

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Storing and Reheating Pancakes

To store pancake batter: If you have leftover pancake batter that you will use within one day, keep the batter in the mixing bowl or measuring cup you mixed it in, cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. If you won’t use the batter within a day, cook the rest of the pancakes and store them to reheat later.

To store leftover pancakes: Leftover pancakes freeze well. Be sure to let them cool completely before refrigerating or freezing. We recommend storing leftover pancakes in the refrigerator if you will eat them within a few days. For longer storage, freeze them. Whether you are refrigerating or freezing, please keep them in a zip-top freezer bag, separating them with wax or parchment paper so they don’t stick. Make sure all the air is removed from the freezer bag.