Fluffy, Fluffy Pancakes

Name: Fluffy, Fluffy Pancakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted; 2 tsp baking powder; Pinch of salt; 2 tbsp white sugar; 3/4 cup milk (if your batter is too dry, you can add up to 2 tbsp milk); 1 large egg, beaten; 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; Canola oil (or any other neutral vegetable oil), for cooking

Published: Jul 3, 2018 · Modified: Mar 10, 2025 by Riz · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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These super fluffy pancakes are sure to be a showstopper at your next brunch party! This recipe is quick, easy, and doesn't require any buttermilk!

This post is all about teaching you how to make thick, airy pancakes without the need for special equipment or buttermilk. And while there is a recipe, I urge you to read through the entire post - the truth of it is, making wondrous pancakes is very do-able however, there is some knowledge and technique involved!

Don't worry…it's not going to feel like you're stuck in chemistry class. It's just some basic tips and explanations that often get overlooked when it comes to making pancakes at home.

A close-up of thick, fluffy pancakes stacked high, drenched in syrup. The fork and knife rest on the plate's edge, and the golden-brown texture of the pancakes is highlighted against the light pastel background.

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The simple joy of fluffy pancakes
Ingredients
Instructions
Why are my pancakes flat? How can I make my pancakes fluffier?
Topping suggestions
Storage suggestions
Substitutions
Other no-buttermilk pancake recipes
Helpful tools
Final thoughts
📖 Recipe
💬 Reviews

The simple joy of fluffy pancakes

There’s something magical about a perfect stack of fluffy pancakes on a lazy weekend morning. That moment when golden maple syrup cascades down the sides like a sweet, amber waterfall - it’s one of life’s simple but profound pleasures.

For many of us, fluffy pancakes represent the ultimate comfort breakfast. Unfortunately, many recipes call for buttermilk, an ingredient that many home cooks don’t regularly stock in their refrigerators (especially outside of North America). Without it, pancakes can turn out disappointingly flat and dense, more reminiscent of crepes than the cloud-like breakfast we crave.

That’s where this recipe comes in. I’ve developed this fluffy pancake recipe using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry and fridge - no special trips to the store required. This approach gives you all the height and fluffiness of traditional buttermilk pancakes without the need for that elusive ingredient. Once you try these from-scratch pancakes, with their perfect texture and homemade flavor, you might never look at a box mix the same way again.

Can you make fluffy pancakes without buttermilk?

In short, yes. This pancake recipe uses no buttermilk at all (it does require regular milk and a little technique though). So, you may ask, what's the deal with buttermilk? Well, it's terribly in vogue when it comes to baking. And there's a reason for it. The acidity in buttermilk helps the pancakes rise.

On the flip side, I've never known anyone to regularly stock up on buttermilk. In fact, until I moved to Canada, I had never even seen buttermilk… not even at a supermarket!

(If you're ever in a real pinch - you can create your own buttermilk alternative by mixing a cup of milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar and letting it sit for 10 minutes. Perhaps less conventionally, you could also use a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar. Neither option tastes as good as the real thing, but they'll do the trick. Thankfully, with this recipe - you won't need to!)

Now, if you do happen to have buttermilk, you can give this blueberry pancake recipe a shot!

A delicious stack of five extra fluffy pancakes stacked atop a blue plate.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, sifted
Baking powder (no need for baking soda)
Salt
White sugar
Milk (full fat or whole milk is best)
Large egg, beaten
Unsalted butter, melted
Pure vanilla extract
Canola oil (or any other vegetable oil), for cooking

A portrait photo of four super thick pancakes on a ceramic dish. The pancakes are ready to eat with maple syrup dripping off their sides on to the plate below.

Instructions

To make perfect homemade pancakes, start by combining sifted all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and white sugar in a large bowl, mixing them thoroughly to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents. In a separate bowl, prepare your wet ingredients by combining a beaten egg, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter - let the butter cool ever so slightly first to prevent it from cooking the egg!

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and gently mix until they’re mostly combined. Don’t worry about getting all the lumps out - a slightly lumpy batter is ideal for fluffy pancakes. Let the batter rest for five to ten minutes, which allows the flour to properly hydrate and the leavening agents to activate. (If you have a particularly warm kitchen, you can pop the batter into the fridge for thirty minutes.)

While the batter rests, prepare your cooking surface by heating a heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan (or griddle) over low-medium heat. Coat the pan with a thin layer of oil. Using a quarter-cup measure as your portioning tool, drop batter into the heated pan to create uniformly-sized pancakes. Watch for golden-brown coloring on the bottom and bubbles forming on the top surface - these are your cues to flip. Cook the second side until it matches the first in color, adjusting your heat as needed. Serve your pancakes immediately while they’re still hot and at their best. Enjoy!

A stack of golden, fluffy pancakes drizzled with syrup, served on a ceramic plate with a fork and knife resting nearby. This delicious fluffy pancake recipe creates thick, airy pancakes perfect for breakfast or brunch.

Why are my pancakes flat? How can I make my pancakes fluffier?

There are a number of factors that can lead to your pancakes being flat. But here are the four (okay, five) horsemen of the pancake apocalypse (pancalypse…panpocalypse…pancakalypse…help):

Over-mixing your batter - overmixing your pancake batter will deflate a lot of the air bubbles in your batter, making it difficult for your pancakes to rise into the light and fluffy pancakes you want. Secondly, it'll develop the gluten. And too much gluten will result in a tough, chewy pancake. One way to avoid this is to fold your pancake batter using a spatula instead of a whisk or electric mixer.
Stale Baking Powder - baking powder typically has a shelf life of 9 months to a year. To check whether your baking powder is still fresh, simply stir half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of water. If you see an immediate reaction (it'll fizz up, bestie!), then it's still good to use. If not, you should consider replacing it.
Humid Conditions - This is based on an observation made by many of my readers (you can see it mentioned in the comments section below). But a very humid kitchen results in a runnier batter, which means less fluffy pancakes. If you happen to be in a place that is very humid, try putting your batter in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to make sure it doesn't become too fluid/runny.
Not Letting Your Batter Rest - Letting your batter rest before cooking allows the starch granules in the flour to expand resulting in an airier pancake.
The Violent Flip - Turn the pancakes over gently. Flipping them high into the air results in the air literally being squished out of them.

Also…make sure to relax, bestie. Making pancakes should be a pleasurable experience! And this fluffy pancake recipe is simple; it doesn't require any fancy steps (like whipping egg whites into a meringue). Be mindful of the tips above, and pay attention to your heat management, and you're sure to be fine.

Of course, if you do end up burning your first pancake, just remember what they say: "Le première crepe est pour les chiens!" (A French saying meaning, "The first crepe is for the dogs!").

How to make fluffy pancakes with pancake mix

While this post is really about homemade pancakes without buttermilk, a lot of readers have asked me if it's possible to make fluffy pancakes using pancake mix. The answer is…yes! Absolutely.

Generally speaking, I find buttermilk pancake mixes are better for this. What you want to make sure is that you follow the recipe on the box exactly, and also keep the tips mentioned above in mind.

Getting fuller pancakes is just as much about technique as it is about components, and if you go rogue on either thing, it becomes just that much harder to get that perfect result.

3 pancakes being cooked in one pan. They are all rising high. — You’re looking for a thick pancake batter.

Topping suggestions

While many pancake recipes involve mixing the toppings into the pancake batter, I don’t recommend that with this particular recipe – at least, I don’t recommend it presuming that your goal is super fluffy pancakes. Here are some simple suggestions for toppings to add over the pancakes (you can dot them onto the top of the pancakes in a single layer just before they finish cooking):

Blueberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries with a generous dollop of whipped cream
Chocolate chips
Butter and maple syrup

A hand drizzles honey over a tall stack of fluffy pancakes, which glisten with syrup. The pancakes are arranged on a rustic plate, with a green napkin underneath and a blurred background featuring glassware and a honey jar.

Storage suggestions

Though they are best served fresh and warm, these pancakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Store your maple syrup separately (and not on top of the pancakes), so that it doesn't soak through.

For longer storage, place cooled pancakes in a freezer-safe bag with parchment paper between each pancake to prevent sticking. They’ll keep well for up to a month.

To reheat refrigerated pancakes, warm them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. For frozen pancakes, either thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat directly from frozen in a toaster oven until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes.

Substitutions

While I’ve only tested this recipe as written, many of our wonderful readers have provided feedback on how they’ve adapted the recipe for their diets. Here are the two most popular variations:

Gluten-free variation

Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, and let the prepared batter rest in the fridge for an extra 10-15 minutes. If needed, you can add an extra egg or increase the baking powder by a ¼ teaspoon.

Dairy-free variation

Many readers have found that the recipe works very well with a simple substitution swapping out the milk for oat milk (generally agreed to have the best texture) as well as almond milk. I’d add swapping out the butter with coconut oil to make the recipe truly dairy free.

A stack of fluffy golden-brown pancakes drizzled with syrup sits on a beige ceramic plate, accompanied by a fork and knife resting on a green linen napkin. The background is softly blurred, creating a cozy and inviting breakfast scene.

Other no-buttermilk pancake recipes

Here are three more amazing pancake recipes that don't require any buttermilk at all. Each one is unique, and delicious!

Fluffy Japanese Pancakes - taking a bite out of these meringue-based babies is like eating a delicious cloud! (Yes, they spark joy.)
Lemon Mascarpone Pancakes - perfect for days when you're looking to impress with an elegant pancake recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes - this is the pancake you serve when you want everyone to spend the first 5 minutes of the meal taking photos of the food.

Fluffy Pancakes, Updated: What's Changed?

If you've been visiting my blog for a while, you may realise that this is a republished version of one of my very early blog posts (also titled, "Fluffy, Fluffy Pancakes", originally published: February 17^th 2015). I've updated the post quite significantly.

While the recipe is the same thoroughly tested pancake recipe it's always been, I've rewritten the post with the aims of addressing some of the major questions I've received from commenters over the last few years. If there's anything you feel is still missing, please do let me know with a comment below.

I've also done my best to create a clearer, more readable post, while maintaining the gist and the feel of the original. (The original post was written quite some time back, it was mostly me rambling about how much I love pancakes!)

Helpful tools

The link below is an affiliate link. This means that if you choose to purchase using it, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). These small commissions help keep Chocolates & Chai going. Thank you.

Luckily, it doesn't take much equipment to make perfect pancakes. It is however a lovely feeling to have all the right equipment. Here are a few little things that might make your pancake-making experience just that much sweeter.

Silver Dollar Pancake Pan - if you want your pancakes to all look exactly the same.
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Marquina Non-Stick Frying Pan - a good pan is crucial to properly cooking pancakes, and this one is sure to please.

Final thoughts

Making the perfect fluffy pancake is part science and part art. While this recipe provides a foolproof foundation, don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques and ingredients. Practice makes perfect and while your first few batches may not be Instagram-worthy, they’ll still be delicious!

The key to becoming a pancake expert is understanding how your ingredients work together and paying attention to the little details: the sound of the sizzle when the batter hits the pan, the timing of the bubbles forming, and the golden-brown color development. Each kitchen and stove is different, so take notes on what works best in yours.

Most importantly, pancakes are about bringing joy to your morning. Whether you’re making them for yourself, your family, or friends, this fluffy pancake recipe is sure to start the day on a sweet note. Don’t forget to share your pancake-making adventures with us in the comments below!

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