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.
Jump to:
Life is all about yummy fluffy pancakes.
Admit it, a world without pancakes would be bleak, maybe not even worth living in. You love pancakes, don’t you? You do. It’s okay, I do too. My favourite thing about pancakes (other than eating them, of course!) is watching maple syrup drip off the edges of my pancake tower, like some sort of sun-kissed waterfall.
Fluffy pancakes are one of my all-time favourite Sunday morning breakfast treats. The problem is that a lot of great pancake recipes call for buttermilk. (Honestly, who keeps buttermilk at home? Is that a North American thing?)
Without it, you can end up with a flat, lifeless pancake that looks too much like a lost crepe. Here’s a quick and easy recipe to make super fluffy pancakes with ingredients you probably already have at home. Never buy that horrid box of premix again. Please.
Can you make Fluffy Pancakes without buttermilk?
In short, yes. This pancake recipe uses no buttermilk at all (it does require regular milk 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 Buttermilk Pancakes recipe a shot!
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 horsemen of the pancake apocalypse (pancalypse…panpocalypse…pancakalypse…help):
- Overmixing 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 (the video in my recipe section is an example of this!). Secondly, it’ll develop gluten. And too much gluten will result in a tough, chewy pancake.
- 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 10-15 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.
(If you want to do a little reading, check out my How to Read a Recipe Post – it’ll help you understand the procedures and the measurements used in a recipe post, like this one!)
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!
Storage instructions
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.
Other no-buttermilk pancake recipes
Here are four other amazing pancake recipes that don’t require any buttermilk at all. Each one is unique, and delicious!
- 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.
- Dutch Baby Pancake – a pancake with a twist! Quick and simple to make.
- Fluffy Japanese Pancakes – taking a bite out of these meringue-based babies is like eating a delicious cloud! (Yes, they spark joy.)
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 17th 2015). I’ve updated the post quite significantly.
While the recipe is the same great 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
Heads up! The following is an affiliate link. If you buy something using the link, I will receive a small commission. You won’t need to pay a penny more, but it’ll help keep my lights on! Thank you bestie, you rock!
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.
If you like what I’m doing here, and you want to help, why not go ahead and become a Patron? You can support Chocolates & Chai for as little as the price of a cup of coffee!
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter for all the latest. Or just sign up to be a part of my mailing list to have updates delivered straight to your inbox!
PrintFluffy, Fluffy Pancakes
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6–7 Pancakes 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A surefire recipe to make fat and fluffy pancakes, without any buttermilk or special ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour, sifted
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 tbsp White Sugar
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoon Milk
- 1 Large Egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- Canola Oil (or any other vegetable oil), for cooking
Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix the egg, milk, vanilla, and melted butter together. Be careful not to use hot, melted butter, as that may end up cooking your eggs!
- Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and stir till mostly incorporated. The batter should be thick and a little lumpy, but without any visible streaks of flour. If it is too thick to work with, add a little milk. Set the batter aside for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan over a low-medium heat and coat it with oil. Use a ¼ cup measure to scoop and drop the batter into the pan so that you get evenly-sized pancakes.
- Cook until the first side is golden brown, or until the top surface forms bubbles. Flip and repeat on the other side. Adjust heat accordingly. Serve while still hot.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Breakfast & Brunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Katherine
Hi Riz, I have tried this recipe a few times and love it! My boyfriend and I are always so impressed at how fluffy and thick the pancakes are. I have unfortunately had mixed success with getting them cooked all the way, probably because they are so thick. Do you have any tips on how to ensure they cook all the way through without getting too brown on the outside?
Riz
Hi there Katherine! I’m so glad to hear that you and your boyfriend love the recipe! Getting them cooked through can definitely be a challenge, it’s the main reason we’re cooking at a lower hear than usual pancake recipes. Low and slow has always worked for me, but if you’re still having trouble, you can try making slightly smaller pancakes 🙂
Irinaa
I Love this pancakes, we try this now. WOW!
Riz
Thanks so much for your comment Irinaa! I’m happy you liked the pancake recipe!
Courtney M Franklin
I did a little something different to this recipe but otherwise they came out perfect. one of the best pancake recipes ever. My pancake recipe kept coming out rubbery! I will definitely keep this recipe close to my cookbook.
Riz
Glad you liked it and made it work for you, Courtney!
Robyn
Do you sift before or after measuring? I sifted before and my batter was lumpy but pretty runny. My pancakes turned out flat. :/ I will try putting the batter in the fridge cause I do want to try it again. And I made sure to check if my baking powder was still fresh/ active and it was.
Also reading the comments my kitchen might be humid. My place in general is pretty warm I guess.
Riz
Hi Robyn, I always sift after measuring. It looks like you’ve caught the main points in the comments, I’d also suggest being careful with your mixing, as it is very easy to overmix pancake batter (which can lead to a runnier batter)
Kala
These tasted great but they came out flat and not fluffy. However my baking powder was old and clumpy so i think that may have been the culprit. But I love the taste of these so I plan to give them another time soon!
Riz
Hey Kala! I’m glad your pancakes tasted great! Yes, the baking powder may have been the culprit…good luck with fluffier pancakes once you replace it and try again!!!
Mi
Finally! After searching and trying several fluffy pancake recipes for a loooong time, I would say that this recipe is a keeper! My pancake really turned out to be fluffy! I just added a bit more vanilla 🙂 I followed your ‘optional wait for 5-10 minutes’ instruction and maybe.. that could have been the trick. Anyway, we loved it! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Riz
Hi Mi! That’s awesome! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Brittany Johnson
Love this recipe! Can I make the batter ahead of time and store it? If so, how long will it stay fresh?
Riz
Hi Brittany! Yes, you can! I’ve not tried it myself but as long as you properly cover and refrigerate the batter, I reckon you should be fine for 1-2 days 🙂
Michael Rizzo
I tried this recipe and they are alright, but they arent fluffy at all. Followed the recipe exactly. Just flat pancakes. I wanted fluffy like in the picture…
Riz
Hi Michael, it’s hard to say why your pancakes weren’t thicker. I personally find overmixing to be the most common culprit, but you can take a look through the comments and see if anything that’s been mentioned ring true for you 🙂 Good luck!
Nicole Simone
OMG! These are fluffier than Nanna’s sponge cakes!
Thank you for this recipe 😀
Riz
Aww, thanks so much Nicole!! I’m glad you liked them! (And I’m sure Nanna’s sponge cakes are delicious and fluffy too!!!) 🙂
Helen Hulbert
Man, that was close! I almost had to have a breakdown! LOL JUST KIDDING! I printed this recipe out months and months ago, kept in my kitchen drawer. My recipe collection grew and I moved them…and I can’t remember where I put them! AAACKK! So I thought I would come and look for your recipe, because it’s the ONLY one we like now, and I couldn’t remember the name of the recipe, I kept googling, looking at all the names, nope… tried pinterest, still could’t find it, and of course I hadn’t SAVED it anywhere, that would have been the smart thing to do! Anyway, finally punched in FLUFFY, FLUFFY and there it was!!! Thanks for this, we really do love them, and we have them every other week or so. I saved it all over the place this time! Sorry for being so long, just wanted to share and maybe give a chuckle!
Helen
Riz
LOL!!! That *WAS* close, Helen! I’m so glad you found me again! And I’m even happier that you shared your story with me (reading it was the best part of my day!). Hope you visit me again soon, maybe even try out some of my other recipes! 🙂
Mic
I made this recipe, and it was soooo good, my kids love it! Thank you so much for the recipe,
Many regards from Indonesia,
Mic
Riz
Hi Mic! That’s amazing!! Thank you all the way from Canada!
Eunha Yang-Chung
Sir, may I use regular butter instead of unsalted & leave out the pinch of salt from your recipe?
Riz
Hi Eunha, I’ve never tried it switching with salted butter… you’ll still get pancakes, but I’m not sure if they’ll be too salty! It’ll probably depend on the brand of salted butter you use! Good luck! 🙂
Allore foodies
We lover ourselves some incredibly fluffy pancakes!
And “sun-kissed waterfall” we can’t think of a better description, thank you for sharing Riz.
Riz
Thanks very much!! Fluffy pancakes with sun-kissed waterfalls should be enjoyed by all!
Sim @ Sim's Life
A fab recipe – the pancakes look amazing and they are making me hungry 🙂 Sim
Riz
Hi Sim! Thanks for your comment!! I hope you enjoy the pancakes!
Mike Conrad
Been making this every weekend for a month now. Thank you.
Riz
That’s awesome Mike! Thank you for commenting!
Jesse
Best pancake recipe I’ve tried! My daughter hasn’t been a huge fan of pancakes and after I tried this recipe she keeps asking me for more!
Riz
Hi Jesse! That’s amazing to hear!! I hope you and your daughter enjoy the pancakes for years to come!
Kc
I was super excited to try this recipe based on the ratings. The batter was not thick and pancakes came out fairly flat. They tasted ok but I was disappointed as I was really looking forward to a good pancake for Mother’s Day 🙁
Riz
Hi KC, I’m so sorry to hear that!! I’m not sure what went wrong for you, but overmixing is the usual culprit. I hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day otherwise!
Riz
Nubia J
I loved it! So fluffy and thick and perfecto! Thanks!
Riz
Woohoo! That’s great to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Brecht
I’ve been making this recipe for over a year now and it’s come out perfect almost every time. I think it’s definitely the best recipe I’ve used.
I recommend using it as a base recipe and adding on to it however you like! I always add caramelized bananas, but my wife likes it with chocolate and granola and strawberries. Thanks!
Riz
Hi Brecht,
Thanks so much for commenting! I’m so happy to hear that you and your wife have been enjoying this pancake recipe for over a year now (wow!)! 🙂 And I agree completely, this recipe was always intended as a base recipe for everyone to use, and modify as they choose.
Lindsay
BEST . RECIPE . EVER .
MY PANCAKES ALWAYS COME OUT SUPER FLUFFY AND TASTY!
Riz
Hey Lindsay, thank you for commenting! So glad to hear you’ve been enjoying the pancakes!
Vivian
These pancakes looked too good to be true. I followed the recipe to the letter. My batter was thin which resulted in thin, flat pancakes. 😔 But they did taste like the yummiest, light as a cloud pancakes I’ve ever eaten. Don’the know where I went wrong. Please help! Now I am a woman on a a mission determined to keep making them until they look just like the ones in the pics. The 2 Tblspns. of sugar & 1 tspn. of vanilla were a bit too sweet for me so. I think I will try 1 T. sugar & 1/2 t. of vanilla next time. Will also try to increase the amount of flour to 1 1/2 c. flour to thicken up the batter.
Riz
Oh no! Thin pancakes can be such a let down! If you have a little time, you can have a quick browse through this comment thread – a lot of readers have found reasons (and solutions!) for why their pancakes may have come out too thin! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe otherwise Vivian!
Susan
Light, fluffy,delicious and just sweet enough? They don’t need syrup-just a little butter! I made these pancakes this morning. My family enjoyed the pancakes so much! They were served with thick sliced bacon. A very nice Memorial Day morning! Thank you!
Riz
Hey Susan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day 🙂
Reena S
Hello from Taiwan! We loved your pancake recipe for MEMORIAL DAY. Thank you!
Riz
Hi Reena! Woohoo! Glad you enjoyed it! Happy Memorial Day!
Nie
Successfully made it! I lessen baking piwder a bit but it didn’t change the fluffiness. Thinking to mix the dry ingredients for instant panxake mix so I can make pancake quickly in the morning.
Thanks a bunch for this recipe!
Riz
Hey Nie! That’s amazing!! Thank you for letting me know! (And great idea to use the dry ingredients as your very own homemade instant pancake mix!)
Hajar
Can this recipe be made ahead and stoed in the fridge for a day?
Riz
Hi Hajar! Yes, I think it should be fine in the fridge for a day 🙂
Laura
Delicious pancakes… probably the first time I’ve made pancakes that weren’t flat and gluggy! Thanks for sharing.
Riz
That’s great to hear, Laura! So happy you enjoyed them!!
Keegan
This is the ONLY pancake recipe my 6 year old son will eat! He asks me to make them every weekend. I forgot this weekend so I just made them for him. He wanted a big one so he got a big one.
Riz
Hey Keegan!!! That’s amazing! I’m so happy to hear you and your 6-year old like the pancakes!! (I love them too 😉 )
Louise
I love the taste of buttermilk pancakes, can I switch out the regular milk for buttermilk, will the consistency be the same?
Riz
Hi Louise, the consistency won’t be exactly the same. If you’re looking for buttermilk pancakes, I’d recommend checking out this Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes recipe instead!
Holly
The pancakes were delicious! The only downfall was that the were not fluffy. They were flat and they never browned even though they were cooked all the way. Do you have any suggestions of what I may have done wrong?
Riz
Hey Holly! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the pancakes! For the thickness – typically overmixing the batter or old baking powder is the culprit. As for cooking through – heat management is key…you may need to turn down your heat and go for a slightly slower cook. Hopefully that helps!
Kristine
Hеy very nice Ьⅼog! I like the pancakes!
Riz
Thanks very much, Kristine! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Lane Harden
I made these this morning and added fresh blueberries from the back yard.
Riz
Hi Lane, that sounds lovely! I hope you enjoyed them!
Lindsay
Still the bestest pancake recipe on the internet!!! We made them TWICE over the long weekend!
Riz
Aww, thanks! That’s amazing to hear!! It’s actually been way too long since I made pancakes! I think I need to change that!
Jas @ All that's Jas
These must be the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever seen! Gorgeous and delicious!
Riz
Thanks Jas! So lovely of you to say!!
Renaldo
I don’t know why some people complain. These were PERFECT. You can’t blame him if you don’t follow the instructions properly!
Riz
Hey Renaldo! Thanks for commenting! I’m glad to hear the recipe worked well for you! (And sometimes mistakes happen, which is one of the reasons I recently updated this post to include more information!)
Ralph Hoi
I think it’s wonderful! Very thick and fluffy for me!
Riz
Hey Ralph, that’s great to hear!! Hope you make them often!
jessica kaye
I always use this recipe when I make pancakes, they always come out delicious!! And thank you so much for the updated version! It really shows your dedication!
Riz
Hi Jessica! Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear you’ve been using the recipe for a while now!!!
Bron
Perfect! Beat pancake recipe! Even got my non-pancake eating boyfriend to want some! Delicious.
Riz
Thanks Bron! Anything that converts a non-pancake eater is a win in my books! 😀
Fish
Didn’t work
Riz
Hey there, sorry to hear it didn’t work for you! Unfortunately, I can’t help you figure out what went wrong as you’ve not provided any info.
Akshaya S
The most perfect pancakes ive ever made!! Next time we’ll make them with chocolate and strawberries too!
Riz
Thanks Akshaya!! That’s amazing to hear! And that sounds delicious! Happy pancake-ing!
loli
made for pakistan independance day, love em
Riz
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed them! I hope you had a lovely independence day celebration too 🙂
Pris
I’m sad to say that these were a super fail, even though the instructions were followed carefully. 🙁 I think the blueberries and maple syrup I added after are the only thing that saved the pancakes.
Lauren G
My sister and I just started watching Insatiable on Sunday morning and had these pancakes while we binged the first 3 episodes! They’re amazing! And SO FLUFFY!!!
Riz
Oh yaay! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I watched Insatiable just recently too, I hope you enjoyed it! (I’m still not sure how I felt about it lol!)
Riz
Sorry to hear they didn’t work out for you Pris, hope you give them another go and have better luck!
Pink
LOVE THEM. SO FLUFFY! SO THICK. I have tried a lot of the recipes online, this is the best one by far!
Riz
Thanks so much! I’m very glad to hear you enjoyed the pancakes!!
Christine
This is the best recipe for pancakes. Always turns out. My 6 year old daughter mixes it up and I cook. Need to cook on low temp.
Deeeeelicious
Riz
Hi Christine! Thank you so much for commenting! I’m super duper happy to hear you and your daughter love this recipe!
Maria
This is my go to pancake recipe and my family loves them. I make sure I don’t over mix and I let the batter sit there for about 10 minutes before I make them. They come out very fluffy but so tender too. The only thing that I changed in the recipe was I added white vinegar to the milk and let it sit in the milk for 5 minutes before I mixed the wet and dry ingredients together. I love what the sour milk does to the mixture. The recipe is devine and I thank you for sharing this pancake recipe with us.
Riz
Hi Maria!! I’m so thrilled to hear that you are your family love this pancake recipe! I’m happy to share it, and I hope you try out some of my other recipes too!
Medina
Hey!
It’s my first time doing pancakes and I have a question 🙂 How long did it take to cook one pancake over low medium heat?
Having seen the comments this recipe must be really good 😉
Riz
Hey Medina! Thanks for passing by! It honestly depends on a lot of variables (my How to Read a Recipe post talks about this in a bit more detail) so it’s impossible to say accurately – in this case, things such as how much your batter is mixed, the temperature, our stoves, and our pans could all be big variables. For me, I usually will flip one of these pancakes after a few minutes (3-5). But it can vary!
Good luck! And I hope you enjoy them!
Katie
Great recipe!! Will be a keeper! Even the first one on the pan turned out perfect. Recipe makes 5 4-5 inch cakes. Batter was pretty thick but when cooked, the cakes has plenty of air pockets. I ran out of vanilla and they still had plenty of flavor.
Riz
Hi Katie!! I’m so happy to hear it turned out so well for you! I hope you try out some of my other recipes too! 🙂
Hannah
Worked better than any I have used before!
Riz
Hey Hannah! That’s so good to hear! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Lara
I’ve loved this recipe for years now it’s amazing! I’ve recently had to go plant based and can’t eat eggs or dairy anymore. I was hoping/wondering you had a vegan version? Can I use almond milk? What can I replace the egg with and still keep the fluffiness?
Thank you so much!!
Riz
Hi Lara! Thank you so much for using my recipe all these years!!!! I’ve never tried making an eggless pancake before, all the egg and milk-free versions I’ve seen tend to use *A LOT* of baking powder, which I suspect would leave a rather bitter aftertaste (this can be balanced out with a lot of maple syrup…but won’t necessarily be pleasant for less-syrupy eaters).
As for almond milk – you’ll still get pancakes, but I don’t think they’ll be quite as fluffy as using regular milk.
I’m certainly no expert on vegan foods, but if you’d like me to work on a egg and dairy free vegan pancake, let me know and tell me if you have any other restrictions I should be aware of (you can drop me an email at [email protected] if you’d rather not answer in the comments). It’ll take me a little time to experiment and revise the recipe till it’s good enough to share, but I don’t want you to miss out on something as delicious as pancakes!
Riz
Lara
Oh wow thank you so much! That’s so sweet of you. Truly means a lot!
I can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with!
In terms of other restrictions there’s nothing super strict (other than eggs and dairy) but I don’t like synthetic stuff like egg replacement powders or what not. A gluten free option would be AMAZING but totally understand that’s probably too annoying and difficult to manage.
I’m truly so excited and so grateful!
Best,
Lara
Riz
Okay! I’ll try out some options and get back to you if I find something that works really well! 🙂