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Fluffy Japanese Pancakes (aka. Souffle Pancakes)

Name: Fluffy Japanese Pancakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 egg yolk; 2 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp milk; 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 3 tbsp cake flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 2 large egg whites; 1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Published: Jun 12, 2021 · Modified: Mar 10, 2022 by Riz ·

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Fluffy Japanese Pancakes are a soft, airy cotton candy-like pancake dream come true. Dress them up in whipped cream, rain down the maple syrup, or try out the tiramisu topping recipe I provide – they come out delicious every which way!

“Souffle pancake” recipes can be tricky, but once we’re done here bestie, you’ll be able to spark joy…one outrageously fluffy pancake at a time.

Jump to:

…I finally made Fluffy Japanese Pancakes
What are Japanese Pancakes / Souffle Pancakes
How to make Japanese Pancakes (without a mold)
3 Secrets to making perfect Japanese Pancakes every time
Why do my Japanese pancakes deflate
How to make the Tiramisu Souffle Pancake topping
Storage suggestions
Other delicious pancake recipes
Fluffy Japanese Pancakes, Updated
Helpful tools
📖 Recipe

Maple syrup being poured on to a stack of three Japanese souffle pancakes.

…I finally made Fluffy Japanese Pancakes

Pancake recipes make up four of my ten most popular recipes. And one of the most requested recipes over the last year has been for fluffy Japanese pancakes – how to make them, and how not to mess them up!

And if you’ve ever tried this custardy clouds-on-a-plate breakfast, you’ll know why! (It’s because they’re delicious.) But as you may have figured out, they’re a bit finicky to master. They’re often called souffle pancakes, after all!

(As a rule, souffle-anything is probably code for “delicious…but temperamental”.)

Don’t give up too easily though, we’re going to walk through the main things to keep in mind when you’re making this style of pancake, and then with a little practice, you can serve up the most gloriously airy and fluffy Japanese souffle pancakes to someone very special.

A Note:

While researching this recipe, I came across A LOT of posts suggesting that their Japanese pancake recipe can be made with ease and abandon in a mere 15-20 minutes.

I’m going to tell you frankly that unless you’re a culinary professional, cooking in a pre-prepped restaurant-style kitchen, that’s simply not the case.

Regardless of whether you choose to use my recipe (or someone else’s), please don’t be discouraged if your Japanese pancakes don’t come out as fluffy and airy the first time you try.

This is a recipe that sometimes requires a little practice, and a little patience. But it’s certainly achievable for anyone cooking at home. (I mean, even *I* got it right…eventually.)

Of course, if you do get stumped somewhere, you may want to check out my guide on How to Read a Recipe.

A stack of fluffy japanese souffle pancakes with maple syrup on top.

What are Japanese Pancakes / Souffle Pancakes

Japanese Pancakes, often called Souffle Pancakes, are similar in ingredients, but different in composition and texture to your standard pancake recipe.

Exceptionally thick, airy and soft…they are perfectly fluffy pancakes! The major difference between them and regular pancakes is the smaller amount of flour, and that the egg whites are beaten to form a meringue (just like you would in a souffle, hence the name), before being gently folded into the rest of the pancake batter.

As a result, more air bubbles form inside the pancake batter, and these bubbles are able to hold their shape better. The result is a super fluffy and airy pancake. Seriously, it’s like biting into a cloud!

And in case you’re wondering what the word for pancakes are in Japanese, the answer is “pankeki” (パンケーキ). And “fuwafuwa” (ふわふわ) is a mimetic word used to describe fluffy/soft/airy things…from pancakes to kittens! So, yes – we’re making fuwafuwa pankeki today!

Fun Fact: I actually studied Japanese at university. And I can tell you quite confidently, that I’m really quite bad at it.

A large dollop of whipped cream on a stack of Japanese pancakes.

How to make Japanese Pancakes (without a mold)

A lot of people have asked me if you how to make souffle pancakes without a mold. The answer is: it takes a little practice. Of course, your pancakes won’t have the super straight edges that a mold provides; a mold makes it easier to stack the pancakes higher too.

Prepare. Prepare your yolk mixture and whip your meringue.
Combine. Combine the meringue and the yolk mixture, being being careful not to over-mix, in order to create your pancake batter.
Cook. Over a low heat, add a dollop of the batter. Cover the pan. As it begins to cook, pile some more batter on top. Cover again.
Flip. Oh. So. Gently.
Serve. Icing sugar, whipped cream, maple syrup – all work great!

3 Secrets to making perfect Japanese Pancakes every time

1. Master the Meringue

If you don’t have much experience making meringue, then this will likely be the hardest part. Honestly, this could be an entire post by itself, so I’m going to give you a few key things to keep in mind.

Keep the separated egg white refrigerated until you come around to whisking it.
Make sure your bowls are clean and dry. Any sediment or leftover moisture (even just water) can hurt your meringue.
Know when to stop mixing the meringue. You want the whipped meringue to hold its peak…more so than a soft peak, but it shouldn’t be a super stiff peak. (Overmixing very slightly won’t destroy your pancakes, but it will mean slightly less fluffiness.)
You can use cream of tartar to help stabilise the meringue. I personally don’t think it’s necessary here, but if you choose to go in that direction, add ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar for each egg white in your meringue.

2. Cook ‘Em Low & Slow

Like so many things in life, patience is the key here, bestie. Japanese pancakes need to be cooked slowly with the heat on low. Higher heats will result in the outsides getting cooked, while the inside remains raw. Nobody ever says, “I like my pancakes cooked rare”.

Make sure to cover the pan to lock in all that lovely moisture too.

3. Flip Gently, Bestie

No high-flying death-defying pancakes flips here (or ever…if fluffiness is your goal). Delicately turn the pancake over using a flat spatula/flipper. The harsh impact from a careless flip will literally squish the air bubbles in your pancakes!

Japanese souffle pancakes cut open to show the airy interior.

Why do my Japanese pancakes deflate

If your Japanese souffle pancakes have deflated (or just failed to rise), don’t worry. You’re not alone…it’s happened to the best of us. Sometimes despite doing everything right, it can still happen. However, there are a couple of key points to note to make sure your Japanese pancakes don’t deflate:

Be careful not to over or under beat your egg whites. This can be a bit tricky, you want to mix in air bubbles which will create structure (and fluffiness!) in your pancakes, but if you overdo it, you end up destroying that very structure.

Heat management when cooking your pancakes. There’s often a temptation to use a higher heat when cooking (as it causes a quicker rise). However, the outside of your pancakes also cook quicker and may brown before the internal pancake has had a chance to cook through enough to hold its tall fluffy structure.

How to make the Tiramisu Souffle Pancake topping

I made a tiramisu souffle pancake variation of this recipe. The initial plan was to write that up as an entirely separate recipe post but honestly, it felt too easy/similar to this recipe to devote an entirely new post to it.

So, if you want the tiramisu version of my fluffy Japanese Pancakes recipe, all you have to do is dust a ¼ cup of whipped cream with 1 teaspoon of espresso powder, drizzle on a teaspoon of melted dark chocolate, and then give it a little swirl. Ta-da! Souffle Pancakes with a fancy (but totes easy) tiramisu topping.

Actually, that’s one of the best things about these Japanese pancakes – they go with a lot of different toppings – whipped cream, fruits, and maple syrup work great; powdered sugar is popular too; custard and cream? Yup, still yummy.

A delicious image of fluffy Japanese pancakes with a tiramisu topping on a blue plate. Tasty!

Storage suggestions

Japanese pancakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days. To reheat, I recommend setting your oven to 200 degrees F, placing your pancakes on a try, and warming them up slowly.

Can you freeze Japanese pancakes

No. The souffle pancake texture doesn’t thaw well.

Other delicious pancake recipes

Pancake recipes are kinda my shtick. Here are some other recipes I know you’ll love:

Fluffy, Fluffy Pancakes (No buttermilk version)
Lemon Mascarpone Pancakes
Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Lemon-Raspberry Dutch Baby Pancake

Fluffy Japanese Pancakes, Updated

This recipe was originally published on March 28th, 2019. I’ve given it an update to add more information, prettier photos, and a snazzy little recipe video! The recipe is the same as it’s always been, but I hope that the more detailed post helps anyone who finds themselves struggling at making what many consider to be the finickiest type of pancake!

A hero shot of two incredibly fluffy Japanese pancakes with whipped cream on top.

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 extra cost to you. And that would be very lovely of you. Thank you for supporting Chocolates & Chai!

I used an electric hand mixer to beat the egg white into a meringue. You’re very welcome to use your impeccably toned whisking muscles, it’s a good workout! In fact, I’d join you…except, I don’t wanna.

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What’s your favourite type of pancake? What kind of toppings do you like? Tell me in the comments below.

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📖 Recipe