If you’re looking for the best pancake recipe, this is it! These homemade pancakes are fluffy, buttery, and just sweet enough. My husband deserves credit here — he’s the official pancake maker in our house, and these have been perfected over many weekend breakfasts.
My kids know these as Dad’s pancakes, while I grew up calling them griddle cakes or flapjacks. Whatever you call them, these pancakes are comfort food at its finest.
🥣 Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk (or non-dairy alternative)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
💡 Optional: Add blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, or a pinch of cinnamon to the batter for variety
🔪 How to Make Pancakes
Step 1: Mix the batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the wet ingredients: milk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter. The batter should be cohesive but doesn’t need to be perfectly lump-free.
Step 2: Heat your cooking surface
- Electric griddle: Preheat to 350°F–375°F.
- Stovetop pan/skillet: Heat over medium and lightly grease with butter or oil.
Step 3: Cook the pancakes
- Spoon ¼ cup of batter onto the hot surface.
- Cook 1–2 minutes until bubbles form on the top.
- Flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove pancakes and brush with a bit of melted butter.
Repeat until all the batter is used.
Step 4: Serve
Serve warm with your favorite toppings like maple syrup, Nutella, peanut butter, fresh berries, or whipped cream.
🧡 Tips & Substitutions
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar.
- Milk: Swap for soy, oat, or almond milk if preferred.
- Butter: Non-dairy butter works well too.
- Portioning: Use a ¼ cup measuring cup for uniform pancakes. Adjust size as needed; larger pancakes may require slightly longer cooking.
- Fun for kids: Let little ones add food coloring for colorful pancakes — our toddler loves blue or green pancakes!
🍳 Stove Top vs Electric Griddle
Electric griddle:
- Even cooking surface → uniform, fluffy pancakes
- Nonstick → less butter/oil needed
- Larger surface → cook multiple pancakes at once
- Frees up stovetop → cook other breakfast items simultaneously
Stovetop pan/skillet:
- Nostalgic, pan-fried texture
- Crispy edges while keeping a soft, fluffy interior
- Perfect for a smaller batch or traditional cooking
Both methods work beautifully — it’s just a matter of preference.
✅ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fluffy, soft, and buttery pancakes every time
- Easy to customize with fruits, chocolate, or flavors
- Works on stovetop or griddle
- Fun for the whole family to make
✨ Fluffy on the inside, golden and slightly crispy on the outside — these pancakes are everything breakfast should be. Perfect for weekend mornings, special occasions, or a simple treat any day! 🥞💛
