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There's something about a stack of warm, fluffy pancakes that makes a weekend morning feel special. This recipe gives you thick, tender pancakes using ingredients you almost certainly already have — including a quick trick to make buttermilk from regular milk and lemon juice.
The two rules for perfect pancakes are simple: don't overmix, and don't rush the heat. A lumpy batter and a medium-low pan give you golden outsides and soft, airy centres every time.
Topping ideas
- Sliced bananas and a drizzle of honey
- Fresh berries with a spoon of yogurt
- Nutella and crushed nuts for the kids
- A pat of butter and warm maple syrup — the classic
The recipe
Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
Thick, fluffy pancakes from scratch in 20 minutes with basic pantry ingredients — no buttermilk needed. Perfect weekend breakfast.
Instructions
Tap a step to mark it done · tap ⏱ to start a timer.
- Stir the lemon juice into the milk and leave for 5 minutes — this makes a quick homemade buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the milk mixture, egg, melted butter and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Lumps are fine — overmixing makes pancakes tough.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low and lightly grease. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set (about 2 minutes), then flip and cook 1 more minute.
- Serve warm with honey, maple syrup, fruit or a knob of butter.
Nutrition (per serving, approx.)
- Calories
- 310
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 12 g
Tips for the best Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking — it gets thicker and the pancakes rise higher.
- Keep the heat at medium-low. Too hot and the outside burns before the middle cooks.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven (90°C) while you make the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my pancakes flat?
The most common reasons are overmixing the batter, old baking powder, or a pan that isn't hot enough.
Can I make the batter the night before?
It's best fresh, as the baking powder loses strength. You can mix the dry ingredients the night before to save time.
