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Desserts and Cakes

Classic Pancakes

Fluffy golden pancakes with a simple batter that works for breakfast or dessert.

Published by Gabor U. · Updated August 24, 2026

20 minutesTotal time
8 minPreparation
12 minCooking
8 pancakesServings
Classic Pancakes
What you need

Ingredients

  • 180 g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 240 ml milk
  • 30 g melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Step by step

Method

  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl, breaking up any small lumps.
  2. In a jug, whisk the egg, milk, cooled melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the milk mixture and fold gently just until combined. Do not beat the batter smooth.
  4. Rest the batter for 8–10 minutes. It should be thick but drop easily from a spoon; add 1 tablespoon of milk if it feels stiff.
  5. Warm a heavy non-stick pan over medium heat and brush it lightly with butter.
  6. For each pancake, add about 60 ml batter. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles rise and the outer edge looks matte.
  7. Turn once and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Wipe away any dark butter between batches and serve the pancakes warm.

What creates a light pancake

These are dependable, fluffy breakfast pancakes with crisp buttery edges and a soft middle. The batter uses ordinary cupboard ingredients and is deliberately not too sweet, leaving room for fruit, syrup or savory-leaning toppings.

Baking powder, butter and flour

Fresh baking powder is essential for an even rise; replace it if it has been open for a long time and no longer fizzes in hot water. Let the melted butter cool before it meets the egg. Standard plain flour works best because stronger bread flour can make the pancakes chewy.

Mixing and resting the batter

Measure the flour by spooning it into the scale bowl rather than packing it. Let melted butter cool slightly before it meets the egg. The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles gently, not when the butter begins to smoke.

Simple additions to the basic recipe

Add lemon zest, cinnamon or a handful of blueberries. For chocolate-chip pancakes, scatter the chips over each pancake once it is in the pan rather than stirring them all into the bowl, so they are evenly distributed.

Serving a warm batch

Serve straight from the pan with berries, yogurt and maple syrup. To feed everyone at once, keep finished pancakes in a single layer on a rack in a 100°C oven for no longer than 20 minutes.

The two most common pancake problems

Beating the batter until perfectly smooth develops gluten and removes tenderness. A few small lumps are desirable. Dark butter residue also makes later batches taste burnt, so wipe the pan carefully and add a fresh, thin coating when needed. Turn each pancake only once after bubbles form and the edge looks dry.

Keeping leftover pancakes

Refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month with paper between the pancakes. A toaster restores the edges better than a microwave.

Can the finished batter be made the night before?

It is better made shortly before cooking because the baking powder begins working when wet. For advance preparation, combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, refrigerate the wet mixture and fold them together in the morning.