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Stack these fluffy homemade pancakes tall and add a pat of butter and maple syrup for the perfect weekend breakfast. They’re easy to make with pantry ingredients and turn out stellar every single time!

My Top Tips for Fluffy and Light Pancakes
No one wants to sit down to a plate of thin, tough pancakes! But sometimes that’s how they turn out. It’s a bummer, but it doesn’t have to be that way! This recipe incorporates some tricks I’ve learned to make sure I always get fluffy pancakes when I make them at home. Here’s the lowdown:
- We start by sifting the dry ingredients. This helps make them light and airy—and that helps create that fluffy texture we want in our pancakes.
- Mix just enough to wet the dry ingredients. It’s totally fine if there are a few lumps and streaks of flour in the bowl after mixing. If you mix too much, the gluten in the flour over-develops, and this creates dense, tough pancakes with less rise.
- Let the batter sit for 5 minutes. During this time, the dry ingredients will absorb the wet ingredients, thickening your batter. And this means that when you pour the batter into the pan, it won’t spread out, resulting in thin pancakes.
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Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
Instructions
- Gather all of your ingredients and equipment.
- Sift together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry mix. Add the wet ingredients-the egg, milk, and butter.
- Lightly whisk the batter together until just mixed. The batter will have small lumps. Let sit 5 minutes while your skillet heats up.
- Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet. With large skillet on medium-high heat add 1/4 cup of pancake batter to the skillet.
- Let cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges are dry.
- Flip and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Top for butter, powdered sugar, and pure maple syrup to serve!
Video
Nutrition
Variations
As written, this recipe will give you your classic fluffy pancakes, perfect for piling on the toppings. But if you want to switch things up a bit, here are some ideas:
- To make these pancakes a little healthier, use whole wheat flour, or do half white flour and half whole wheat.
- For some fruity additions, fold in chopped strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. (Or make these Blueberry Pancakes!)
- Make them more fun with chocolate chips or sprinkles.
- Enhance the flavor of this recipe by adding vanilla or almond extract.

Try These Pancake Recipes Next!
Whether it’s my homemade waffle recipe , breakfast casserole, or French toast casserole, we sure love our weekend breakfasts in our house, but pancakes have a special place in my heart!
- For another classic (and fluffy!) pancake recipe, try these old-fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes.
- Coconut Flour Pancakes are a great option if you’re on a grain-free diet.
- Your kids will flip if you make this Pancake Cereal for breakfast. Super fun!
- If you want your breakfast to taste like a treat, these Nutella Pancakes are just the ticket.
The year is 2025 – please add a metric converter for non-US fans! I’m tired of having to open two tabs all the time when using a different website to convert your recipes!
Delish and fluffy
Great recipe. Very easy and quick. Thanks!
Delicious homemade pancakes! Consistency is perfect – not too thick or too thin. Easy to whip up in the mornings and family loved them!
Excellent recipe!
Only difference for me was using all butter, even to oil the pan for frying.
I’ve found a griddle is the best way to make pancakes over the years of trial and error, for those of you having issues.