Learn how to make soft and fluffy American Pancakes from scratch. These cake-like pancakes are perfect drizzled with maple syrup and served with fresh berries.
Hands up if you love pancakes?! 💕
Well now you can learn how to make AMAZING American-style pancakes from scratch. They’re light and fluffy, while still being thick and hearty. Drenched in maple syrup and served with a handful of fresh raspberries, they’re most definitely my favourite morning treat.
Super simple pancakes with no wild ingredients – in fact you probably have everything you need on hand to make a batch right now. Just sayin.
The Griddle Cafe in Los Angeles makes the BEST pancakes. They’re thick but fluffy – and about the size of your head. Ever since I tried them, maybe 6 or 7 years ago now, I have wanted to master making perfect pancakes at home.
While I grew up making pancakes from a packet, pancakes from scratch are a world apart. There’s nothing extraordinary about them, but the perfect ratio of ingredients, gives you a chunky pancake that is almost like a piece of cake. I LOVE them.
Growing up in my house, my dad always liked his pancakes thin. Like really thin. Maybe even verging on a crepe. But not me. Oh no, as a child, I liked my pancakes thick and fat. Like a restaurant would serve them. And I have not changed a bit.
And now you can make our very own stack of fat and fluffy pancakes anytime you want. And there is no better way to eat a pile of American-style pancakes, then with authentic maple syrup. Are you hungry yet? Because I am!
I’m super proud of this recipe because making pancakes has not always been my forte. In fact, my first attempts went horribly wrong and tasted like scrambled eggs – ick! It took a while for me to try again. But don’t worry, those days are well behind me. This is my tried and true recipe that I’ve been using for years.
And when they’re made fresh and served up to you straight from the griddle – the world becomes a far better place. Excuse me, but a bowl of cereal is just not cutting it anymore. Fluffy American Pancakes here we come!
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Print
Fluffy American Pancakes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Makes 6-7 large pancakes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fluffy American Pancakes that are soft and sweet, while still being thick and hearty, drenched in maple syrup with a handful of fresh raspberries.
Ingredients
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 55 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, plus extra for cooking
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 240 ml (1 cup) milk
- Zest of one lemon, optional
- Fresh raspberries and golden syrup, to serve
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar and baking powder. Give it a little whisk.
- Next, add your butter to a separate mixing bowl and microwave for 20 seconds or so until just melted. Add your vanilla, eggs and milk to your butter mixture and stir to combine. Add fresh lemon zest if using.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and gently fold through. The mixture should be nice and thick.
- Heat a small frying pan on a medium-low heat, add a little butter to the pan and pour over 3 heaped tablespoons or so of pancake batter.  Heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and then flip.
- Heat on the opposite side for about 1 minute or until also golden. Remove from heat and set aside. Repeat with remaining pancake batter and butter.
- Serve pancakes immediately with maple syrup and fresh raspberries.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pancake
- Calories: 227
Keywords: Pancakes, Breakfast, Maple syrup
This recipe was first published on Sweetest Menu in March 2016.
Followed the recipe exactly but my batter was way too runny. And my first pancake turned out pretty flat. Added extra flour and a tad extra baking powder and they then turned out like the picture. Next time I’d use less milk I think. Taste great!
Thanks for your feedback Jen!
Sensational! I’ve made these pancakes twice and it has officially made our family’s repertoire. It will be our go-to recipe for pancakes. I’ve shared it around with all my friends as they’re too good not to. Thanks so much. Sending love with full hearts and bellies – Jasmine from Australia.
★★★★★
Aww love hearing that! Thanks for the kind feedback Jasmine!
How long can I keep the leftover pancake batter? and is it still fluffy?
Hi Tata, would you believe I’ve never had to store leftover pancake batter? These always get gobbled up in my house. I’m not 100% sure how the batter would fair the next day but could be worth a go!
I’m rarely impressed with a pancake recipe, usually because they’re never as good à s an American diner, but these are amazing! Proper fluffy American pancakes! Didn’t change anything in the recipe, but didn’t use the lemon, and got 12 pretty large pancakes (1 level ladle-full per pancake). Good job I’ve just received a litre of maple syrup in the post! Thank you!! From Bristol, UK
★★★★★
Love that! So glad you enjoyed them Sarah – thank you for your kind review!
Hi Jessica. This is the second recipe I’m trying after making your amazing apple cake. I made this recipe with half amount since I wanted to make about 3 pancakes. I added 2 table spoons of chocolate powder to make it a bit chocolaty. They turned out super fluffy and soft. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I had tried other pancake recipes but this one is the recipe I was looking for. Definitely make them whenever I want to.
★★★★★
Aw love hearing that! Thanks for the kind feedback – and I love the idea of a chocolatey version!
Well I’ve just made this recipe, Ive never tried to make them before but have been meaning to for years now. (For the last 2 years I’ve made British pancakes at my church party, 150 each time and was sick of them! )
So after looking thru several recipes online I came across yours and thought ,why not give this one a go !
I read the comments first and 1 caught my eye about how they never got 8 pancakes out of the recipe .
So using a correct size measuring tablespoon I added 3 tablespoons to each pancake. I ate the first one,chefs perks,(the first of every pancake is always a disaster but not this time) the second one my daughter scoffed and then I remembered I wanted to take a photo as proof that I got 8 pancakes,which I did (will add photo to Instagram)
So in total I had 8 pancakes plus 1 smaller one which was made from the last tablespoon.
And looking at your photo and comparing it to mine ,mine were bigger ,so next time I might use 2 tablespoons per pancake….thou kids didnt complain lol.
We served with maple syrup, banana and a dusting of icing sugar as that’s all we had in the house,lockdown 2020! ..
Totally lush, I think using real butter and adding vanillia extract was the deal breaker over the other recipes. I saw.
Will definitely be making again.
Stay safe Xx
★★★★★
Aww I’m so pleased you enjoyed them Justina! And love hearing that you also got 8 pancakes out of the mix. Thank you so much for your kind feedback!!
Thank you for a great recipe! Though I had small fingers insisting on helping with testing the lemon, which ended in a out a third of the wet ingredients all over the counter and the floor! I was crushed at first, but thought to myself, let’s try anyway, so I added another egg as I used medium instead of large anyways, some more milk and butter, the first pancakes was a bit running all over the pan so in with a bit more flour… and then they were perfect! So yes, I used yours with a twist I guess. ^^ I will be making it again, on my own, and check the result then. Oh, and they went way too fast, so no foot, but i got 12 pancakes out of it, and we are all stuffed! Btw, adding the lemon zest, never tried before, Yum!!!
★★★★★
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them Rebecca!
I have used this recipe a couple of times now. Both times they were absolutely delicious. So light and fluffy. My family said they are the best they have ever had. Will no longer be shop buying pancakes. Homemade is most definitely best from here on in.
Thank you!
P.s I didn’t have vanilla essence the second time, so I substituted with lemon essence and left out lemon zest. They were just as delicious.
Hi Susan, thank you so much for your kind review! I’m so pleased your family loves these pancakes as much as I do! And I love the idea of adding lemon essence – delicious!