This recipe is the Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe! Itโ€™s my go to recipe for pancakes from scratch. Theyโ€™re soft, fluffy, and so good โ€“ perfect every time.

A stack of pancakes topped with a pat of butter, drizzled with syrup. Fresh strawberries and blueberries are blurred in the background. A fork is placed in front of the plate on a wooden table.

Thanks to buttermilk, baking powder, and baking soda, these buttermilk pancakes bake up fluffy every time we make them. This is a keeper recipe for sure!

Making your own fluffy pancakes taste so much better than a mix and are way better than frozen. In fact, I love to make pancakes and freeze them because I hate making breakfast in the morning. If theyโ€™re made the night before or in the freezer, all you have to do is pull one out and heat it up.

Getting the perfect fluffy pancake is a little bit of a science, but this perfect pancake recipe is easy but also super fluffy. These start out flat but you can watch them rise as you cook them, resulting in a super fluffy and perfect pancake.

Top view of baking ingredients on a white surface, including labeled bowls of flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, a glass of milk, a small bowl of vinegar, and an egg.

Ingredient Notes

  • Milk: This recipe calls for milk and vinegar, but you can replace both of those with buttermilk. I separate them because that way you can use any kind of milk (or non-dairy milk like almond milk or oat milk).
  • Baking powder: It is important to have this to make your pancakes light and fluffy. Pancakes arenโ€™t baked, but theyโ€™re still a form of cake, right? So baking powder, as in cake, will help the pancakes rise and be tender.
  • Baking soda: This is also important, in this recipe. To work, baking soda needs to have a chemical reaction with an acid which is why I add the vinegar. During that chemical reaction, bubbles are created. Those bubbles expand during cooking, leaving a light and airy pancake.
  • Vinegar: Added to the milk, this creates a sort of homemade buttermilk. You can also use lemon juice (and donโ€™t worry, your pancakes wonโ€™t be lemon).

How to know when to flip pancakes:

You will know to flip your pancakes when the batter starts to bubble on the top! If the other side is golden โ€“ youโ€™re good!

If your pancake is browning before the bubbles form, turn the heat down on your pan or griddle.

How to make Fluffy Pancakes

  • Preheat griddle 350ยฐF or heat frying pan or skillet over medium heat. You know the pan is ready when a fleck of water โ€œdancesโ€ in the pan.
  • If using milk, add vinegar or lemon juice to the milk and let it sit while you whisk the dry ingredients.
  • I combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl, then I whisk my wet ingredients (egg, milk, and oil) and then whisk into the flour mixture.
  • Add the pancake batter to the pan and flip once all the bubbles form and start to pop.
  • These are perfect served with a side of bacon, sausage, or no egg breakfast casserole.

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Storing Pancakes

  • Serve pancakes warm. Iโ€™ll often layer them on a baking sheet and place in a 200ยฐF oven to keep them warm while Iโ€™m flipping the rest.
  • To store, let them totally cool and place pancakes in a single layer between paper towels. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Freeze between paper towels in a ziploc bag for up to one month. Reheat in the microwave or the toaster or air fryer.
A stack of pancakes topped with a melting pat of butter and drizzled with syrup sits on a white plate. A portion is cut out, showing the fluffy interior. In the background, blurred blueberries and strawberries are visible.

Expert Tips

  • This recipe makes about 8-10 pancakes, depending on size. You can add anything you like to the batter, like sprinkles or blueberries.
  • You know your pan is ready to cook when the water dances! Flick a bit of water on the pan. If it dances around (i.e. boils), your pan is ready. If it sits, let it heat up a bit longer.
  • Important: baking soda reactions donโ€™t last a long time. In order for these to be fluffy and absolutely perfect, cook them immediately. Donโ€™t let the batter sit.
  • Use nonstick cooking spray to make sure the pancakes donโ€™t stick.
  • Serve with lots of maple syrup!
A stack of pancakes topped with a pat of butter, drizzled with syrup. Fresh strawberries and blueberries are blurred in the background. A fork is placed in front of the plate on a wooden table.

The BEST Fluffy Pancake Recipe

4.89 from 9 votes
This is the BEST ever Fluffy Pancakes Recipe! Itโ€™s our go to recipe for pancakes โ€“ theyโ€™re perfect every time!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Yield 8 pancakes
Serving Size 1 pancake

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup (124g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • ยผ teaspoon salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
  • 1 cup (237ml) milk see note
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice see note

Instructions

  • Preheat griddle 350ยฐF or heat frying pan over medium heat until a fleck of water โ€œdancesโ€ in the pan.
  • If using milk, add vinegar or lemon juice to the milk and let it sit while you whisk the dry ingredients.
  • Whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. 
  • Add egg, lemon juice, milk (or buttermilk), and oil. Whisk until combined (batter may be slightly lumpy). Cook pancakes immediately so the bubbles created by the baking soda donโ€™t dissipate.
  • Youโ€™ll know your pan is hot when the water dances: flick a bit of water on the pan. If it dances around (i.e. boils), your pan is ready. If it sits, let it heat up a bit longer.
  • Cook pancakes, flipping halfway, on griddle or in pan greased with cooking spray. You know theyโ€™re ready to flip when the bubbles form on the top and start to pop and the bottom is golden. Serve warm with syrup.
  • Freeze between paper towels in a ziploc bag for up to one month. Reheat in the microwave.

Recipe Notes

You can substitute 1 cup of buttermilk in place of the milk and vinegar. If you donโ€™t have buttermilk, the vinegar or lemon juice helps sour the milk, making your own. You can also use non-dairy milk.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 116mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword pancakes

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4.89 from 9 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. It was one of those nights where the smell of bacon with pancakes was called for to comfort loved ones.
    Much to my surprise I didnโ€™t have my favorite pancake mix.
    Did not panic and found this recipe.
    Thank you for this recipe and your bliog
    on makng these perfectly.
    Family loved them.
    They do fluff up once on the griddle and
    take a little longer to flip but itโ€™s worth
    mentioning I will never buy pancake/waggle mix again.
    Thanks for a great recipe that is easy!?????

  2. My family loves this recipe n I tried it nearly 2 months ago and have been making them every sense. Thank You!!

  3. 5 stars
    OMG ! Make these right now ! Super easy. Fluffy and delicious. Used milk w white vinegar. Kept warm in low oven until ready to serve !