These Pancakes Are Fluffy, Golden, and Way Better Than Any Box Mix
"There has never been a sadness that can't be cured by breakfast food." – Ron Swanson
He’s not wrong. And when it comes to breakfast food that hits every time, at least for me, it's Pancakes. Like pizza, even "bad" pancakes are still good lol. This recipe however is way above mediocre.
This recipe is simple, deeply satisfying, and way better than anything that’s been sitting on a shelf for months. No preservatives. No weird aftertaste. Just real-deal pancakes that feel like something you’d order at your favorite brunch spot—but better, because you didn't have to put on real clothes to go get them (or have them delivered and them be all soggy by the time you get them... I've made that mistake before lol.)
Why These Pancakes Work
This is a 'basic' pancake recipe, but perfected. Crispy edges, pillowy craveable interior, and they soak up butter and syrup exactly like you want them to!
What makes them great:
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Sifting the dry ingredients gives you smooth, lump-free batter.
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Resting the batter gives a softer texture and better rise - a step you don't often see in pancake recipes but that 30min is worth it - promise.
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Science. I mean, I don't know the exact science, but the baking powder, baking soda, melted butter, and resting truly enhances their texture.
Ingredients for Fluffy Pancakes
Yields: 8–10 medium pancakes (or about 5 big boys)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Rest time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1/3 cup sugar
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 1/2 cups whole milk
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1 egg
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2 tablespoons butter, melted
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Sift the dry stuff.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This keeps the mix light and easy to incorporate later.
2. Mix the wet ingredients.
Melt the butter and let it cool just a bit. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg, vanilla, and butter together until smooth.
3. Combine the two.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir gently. Typically you want to stir just until combined and some little pockets of flour are fine, but since we're resting this batter you can whisk it pretty good until smooth!
4. Let the batter rest.
Cover the bowl and let the batter sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This helps the flour hydrate and gives the baking powder time to activate, which leads to fluffier pancakes with better texture.
5. Cook the pancakes.
Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium. Lightly grease it with butter or oil. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the surface. Cook until bubbles form and the edges start to look set (around 2–3 minutes), then flip and cook the other side for another 1–2 minutes until golden.
Pancake Tips
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Don’t press them down after flipping. Let them rise naturally.
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If your pan isn’t truly nonstick, use a touch more butter between each batch. (I used my trusty cast iron for these.)
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A trigger ice cream scoop makes portioning cleaner and faster.
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Let leftovers cool on a wire rack before freezing if going to premake/meal prep them. But if you want them at their best, they're way better fresh.
Optional Add-Ins (Stir in after resting)
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Blueberries (fresh or frozen work fine)
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Chocolate chips
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Mashed banana + cinnamon
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Lemon zest and poppy seeds
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Or go rogue: swirl Nutella into the batter while it’s in the pan
Final Thoughts
Pancakes are comfort food, plain and simple. You don’t need expensive ingredients or special equipment, but a few small upgrades—like a decent nonstick skillet or a mixing bowl that’s not cracked and warped from 2006 can make a big difference.
If your spatula is half-melted, or your whisk takes twenty tries to actually break up egg yolks, it might be time.
Need an upgrade? Check out the shop for some solid kitchen tools that make mornings smoother (and your food better, let’s be honest).
Also, if this kind of from-scratch, cozy recipe is your thing, you’ll probably like the rest of the blog.
Browse more posts for go-to recipes, kitchen tips, and the kind of cooking advice that’s actually useful when you're standing in front of the stove at 8am on a Saturday.
Make the pancakes. Save the recipe. And maybe grab a new pan while you’re at it—you’ll thank yourself next weekend.
