Here’s my 2nd recipe!
Whether you already live in the USA and want to recreate these at home or live somewhere else and want a glimpse of a quintessential American breakfast, here’s a delightful breakfast recipe for you. This is my foolproof fluffy & rich American pancake recipe. Be prepared for an enlightening experience.
So let’s make em, shall we?
Ingredients
Makes ~12 Pancakes
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- 2.5 tbsp (33g) white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2.5 tbsp (35g) melted (unsalted) butter/neutral oil, see note 1
- 1.5 cups (360ml) buttermilk
- 1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract (optional)
- Cooking fat of choice, see note 2
Note:
- Use butter if you’d like a mild buttery flavor (my favorite), or oil if you don’t!
- Here are you options:
- For fried-like surfaces: (about ½ tsp or 2g per pancake)
- Butter (ideally salted, grass-fed)
- Any neutral oil
- For picture-perfect uniform surfaces:
- Cooking spray
- For fried-like surfaces: (about ½ tsp or 2g per pancake)
Required Utensils
Chances are that you already have most of what’s listed below. But as a student, I used to have basically nothing at hand, so all necessary items are listed below:
- Medium pot, to hold all dry ingredients (and then batter)
- Small pot, to hold all wet ingredients
- Weight scale, to measure ingredients (in grams)
- Or use measuring cups if handy
- Measuring spoons (at least for teaspoon measurement)
- Whisk, for initial mixing (can use spoon instead, but might take longer)
- Rubber spatula, for final mixing
- Scooping spoon, for accurately pouring batter for cooking (optional)
- Non-stick pan (or flat griddle), to cook the pancakes!
- Flat spatula, for flipping pancakes
- Tray/plate, to hold cooked pancakes!
Instructions
- In medium pot, whisk all dry ingredients till thoroughly combined. Set side.
- In small pot, whisk all wet ingredients till thoroughly combined. Set aside.
NOTE: If using butter, add in just before combining wet & dry ingredients, to avoid solidification before combining. - Form a well in center of pot with dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry. Use rubber spatula, stir in wide circular strokes till just combined; DO NOT over-mix. Small lumps are okay!
- Let batter rest for 10 to 30 minutes at room temp. More time = fluffier pancakes!
During this period:- Gather toppings you want to use
- Gather your pan(s), spatula, and tray/plate to hold cooked pancakes
- Pre-heat your pan(s) at medium heat and have your cooking fat ready
- Once pan(s) are warm (not hot), add fat to pan center, and add just under ¼ cup (60ml) batter to center. If using toppings (also see note below), add them now, clustered on surface, away from edges.
- Cook for 2-3 min, until bubbles begin to pop on top and edges are firming up. Flip pancake and cook for another 2-3 min till golden brown. Remove from pan.
- Repeat steps 5 & 6 with remaining batter. Enjoy!
A note on toppings
Here are the toppings I’ve tested, but feel free to experiment with whatever catches your eye!
- Berries:
- Blueberries (my favorite)
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Sliced strawberries (not recommended; they lose much of their mass & flavor during cooking)
- Chocolate chunks (dark, milk, and white all worked great)
Make sure the topping chunks are not too large (<1 inch, or 2.5 cm in diameter), for the following reasons:
- To make sure the pancakes rise over them before you flip (otherwise they may burn later)
- To reduce the risk of them sticking to the pan after flipping
Serving
To pour on
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- Pancake syrup of choice
- Vanilla glaze/frosting
To spread on
- Chocolate (hazelnut) spread (e.g., Nutella, or a healthier version!)
- Any nut butter (ideally salted): peanut, almond, mixed nut, etc.
- Jam/jelly
To top off
- Berries: sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.
- Sliced banana
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate chips
- Butter
- Cinnamon and/or nutmeg powder
To serve aside
- Bacon
- Fried/scrambled eggs
- Breakfast sausage
- Hash browns
My favorite topping combo
- Pancake tower with maple syrup and/or nut butter + chocolate spread in between
- Top each pancake with a bit of: maple syrup, nut butter, and/or chocolate spread. Then stack them all, and top the tower with more maple syrup/powdered sugar, berries, and whipped cream!
Storage
Packaging of choice
- Ideal for fridge: Plastic/glass air-tight containers
- Ideal for freezer: Wrapping 1-4 pancakes in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place in air-tight plastic bag
Shelf life
- Fridge: 5 days
- Freezer: 3-6 months (best quality, assuming temp below 0°F/-18°C)
Got any questions or suggestions? Comment down below!
First posted on March 25, 2024.
Last updated on March 28, 2024.