Old fashioned pancakes are the soft, golden, buttery stack you remember from Saturday mornings: tender inside, lightly crisp at the edges and ready for a pour of warm maple syrup. This from-scratch batter uses pantry basics (flour, baking powder, milk, one egg and melted butter) and goes from bowl to plate in 20 minutes. It’s the kind of recipe worth knowing by heart: one bowl, one griddle and a handful of staples.
How to make old fashioned pancakes: sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, stir in milk, an egg and melted butter until smooth, then cook about 1/4 cup per pancake on a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat until brown on both sides.
Why You’ll Love It
- Seven pantry ingredients, no mix needed.
- 20 minutes from first sift to a hot stack.
- Golden and tender, with buttery flavor in the batter.
- Easy to change up with fruit, chocolate chips or a splash of vanilla.
- No waiting. The batter goes straight onto the griddle as soon as it’s mixed.
Ingredient Notes
Flour. One and a half cups of all-purpose flour, sifted together with the other dry ingredients.
Baking powder. Three and a half teaspoons, sifted in with the flour.
Salt and sugar. A teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of sugar.
Milk. One and a quarter cups. For thinner pancakes, add a little more, a splash at a time.
Egg and butter. One egg and 3 tablespoons of melted butter go into the well with the milk.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted with the dry ingredients
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
How to Make Old Fashioned Pancakes
1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. Add the wet ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter. Mix until smooth.
3. Heat the griddle. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.
4. Pour the batter. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake.
5. Brown and serve. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
When to Flip Pancakes
“Brown on both sides” is easy to say and tricky to judge with the batter staring back at you. These are the cues to watch for.
| Stage | What you’ll see | About how long |
|---|---|---|
| First side | Bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Flip | The underside is golden brown | – |
| Second side | Golden brown underneath | 1 to 2 minutes |
Watch for the bubbles. Once several bubbles have formed across the top and the edges look set rather than wet, slide a spatula underneath and flip.
Keep the second side short. After the flip, 1 to 2 minutes is usually plenty until it’s golden.
Use the first one as a test. The first pancake or two tell you whether the griddle is right. If they brown too fast, turn the heat down a little; if they’re pale and slow, turn it up.
Re-grease between batches. When the griddle looks dry, wipe on a little more oil or a swipe of butter before the next round of batter goes down.
Same size, same timing. Using about 1/4 cup for each pancake keeps them even, so a whole batch is ready together. A small or medium ice cream scoop makes it easy.
Tips for Success
How do I make thinner pancakes?
Stir in more milk a little at a time until the batter pours the way you like.
How should I grease the griddle?
Lightly. A thin film of oil, a swipe of butter or a little non-stick spray is all the pan needs between batches.
Can I use a frying pan instead of a griddle?
Yes. A lightly oiled frying pan over medium-high heat works the same way; you’ll just cook fewer pancakes at a time.
How do I keep the pancakes the same size?
Use a 1/4-cup measure or an ice cream scoop for every pancake.
Variations
- Buttermilk pancakes: use 1 1/2 cups buttermilk in place of the milk.
- Vanilla: whisk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the wet ingredients.
- Add-ins: stir fruit, chocolate chips or trail mix into the batter.
- Sourdough discard: add 1/2 cup sourdough discard to the batter.
Storage & Reheating
Leftover pancakes are a cooked batter of milk and egg, so treat them like any other cooked leftovers. Cool them quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate them within 2 hours. They keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge, in cold water or in the microwave, and reheat covered until they’re hot all the way through, to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Top the stack with maple syrup, butter, berries, powdered sugar, honey or whipped cream. For a weekend brunch spread, add a pan of breakfast casserole with tater tots and sausage or bacon, egg and hash brown casserole, plus a batch of easy sausage breakfast muffins. More sweet breakfasts: overnight crème brûlée French toast, easy cinnamon roll coffee cake and slow cooker Amish blueberry oatmeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I flip a pancake?
When bubbles cover the surface and the edges look set, after about 2 to 3 minutes. Then give the second side 1 to 2 minutes.
Can I use buttermilk instead of milk?
Yes. Use 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk in place of the 1 1/4 cups of milk.
How much batter should I use per pancake?
About 1/4 cup each. For bigger pancakes, use up to a 1/2 cup measure and give them a little extra time before flipping.
What heat should the griddle be?
Medium-high, lightly oiled. If the first pancakes brown before the bubbles show up, lower it a little.
Final Notes
Melt the butter first and let it cool for a minute while you sift, so it’s ready when the well is. Tell me in the comments what you put on your stack.
Old Fashioned Pancakes
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted with the dry ingredients
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
- Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter. Mix until smooth.
- Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.
- Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake.
- Brown on both sides and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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