Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
Soft, golden, and ultra-fluffy pancakes inspired by my grandmother’s Charleston kitchen. This simple, adaptable recipe uses pantry staples and comes together in under 20 minutes — perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even brinner. Includes swaps for vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free diets plus fun add-ins for endless flavor twists.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour if needed
- 2 tablespoons sugar or honey for natural sweetness
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk dairy or plant-based oat, almond, or soy
- 1 large egg or flax egg 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil for dairy-free
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean optional but recommended
- — — Optional add-ins berries chocolate chips, banana slices, crushed nuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mix. Stir gently — lumps are fine!
- Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter or oil.
- Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form on top. Flip carefully.
- Cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Repeat with remaining batter. Keep pancakes warm in a low oven if needed. Serve hot with toppings of choice.
Notes
- For vegan pancakes, swap milk for plant-based milk, butter for oil, and egg for a flax egg.
- For gluten-free pancakes, use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
- Do not overmix the batter — small lumps help keep pancakes fluffy!
- Customize with add-ins like chocolate chips, blueberries, or banana slices.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if making a big batch.