Best Fluffy Pancake Recipe
For a stack of pancakes that are truly fluffy rather than flat, the secret lies in not overmixing the batter and ensuring your leavening agents are fresh. This recipe creates a thick, airy crumb that absorbs syrup perfectly.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1
Mix dry ingredients
Aeration is key
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Sifting helps remove lumps and ensures the baking powder is evenly distributed for a uniform rise.
2
Combine wet ingredients
Whisk separately
In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg into the milk, then stir in the melted butter and vanilla extract.
3
The
Crucial for height
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Mix with a spatula until just combined. It is perfectly fine (and actually better) if the batter has some small lumps. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes pancakes chewy instead of fluffy.
4
Rest the batter
5-10 minutes
Let the batter sit while you heat your griddle. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and the baking powder to begin creating tiny air bubbles.
5
Cook until bubbles pop
Medium-low heat
Lightly oil a griddle or frying pan. Pour roughly 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and start to pop. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown.
Pro Tip: To keep the pancakes fluffy while you finish the batch, never stack them immediately. Place them in a single layer on a wire rack in a warm oven (200°F). Stacking them right off the heat creates steam, which can make the bottom pancakes heavy and damp.
