Everyday Pancakes

By Mark Bittman

Updated Feb. 3, 2025

Everyday Pancakes
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(13,973)
Comments
Read comments

The basic pancake is made from a simple batter of eggs, flour, milk and baking powder for leavening. You can use different types of flour if you want to experiment with whole wheat or buckwheat. And you can also add fruit to the mixture. You might also enjoy this video of the recipe, which walks through a few variations. The batter can be made from scratch in about the same time it takes to make toast. The most time-consuming part of making pancakes, of course, is cooking them. But that time is so short you should consider these an everyday convenience food, not a special-occasion feast. Cook this recipe a few times and it may become part of your weekly routine.

Featured in: THE MINIMALIST; For the Uninitiated, a Pancake Primer

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • 2teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼teaspoon salt
  • 1tablespoon sugar, optional
  • 2eggs
  • 1½ to 2cups milk
  • 2tablespoons melted and cooled butter (optional), plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use neutral oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

258 calories; 8 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 270 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Beat eggs into 1½ cups milk, then stir in 2 tablespoons melted cooled butter, if using it. Gently stir this mixture into dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten flour; don't worry about a few lumps. If batter seems thick, add a little more milk.

  2. Step 2

    Place a teaspoon or 2 of butter or oil on griddle or skillet. When butter foam subsides or oil shimmers, ladle batter onto griddle or skillet, making pancakes of any size you like. Adjust heat as necessary; usually, first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. Flip pancakes after bubbles rise to surface and bottoms brown, after 2 to 4 minutes.

    Image of pancake with bubbles on the edges about to be flipped
  3. Step 3

    Cook until second side is lightly browned. Serve, or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degree oven for up to 15 minutes.

    Image of butter being spread on everyday pancakes

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
13,973 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Ted

They're just pancakes, people. Calm down. You don't need to use 17 different types of flour, chocolate drops only made by a hermit on the highest mountain in Switzerland on select Tuesdays in the Spring, and edible gold glitter. That's why this is titled Everyday Pancakes and not How Pretentious Can I Be Pancakes.

Elizabeth

I halved the recipe and added finely chopped cabbage, grated carrots, finely chopped onion in small amounts so as to not overwhelm the batter. This is a fast and easy western version of okonomiyaki and can be eaten for any meal. Good alone or with sour cream, or maple syrup or your choice. Add an organic turkey sausage and there you have it, a complete meal.

Ben

If you use buttermilk (or any other acid), don't forget to add a teaspoon of baking soda!

Leslie

Not enough leavening agent, pancakes were dense and flavorless

chbbrooklyn

I made these with no changes. Perfect, Quick and easy. I did add fresh blueberries to a few and YUM! Topped it with some Italian lemon fruit spread and I had the best Saturday morning breakfast.

Drew

Made some changes to make them mostly GF—yes this includes some AP flour, because I’m not actually GF for allergies or celiac, and a little flour goes a long way for getting the consistency correct: Sub the following for 255g flour: 100 g almond flour 50 g AP flour 50 g cornmeal 50 g lupine flour 10 g cornstarch Change amount of BP to 1 tbsp baking powder Sub the sugar for equal amount of alternative sugar of your choice. Delicious!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.