Light and Fluffy American Pancakes Recipe

Light and Fluffy American Pancakes Recipe

Easy enough for a weekday breakfast yet customizable enough for a family

weekend feast, pancakes can be a great breakfast option any time.

Pancakes are a huge part of an American breakfast, so much so that there are restaurants focused solely on serving limitless varieties with all kinds of fillings and toppings. They are simple and easy to make, and yet you can travel far and wide or experiment with recipes to find the “best” one. Homemade pancakes are just as easy and versatile, either served alone, with breakfast meat, or even for dinner.

We have put together a list of the things that you normally need when baking delicious bread or cakes.

Picture Title Description Order on Amazon
Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece) mixing bowl Yes
OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon Whisk manual whisk Yes
M KITCHEN WORLD Heat Resistant Silicone Spatulas Set rubber spatula Yes
Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Paper Roll with SmartGrid 3 boxes of baking paper Yes
6-Piece Nonstick Oven Bakeware Baking Set baking trays set Yes

Likely due to their simplicity, pancakes are a staple in many American kitchens. I remember making them as a kid and under cooking them so there was still a layer of molten hot batter in the middle (weird, I know). But that is the greatness of pancakes! Easy enough for a weekday breakfast yet customizable enough for a family weekend feast, pancakes can be a great breakfast option any time. You can make them as dark or pale as you want, as thick or as thin, and eat them with whatever toppings you please. You can also fill them with all kinds of tasty things like fruit or chocolate chips.

This recipe is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen’s version with a few modifications for cooks like me who might not have all the necessary ingredients on hand. The recipe can be halved to serve two hungry adults or left as is for a full family. Ingredients include multiple leavening ingredients for extra fluffiness, and the optional addition of yogurt to improve texture. Try out this version and see how your family’s stacks up!

Light and Fluffy Pancakes Recipe

(Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen)

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 10 min                  Cook time: 10 min

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon basking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups milk

4 tablespoons melted butter

4 tablespoons yogurt

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  1. In a smaller bowl, mix together the melted butter, milk, eggs, and yogurt.
  2. Using a rubber spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir everything until it is just combined. Stir the mixture until large clumps of flour disappear but the batter is still lumpy. Avoid over-mixing to keep the pancakes nice and fluffy.
  1. Allow the batter to sit for 5-10 minutes. In the meantime, heat one of the two teaspoons of oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Let the pan get hot before starting to cook your pancakes.
  2. Use a measuring cup to ladle batter onto the hot skillet. Try to space out the pancakes so the batter does not touch. Once bubbles have formed on the surface, 1-2 minutes, flip your pancake using a spatula and let pancakes cook 1-2 minutes on the opposite side. You may need to turn the heat up or down a bit to achieve your desired brownness on the pancakes.
  1. Store finished pancakes on an oven-safe dish in a warm oven. Add the remaining oil to the pan if you need it for cooking the next rounds of pancakes. Serve with maple syrup, fruit, or other toppings once all pancakes are finished.

Jen Grauer

Jen Grauer is an intrepid ecologist and writer who loves experimenting with cooking and baking in her spare time. When not chasing after wild animals outside, she can be found testing out new recipes, exploring challenging books, and sharing her infectious enthusiasm with the world.

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