How To Make the Easiest Pancakes Ever

Pancakes are often considered a weekend-only treat, but there’s no denying that the other five days would be substantially better if they, too, started with a warm short stack. To make this an actually feasible breakfast option on hectic mornings, you have a few options for an easy pancake recipe.

You can make and freeze pancakes in advance (or even freeze the batter), or you could master this one-bowl recipe that requires just six pantry staples and is ready in 30 minutes or less.

I’m of the mind that every home should have two pancake recipes: a lofty one for weekends and an easier, more straightforward recipe for weekdays (and I’m not just talking about breakfast, either). These are my basic everyday pancakes that I’ve been making once a week ever since I became a mother seven years ago, and I’ve learned a lot along the way.

What makes these extra-easy is that the batter is mixed up in just one bowl, which means faster prep and cleanup. There’s no fussy steps like sifting flour or separating eggs, and all of the ingredients are ones you likely keep on hand.

• Use your pantry. I often have buttermilk on hand and I don’t mind whisking the occasional egg white, but on a Tuesday morning, I am not reaching for either. These pancakes rely purely on kitchen staples: all-purpose flour, a little sugar, milk, eggs, and baking powder. The baking powder is responsible for these pancakes’ rise, so it helps that you aerate the batter well with a whisk and that you let the batter rest before cooking.
• A single bowl is perfect for mixing. There’s no need to dirty multiple bowls. Simply whisk together the dry ingredients first, then add the milk, oil, and eggs and whisk to combine.
• Always rest the batter. After mixing, be sure to rest the batter for about 10 minutes. This gives the flour a chance to properly hydrate and the baking powder time to activate.
• Use a cast iron skillet for cooking. Cast iron is my skillet of choice for pancakes, because it heats well and browns the pancakes without an excess of butter. A nonstick skillet or a griddle can be used, too.

On harried weekday mornings, my kiddos eat these about as fast as I can make them, so I don’t fuss with holding them in a warm oven. This recipe makes 18 (3-inch) pancakes, which perfectly serves four or six on a weekday. Maple syrup is usually my go-to, but a dusting of powdered sugar can keep kiddos from leaving for school with sticky fingers and is just as delightful.

I am 100% here for any recipe that will help me get pancakes on the table more quickly. Unfortunately, a handful of you noted you had trouble with this recipe — your pancakes were thin or gummy, and too small to feed a family of four. We heard you, and we’ve re-tested and updated the recipe accordingly.

The original recipe called for shaking the batter in a jar, which I believe may have led to overworked batter and ultimately rubbery, rather than fluffy, pancakes. The new recipe below has you whisk everything in one bowl instead — you still only have one dish to wash, and it will prevent you from overworking the batter. I’ve also doubled the ingredients to ensure you have plenty of good-sized pancakes to feed the entire family.

— Sheela, May 2020