Basic pancakes

Easy pancakes recipe

Pancakes are a favourite on cafe menus and a family tradition on Pancake Day. But how often do you make them at home on the weekend, just because? The classic pancake shake is a handy shortcut, but it’s already so easy to make basic pancakes from scratch because the ingredients are all – ta-da! – basics. As long as you have milk, butter and eggs in the fridge and self-raising flour, caster sugar and bicarbonate of soda in the pantry, you can surprise everyone with pancakes for breakfast without having to plan ahead.

Why you should make this delicious easy pancake recipe this weekend

This is your go-to pancake recipe if you love thick, fluffy pancakes that will work with everyone’s favourite toppings. They’re great with sticky maple syrup and a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream for extra indulgence. Fresh seasonal fruit is another perfect side - we can’t go past fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Other tasty toppings include spreads such as jam, hazelnut spread or nut butter, ricotta, yoghurt and honey. The possibilities are endless with plain pancakes, which is why it’s so useful to know how to make them.

Follow these easy pancakes tips and tricks

Before you pick up the frying pan, get straight onto whipping up the pancake batter. Once you’ve made the mixture, you need to leave it to rest and thicken for at least 30 minutes. This is the secret to getting that thick, fluffy and light texture in the cooked pancakes. Begin by whisking the milk and egg in a large jug, so it’s easy to pour them into the dry ingredients. You also need to give the flour, sugar and bicarbonate of soda a good stir to make sure they’re evenly distributed – that way the pancakes will puff up evenly and be consistent in flavour. Then make a well in the centre and pour the milk mixture into the well. Take the whisk and start stirring from the centre to gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the egg mixture – this helps keep your batter smooth and lump free. Once you have a smooth batter, cover the bowl and leave for 30 minutes.

When the resting time is up, you’re ready to start cooking. Pancakes can stick easily, so it’s best to use a non-stick frying pan and use a pastry brush to brush the base of the pan with melted butter before cooking each pancake. To make 1 pancake, pour a quarter cupful of batter into the pan – it should spread naturally into a disc shape. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes before turning. When you can see small bubbles start to appear and pop on the surface, you’ll know the batter is starting to cook through. Go ahead and flip it over, then let the other side cook for another minute. Lift it out onto a plate and cover with foil to keep warm, then keep the process going until you’ve used up all the batter. You should get about 14 pancakes from this recipe. Then head straight to the table to enjoy them warm with your favourite toppings.

Now get cooking

Once you’ve mastered the basics of making easy pancakes, you can experiment with changing up the flavours to suit your taste. Get started with these three fun twists on the basic pancakes recipe – our pumpkin and blueberry pie pancakes, green smoothie pancakes and ultimate chocolate pancakes. Looking for healthier pancake recipes? Check out our banana and oat blender pancakes and carrot cake pancakes. Want a savoury twist? You could serve the basic pancakes with crispy bacon as well as maple syrup. Or try a savoury pancake recipe such as herbed buttermilk pancakes instead.