The Magic of Fluffy American Pancakes
There's something about the aroma of pancakes cooking on a griddle that draws people to the kitchen. It's like a cozy blanket wrapped around a sunny morning. The quintessential American breakfast, these pancakes are a marvel of simplicity and comfort. Light, fluffy, and golden-brown, they're the perfect canvas for a drizzle of syrup and a pat of butter.
What Are Fluffy American Pancakes?
Fluffy American Pancakes are thick, airy and dense pancakes that are usually served in American fast food restaurants like IHOP or McDonald's.
In this recipe, we are using baking powder together with plain flour to act as a leavening agent and bring that fluffy and airy consistency to our pancake.
If you have access to cake flour or self-raising flour, you can substitute this for the plain flour to make the pancakes even more fluffier. You can omit the baking powder if using self-raising flour.
Ingredients that Make the Pancake Perfect
- 135g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 130g milk
- 1 large egg
- Butter for frying
- Maple syrup for serving
- Extra butter for serving
Crafting the Perfect Pancake
- Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and caster sugar into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl or jug, lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the melted butter.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and, using a fork, beat until you have a smooth batter. Let it stand for a few minutes.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add a knob of butter.
- Once the butter melts, ladle in some batter.
- Wait for bubbles to form on the pancake's surface, then flip it.
- Cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake rises to about 1cm/½in thick.
- Serve with generous amounts of real maple syrup and extra butter.
Pancake Tips and Tricks
Want to take your pancakes from good to great? Here are some tips:
- Consistency is Key: Use a food scale to measure your ingredients. This helps ensure your batter isn't too thick or too runny. It should easily pour off a spoon.
- Keep your heat consistent: Too high, and your pancakes will burn. Too low, and they won't fluff up.
- Test your pan's heat with a mini pancake first.
- Patience: Wait for those bubbles! They're a sign your pancake is ready to flip.
- Butter is Better: Don't skimp on the butter; it adds flavor and helps achieve that golden color.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you can't find some ingredients, here are a few substitutes:
- Plain flour: You can use self-rising flour, just omit the baking powder and salt.
- Caster sugar: Regular granulated sugar or powdered sugar can be used instead.
- Milk: Any non-dairy milk can be used as a substitute.
Nutrition Information
Each serving of these fluffy pancakes (about 100g) has:
- Calories: 250
- Carbohydrate Content: 40g
- Cholesterol Content: 55mg
- Fat Content: 7g
- Protein Content: 6g
- Saturated Fat Content: 3g
- Sodium Content: 300mg
- Sugar Content: 10g
- Trans Fat Content: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat Content: 4g
Please note these values are estimates and should not be used for medical or dietary requirements.
What Are the Secrets to Making the Easiest and Best Fluffy American Pancakes
- Sift all the dry ingredients together. Sifting the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together ensures you won't have any lumps in your pancake batter.
- Weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups arguably makes the process quicker. For one, you don't have to wash different measuring cups.
- Be sure to follow the measurements in the recipe to avoid ending up with too thick or too thin a batter!
- For smaller quantities involving tablespoons and teaspoons, we recommend not to use the weighing scale as most scales will have difficulty registering these small quantities.
- Once you mix in the wet ingredients, mix into a batter without over-mixing. Over mixing is both a waste of energy and takes more time!
Check out our blog article and guide.
What Can I Serve With American Pancakes
- Choose your syrup: honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, golden syrup. The choice is yours.
- Choose your fruit: fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, slices of banana, or whatever you have.
- Perhaps add your favourite jam, peanut butter, hazelnut spread like Nutella, or how about some indulgent pistachio spread?
- Add some crunch by adding some toasted nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios or even cashew nuts.
- Serve with some freshly squeezed orange juice or even a healthy fruit smoothie.
FAQs
Why are my pancakes not fluffy?
The fluffiness of pancakes depends on the balance of ingredients and the cooking process. Overmixing the batter can lead to tough pancakes. Also, ensure your pan is not too hot or too cold.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
Yes, pancake batter can be made a night ahead and stored in the fridge. However, the baking powder may lose some of its leavening power overnight, so you might not get as much lift in your pancakes.
What can I use instead of syrup for pancakes?
If you're out of maple syrup, you can top your pancakes with honey, agave nectar, or a fruit compote. Even a sprinkle of powdered sugar can do the trick.
Can I freeze cooked pancakes?
Absolutely! Just let them cool, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze. Once frozen, you can stack them in a freezer bag. They can be reheated in a toaster or oven.
How do I know when it's time to flip my pancake?
When bubbles start to form on the surface of the pancake and the edges look set, it's time to give it a flip.