Best Crispy Fluffy Pancakes You and Your Kids Will LOVE

Your kids will love these crispy, fluffy pancakes. “No sugar added” is an option, which you cant even tell if you add melted blueberries and real maple syrup (I know, I know that’s still sugar… but it is better sugar!).

Crispy, fluffy pancakes zhuzhed up with blueberries, bananas, and real maple syrup.

What Makes These Pancakes So Crispy?

Crispiness in pancakes comes down to the right balance of heat and butter:

1. Heat:

Using medium to medium-high heat ensures the batter cooks quickly on the outside, forming a beautifully golden, crispy surface. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the butter will soak into the batter, leaving a soggy pancake rather than a crisp one. Conversely, too much heat can burn the butter and batter before the inside has a chance to cook. Finding the sweet spot on your stove is key.

2. Butter:

The butter in the pan not only prevents sticking but also creates a caramelized, crispy edge. Butter contains milk solids, which brown as they cook, contributing to the pancake’s golden crust. Adding enough butter for each pancake (about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon per batch) ensures that each pancake is surrounded by a layer of fat for that delightful crisp.

What Makes These Pancakes So Fluffy?

Fluffiness comes from a combination of chemical reactions and thoughtful preparation:

1. Acid + Leavening Agents:

• The vinegar in the milk creates an acidic environment, effectively turning it into buttermilk. When mixed with baking soda, this acid-base reaction produces carbon dioxide gas (CO₂), which forms bubbles in the batter. These bubbles expand during cooking, creating light, airy pancakes.

• Baking powder also contributes to the fluffiness, as it contains its own acidic component. This double-acting agent releases CO₂ twice—once when the batter is mixed and again when heated on the griddle.

2. Resting the Batter:

• Allowing the batter to rest for 25 minutes gives the leavening agents time to activate, allowing bubbles to form and the flour to hydrate fully. This step ensures the batter is light and cohesive rather than dense.

3. Eggs and Fat:

• Eggs provide structure to trap the CO₂ gas, while the melted butter adds richness, creating a tender crumb without weighing down the batter.

4. Chemical Reactions at Work:

• When heat is applied, proteins in the eggs and gluten from the flour begin to set, stabilizing the airy structure created by the CO₂. Simultaneously, the starches in the flour gelatinize, creating a soft, fluffy interior.

By combining these scientific principles with proper technique, you get the perfect balance of a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior, making these pancakes irresistibly delicious!

Ingredients

• Wet Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups milk

• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar (or substitute with white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice)

• 2 eggs, gently beaten

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

• Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)

• For Cooking:

• 1/2 stick butter (for greasing the pan)

Here’s the ingredients I use for these pancakes.

Instructions

1. Prepare Buttermilk:

• In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the milk and rice vinegar.

• Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle. This creates a homemade buttermilk.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar (if using), and vanilla powder (if using). You can use a spoon, fork, or whisk to mix this. Your little helper will love mixing this up — just beware of powder flying everywhere!

My little helper mixes up the dry ingredients.

3. Combine Wet Ingredients:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, prepared buttermilk, and melted butter until well combined.

4. Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients:

Mixing the wet and dry ingredients.

• Gradually pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spoon or fork until just combined. Ensure no visible dry flour remains, including at the edges of the bowl. The batter will be slightly lumpy—this is okay!

5. Rest the Batter:

• Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a damp paper towel.

• Refrigerate for 25 minutes. This resting period activates the baking powder, ensuring extra fluffy pancakes.

6. Prepare for Cooking:

• During the resting period, clean your workspace and gather your griddle or non-stick pan, spatula, and butter.

7. Cook the Pancakes:

• Heat a non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Melt 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan.

• Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the pan for each pancake. Let the batter spread naturally—irregular edges make for crispy bites!

• Cook for about 2 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set. Check underneath for your desired crispiness and color.

• Flip the pancake with a silicone spatula and cook the other side for about 2 minutes until golden brown.

Have a furry friend at home who is afraid of most things in life — including pancakes? Give them a good belly scratch.

Roland the Labradoodle. He doesnt like cooking. Unless it’s meat. Roland likes meat.

8. Repeat:

• Add more butter to the pan as needed and continue cooking until all the batter is used.

9. Serve:

• Serve the pancakes hot with your favorite toppings. Suggested options: melted blueberries, sliced bananas, peanut butter, and real maple syrup.

Enjoy your fluffy, crispy pancakes!

Stack of crispy, fluffy pancakes!