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Sara Haas
In the pancakes versus waffles debate, I’ve always been Team Pancake. Maybe it’s because of the squiggly “G” shaped pancakes my dad made every year on my birthday. Or the giant chocolate chip ones made by my favorite overnight babysitter. Either way, I’ve come to associate pancakes with special occasions, and it makes them that much more enjoyable every time I dig in.
Though I’ll always prefer pancakes made by someone else, I’ve flipped my fair share of short stacks as an adult. Every time, I seem to learn a new trick. Rest the batter! Whip the egg whites! But while I love trying out smart recipe hacks and techniques, I also appreciate a simple, straightforward, old-fashioned recipe that can be pulled together without a trip to the store. Luckily, that’s exactly what the five most popular recipes on Allrecipes promise. I set out to test, taste, and proclaim the best.
What Makes a Perfect Pancake?
The perfect pancake is evenly browned with a rich, buttery flavor and fluffy, tender texture. Each one should cook up identically to the last, and the insides should cook through before the outsides get too brown. It should also have enough flavor on its own that butter and syrup are a complement, not a necessity.
Which Pancake Recipes Did I Test?
I tested the five most popular pancake recipes on Allrecipes. To keep things fair, I tested each one with the same brands of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, milk, vegetable oil, butter, and eggs.
- Good Old-Fashioned Pancakes
- Easy Pancakes
- Fluffy Pancakes
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Fluffy Flapjack Pancakes.
Tallest and Fluffiest: Fluffy Pancakes
Sara Haas
Fast Facts: Developed by kris; has 12,433 reviews with a 4.8-star rating
These lofty pancakes certainly live up to their name. Not only does mixing the milk with vinegar eliminate the need for buttermilk (which I don’t often keep on hand), but the acid in the vinegar reacts with the baking soda in the batter to create carbon dioxide gas that makes the pancakes extra fluffy.
I was worried the thick, air-filled batter would deflate too quickly, but the pancakes came out tall and fluffy over the course of multiple rounds of cooking. The only downside was that I had trouble getting the very centers of the pancakes to cook all the way through. Eventually, I learned that spreading the batter into thinner rounds on the griddle (rather than scooping it on and letting it cook as-is), helped them cook more evenly.
Get the recipe: Fluffy Pancakes
Most Foolproof: Fluffy Flapjack Pancakes
Sara Haas
Fast facts: Developed by Jackie HealthyWitness; has 41 reviews with a 4.4-star rating
These foolproof pancakes win the award for consistency: Every single one cooked up into picture-perfect rounds. It helped that the batter formed lots of tiny bubbles as it cooked, signaling to me that the pancakes were ready to flip. I also appreciated the author’s inclusion of dairy-free substitutions, which is always helpful to know when preparing pancakes for guests.
Due to their golden brown hue and thin and tender texture (despite their name, they were by far the thinnest of the bunch), these pancakes were reminiscent of McDonald’s signature hotcakes. This got me thinking about how great they would be for meal prep: Cook the full batch ahead of time, pop ’em in the freezer, then reheat on busy mornings for an easy on-the-go breakfast. They’d also be a good candidate for pancake breakfast sandwiches, or pancake PB&Js.
Get the recipe: Fluffy Flapjack Pancakes
Best for a Crowd: Buttermilk Pancakes
Fast facts: Developed by BURYGOLD; has 3,086 reviews with a 4.8-star rating
These classic buttermilk pancakes felt like they came straight out of a restaurant. Thanks to the reaction between the acidic buttermilk and the baking soda, they rose nicely while cooking and achieved good browning, too. While I'd certainly recommend this recipe to a friend, it's not my overall winner due to its slightly fussy nature.
This recipe makes a lot of batter, but because it calls for keeping the dry and wet mixtures separate until just before cooking (this prevents the carbon dioxide bubbles from releasing too soon), you won't want to mix up the full amount all at once. Instead, mix together half of each of the wet and dry mixtures, then combine the remaining amounts when you're ready for more. I'd also recommend using just 1/4 cup batter per pancake rather than the 1/2 cup it calls for, which will ensure they cook all the way through.
Get the recipe: Buttermilk Pancakes
Best for Busy Mornings: Good Old-Fashioned Pancakes
Sara Haas
Fast facts: Developed by dakota kelly; has 16,015 reviews with a 4.6-star rating
These one-bowl, super-speedy pancakes were the Goldilocks of the bunch: not too thin, not too thick, but juuuust right. Due to the minimal amount of sugar in the batter, they tasted the most savory, though you could easily double the sugar for a slightly sweeter result.
The last-minute, easygoing nature of this recipe makes it great for hectic mornings when you have nothing planned for breakfast. Use it as an excuse to clean out the fridge, too: Grab any berries, whipped cream, yogurt, nut butters, and syrups and set them all out for a build-your-own pancake bar.
Get the recipe: Good Old-Fashioned Pancakes
The Surprising Ingredient for the Lightest, Fluffiest Pancakes Ever
Best Overall: Easy Pancakes
Sara Haas
Fast facts: Developed by Sharon Holt; has 1,344 reviews with a 4.7-star rating
These pancakes were the clear favorite among all my friends who tasted them, and when I took my own first bite, I immediately understood why. The full teaspoon of salt in the batter made every flavor more pronounced, resulting in rich, well-balanced pancakes that tasted complex without tasting "salty." My friends even described them multiple times as "buttery," despite the fact that there's no actual butter in the batter.
Speaking of fats, using oil rather than butter results in less gluten formation, which helps explain why these pancakes were so tender. The batter was also easy to make and thin enough to pour, and the centers of the pancakes puffed beautifully as they cooked. And while of course they tasted incredible with butter and maple syrup, I honestly found myself eating them straight off the griddle as is. I can't wait for round two this weekend.
Get the recipe: Easy Pancakes
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