Vanilla Pancakes are the perfect lazy weekend meal! They’re made using only 7 ingredients and are complete in just three simple steps. Easily customize these fluffy pancakes with your favorite toppings to make them your own.

Any pancake recipe that doesn’t use a store-bought mix is a winner in my book! Even more so if the recipe is so easy that you can make it with your eyes closed. Spoiler alert: this recipe checks both of those boxes!
These vanilla pancakes are made using a super simple, straightforward recipe that only requires 20 minutes from start to finish. In less than half an hour, you’ll find yourself with ten fluffy, delicious, lovingly-made pancakes!
This recipe is perfect for lazy weekend mornings when you want something tasty but don’t want to venture out to a restaurant. Trust me, these pancakes will bring the restaurant right to you! They’re perfect for curling up on the sofa (plate filled and topped with maple syrup) to watch your favorite Netflix series!
Ingredients needed to make vanilla pancakes
The ingredients needed to make these pancakes are just as you’d expect – flour, sugar, and so on! By keeping these ingredients simple, this is a recipe that you can probably make without having to go to the store.
- Flour: We’ll use flour as the main component of the batter. All-purpose is perfect here.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder will be used to help give these pancakes their fluffy texture.
- White Sugar: I’m keeping these pancakes simple by using regular, granulated sugar.
- Salt: A dash of salt goes a long way, both for improving the texture and balancing the taste.
- Milk: Milk helps provide consistency and is needed to make the batter. Use whichever milk you have on hand (plant-based also works!)
- Egg: We’ll be using just one egg in this recipe. See notes below on how to veganize this recipe!
- Butter: Three tablespoons of butter is the perfect amount for these pancakes, adding flavor, texture, and keeping them from sticking to the pan!
- Vanilla Extract: For extra flavor, vanilla extract does the trick!
How to make pancakes
These vanilla pancakes are one of my favorite breakfasts to whip together, and not just because they taste great! Sure, they’re absolutely delicious, but they’re also extremely easy to make. When I need something that’s quick and will satisfy my sweet tooth, these are my go-to.
1. Mix the ingredients: First, stir the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until mostly combined. If you have some lumps in the batter, that’s fine! Do not over stir.
2. Cook the batter: Next, lightly grease a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Spoon ¼ cup portions of pancake batter into the pan, cooking until you see bubbles form on the top, and the bottom is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking until the second side is golden brown.
3. Serve and enjoy: Set the oven to 200°F (95°C). Keep the cooked pancakes warm by setting them on a baking sheet and placing them in the oven.
Veganize this recipe
This is one of the easiest recipes to make vegan-friendly. With just a few simple ingredient swaps, you’ll be on your way to delicious vegan pancakes. Here are the ingredients you’ll have to omit, along with ideas for replacements.
- Milk: Milk is the easiest swap to make! Instead of cow’s milk, use the plant-based milk of your choice. Vanilla soymilk would work well, as would almond or oat milk. They don’t have to be vanilla flavored.
- Egg: Instead of using an egg in this recipe, using flax seeds will work really well. To replace one egg (which is what’s needed for this recipe), simply mix one tablespoon of flax meal (ground flax seeds) with three tablespoons of hot water.
- Butter: Butter is another easy swap. Simply use the plant-based butter of your choice! Use the exact measurement that the recipe calls for (3 tablespoons).
Go crazy with toppings and mix-ins
Pancakes are so much fun to make because there are a million and one ways to customize them! You can add pretty much anything to the batter, or you can throw extra goodies on top!
- Syrup: You don’t have to be confined to maple syrup! You can top this recipe with chocolate, strawberry, or caramel syrup.
- Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and more all taste great when added to the batter and cooked into the pancakes.
- Chips: Chocolate chips are the usual go-to, but what about white chocolate, butterscotch, or caramel chips? I bet they would all be delicious.
- Coffee: Are you a coffee lover? Mix a teaspoon of grounds into your batter for a little coffee kick!
- Candy: Mix in crushed Kit-Kats, Reese’s Cups, M&Ms (or use mini M&Ms), etc.!
More breakfast ideas
Feeling stumped when it comes to breakfast ideas? Good thing I’ve got plenty for you to try! Here are some delicious options that you’re sure to enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup milk or plant-based milk, like vanilla soy
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp melted butter or dairy-free alternative
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Stir: Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until mostly combined (some lumps in the batter is okay, do not over stir).
- Cook: Lightly grease a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Spoon ¼ cup portions of pancake batter into the pan, cooking until you see bubbles form on top and bottom is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown.
- Serve: Set oven to 200°F (95°C). Keep cooked pancakes warm by setting on an oven-safe baking sheet and placing in the oven.
Amey says
I made this recipe using the measurements in the content portion of the post, not the recipe below. The measurement for baking powder in the content portion is 3 1/2 tablespoons (clearly it was early and I wasn’t thinking through that that is WAY too much baking powder). I mixed up the batter according to the post and it tasted AWFUL. The whole batch was a waste because all you could taste was baking powder. I see that the measurement is correct on the recipe card at the bottom, but please fix the top measurement so no one else has a ruined batch!!
Sarah says
Holy moly, Amey, I’m so sorry to have caused you to ruin your batch!! I’ve just changed it so no one else will suffer a less-than-spectacular breakfast, and I hope you were able to salvage a good breakfast in the end. So sorry again and thanks so much for dropping in to let me know it was wrong!
Zoanne Smith says
It still says 3 and a half tsp. I thought that was too much but it in. Have to start over. 😕
Sarah says
Hi Zoanne, sorry to hear it didn’t work for you! I make this recipe often with the 3 1/2 tsp listed and don’t have a problem. Could you have accidentally added more?
Dylan Roy Fitch says
Actually 2-3 tsp is about one tablespoon so it should be fine, but whatever floats the boat lol
Sara Waterbury says
ANYTHING is better than Bisquick! Bisquick is nasty! I can’t even stand the smell of it. Not even as a child. I hated pancakes, biscuits or anything made with Bisquick. I only make things from scratch.
Sarah says
Oh wow! I grew up on it, but I’m curious how I would like it now. Haven’t had it in foreeeever!
Cassie says
Delicious and fluffy! One of the best pancake recipes I’ve found. Will be using this recipe again for sure.
Sarah says
So happy to hear it, Cassie! 😀
Krissy says
Just tried this pancake recipe for dinner. My family has requested that we replace our existing recipe with yours! Yummy…..also with chocolate chips. Thanks!
Sarah says
So happy to hear it Krissy! Enjoy! 😀
Bobbisu says
The recipe was very good! can I ask what size pancakes you make? I am only coming up with 6-7 4″ pancakes. I’m going to have to add a little more to the ingredients next time.
Sarah says
So happy to hear it, Bobbisu!I make 1/4 cup pancakes, which are usually 3 to 4 inches.
Meg says
Too salty for our taste
Sarah says
Sorry to hear it, but thanks for letting us know! 😀
Sidney says
It was an alright recipe, my pancakes turned out a bit chewy and they didn’t rise much. I put the right about if everything in so I don’t know what went wrong.
Sarah says
Thanks for your feedback Sidney!
Jess says
this is my favorite pancake recipe out of all of the ones i’ve tried so far! pancakes are my favorite food so i have tried a BUNCH of different recipes. they were flavorful, fluffy and delicious! I added an extra tbs of sugar because i like things a bit sweeter, and me and all of my roommates loved them.
Sarah says
So happy to hear it, Jess!! 😀
Lauren says
I don’t like my pancakes too sweet, but these were really bland. Lovely and fluffy, but needs more sugar or something.
Mike says
I appreciate the recipe! However, I tried making this and it came out terribly. Why? Tablespoon of baking powder. Even when covered in syrup these “paincakes” were WAY too sharp/salty. Maybe an experienced baker would know that’s wrong right off the bat, but as someone who is really just starting out, it ruined the recipe, wasted my time, and ingredients. Please correct that measurement (assuming it was supposed to be a teaspoon) if it was a mistake. Regardless, thank you for sharing the recipe!
Deb says
These were way too runny for me. The first one came out paper thin. It was also really bland. I salvaged the mix by adding a lot more flour to thicken and cooked in butter. My Mom is eating them but I haven’t gotten her usual ‘delicious’ comment that I got with another recipe.
Sarah says
Made this with my youngest for brunch, delicious! Added a full teaspoon of vanilla as we like it nice and vanillary!
Ivan says
Good recipe overall. I halved the salt and baking powder. They turned out great.
Kris says
I was excited to try the recipe but they were disgusting. No vanilla or pancake flavor, they were salty and just all over gross.
Zali says
Theses ar amazing and it was so easy to make.
Katie says
I tried the recipe and it wasn’t that good. I reduced the salt by half and the recipe had too much baking soda. It can also have more sugar. I compared this recipe with Pearl Miller Company (Aunt Jamima) and Pearl Miller Company tasted so much better.
Jisoo Kyburz says
Hi Sarah! I make these pancakes for my family a lot and we all love them! Thanks for posting this AMAZING recipe!
Sarah Bond says
So happy to hear you all loved them, Jisoo! 😀