How to make pancakes

How to make pancakesHow to make pancakes
Prepare
less than 30 mins
Cook
less than 10 mins
Serve
Serves 4

Find out how to make simple pancakes with our step-by-step video. This easy recipe is great for sweet or savoury pancakes and makes a great Pancake Day meal or special breakfast. For topping ideas try chocolate sauce, caramel and banana, ham and cheese or berries and honey.

If you're looking for fluffy American-style pancakes, try our classic American pancake recipe.

Each serving provides 317 kcal, 12.5g protein, 42g carbohydrates (of which 4g sugars), 10.5g fat (of which 3.5g saturates), 2g fibre and 0.5g salt.

By Claire Thomson

Shopping list

Ingredients

  • 150g/5oz plain flour
  • pinch salt
  • 300ml/10½fl oz milk (or ½ milk and ½ water for a lighter pancake)
  • 2 large free-range eggs, lightly whisked
  • 1 tbsp melted butter, plus extra for frying
Recipe tips

Method

  1. Put the flour and salt into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the milk and eggs. Give the liquid mixture a quick whisk before incorporating the flour. Continue to whisk until you have a smooth batter.

  2. Now add the melted butter and whisk thoroughly. Ideally, let the batter rest for 15–30 minutes. This will help the gluten to relax, which will make the pancakes more tender and thinner, as the batter will spread more easily. (You can even make the batter the night before and leave it covered in the fridge.)

  3. Take a crêpe pan, or large frying pan, dip some kitchen paper in the oil and carefully wipe the inside of the pan. Heat the pan over a medium heat for 1 minute.

  4. Add just under a ladleful of batter to the pan and immediately start swirling it round the pan to get a nice even layer.

  5. Cook the pancake for 30–40 seconds. Use a palette knife to lift the pancake carefully to look at the underside to check it is golden brown before turning over.

  6. Cook the other side for approximately 30–40 seconds and transfer to a serving plate. Serve with lemon and sugar, chocolate spread, or anything your heart desires.

Recipe tips

These pancakes can be eaten straight away or frozen after cooling – stack and wrap them in twos. If you are making them a short time in advance, you can stack them on a plate and reheat individually for a few seconds in a hot non-stick frying pan.

You can use this traditional pancake recipe to make sweet or savoury pancakes. For sweet pancakes, you can add a dessertspoon of caster sugar and the zest of an orange for a great flavour.

For savoury pancakes, you can add some finely chopped herbs such as dill and parsley, or perhaps some grated Parmesan.