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Homemade pancakes can be just as fresh and fun as they were when you were a kid. Check out our easy pancake recipes for your next pancake dinner or Mardi Gras night.
Whether you want to stir in chocolate chips or blueberries, there’s no limit to the fun pancake recipes you can serve. Remember that Crepes and Puffed Pancake count just as much as a short stack.
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Jump to:
- Why DoThis
- Ingredients
- Tips for Success
- What to do with leftovers?
- Best Equipment
- FAQs
- Recommended Recipes
- Pancake Toppings
- Tell us what you think!
A stack of fluffy pancakes, topped with butter and drizzled with maple syrup is ultimate comfort food. It’s cheap, too, since basic homemade pancakes are very affordable to make.
Making pancakes for dinneris super easy, especially when life is busy. Breakfast for Dinner is one our family’s fall-back recipes. It was often a meal I would make for everyone when we were paying off debt and working to get our financial house in order.
These easy pancakes recipes offer you all kinds of options on a budget!
Why DoThis
It’s easy. Pancakes for dinner is a simple, easy meal plan that you can put on repeat.
It’s delicious! Pancakes are ultimate comfort food at breakfast, so why not have them for dinner, too?
It’s traditional for certain occasions.One of the particular traditions of the middle ages was to abstain from eating eggs and butter during Lent, the weeks leading up to Easter.So as to not let anything go to waste, people would use up what they had on Shrove Tuesdayor Mardi Gras, what has become known as Pancake Tuesday. Pancakes are one of our favorite Mardi Gras foods.
Ingredients
You can whip up a batch of flapjacks with a pancake mix, but it’s just as easy to make them from scratch!
Keep these ingredients on hand for a delicious pancake dinner:
flour – You can use all-purpose flour as well as whole wheat flour pastry flour. If you’ve got buckwheat flour on hand, buckwheat pancakes are great as well.
leavening – Typically, you’ll need some type of leavening, such as baking soda or baking powder. If you have sourdough starter, that can also be used to make Sourdough Pancakes.
salt and sugar – Most pancake recipes call for a bit of salt and sugar. Both can help with taste and texture.
eggs – You can make Eggless Pancakes, but many recipes will call for eggs or at the very least a flaxseed egg substitute.
milk – You’ll want milk, either dairy or plant-based is fine. For buttermilk pancakes, you’ll want liquid or powdered buttermilk.
oil or butter – A little oil or butter will make your pancakes delicious. Serve it with extra butter on top.
maple syrup or other toppings – I’ve certainly eaten plain pancakes out of hand while I’m running around chasing kids, but sitting down to a short stack layered with butter and syrup or fresh fruit and whipped cream is the ultimate. Scroll down for some pancake toppings ideas.
Tips for Success
Consider these tips to prep a perfect pancake dinner:
- To add more protein: While it lends itself toward a heavy carbo load, a pancake dinner doesn’t have to be junky. Try buckwheat or whole wheat if you’d like to use a whole grain. Use yogurt or ricotta cheese to beef up the protein content. Top it with fresh fruit instead of syrups.
- To make fluffy pancakes: While crepe batter can and should be made in advance, pancake batter is best baked shortly after it’s mixed to maximize the chemical reactions from the baking powder and baking soda present in the batter.
- To avoid wasting batter: If you aren’t going to cook all your pancake batter, freeze it in ice cube trays right away.
- To make pancakes ahead of time: You can make abaking mixfor pancakes in advance, though. Simply assemble the dry ingredients in a bowl, jar, or bag. Keep it dry until you’re ready to mix it up.
- To make vegan pancakes: You can useflax-seed meal instead of eggs. You can also try swapping some applesauce for oil or melted butter. We’ve done both these accommodations for vegan eaters. My gluten-free, vegan eaters love these Buckwheat Pancakes.
- To make pancakes more interesting: One of the great things about pancakes is that they’re pretty versatile. Experiment with adding different flavors with fresh fruit (diced or pureed), spices (think cinnamon or nutmeg), or even flavored extracts. The possibilities are endless. Get creative and see what winning combinations you can create.
Best Equipment
Since I’ve spent the last 20+ years making pancakes for eight on a regular basis, I’ve made a few of them in my time. Here are some of the tools that have served me best:
- nonstick, electric griddle– helpful so you can make 8 pancakes at a time.
- Pyrex measuring bowl– the 8-cup size is great for mixing a batch of pancakes; the spout makes for easy pouring onto the griddle.
- Danish dough whisk– you know how pancake batter clumps up in a traditional whisk? Not so with a dough whisk. It’s fantastic for mixing up the batter just enough.
- pancake turner or spatula– I’ve always called it a “spatula”, but apparently, the appropriate term is “pancake turner”. I recommend a sturdy, one-piece job that’s safe for nonstick surfaces. The ones that are plastic/silicone/metal tend to have little gaps where dishwater can hide. Gross.
- a small pitcher– a small pitcher is fun to have on hand to serve warm maple syrup from. I just bought myself this Le Creuset model. It’s the only piece of Le Creuset I can afford. LOL!
FAQs
What is the secret to good pancakes?
Good pancakes are going to be fluffy and lightly browned. This means that the batterhas the right balance of baking soda and baking powder. Too much baking soda will create overly brown pancakes, too little will give you pale pancakes. Mix the batter and bake the pancakes right away, waiting for the batter to bubble and for the bubbles to pop before flipping.
What are the ingredients for pancakes made from scratch?
Basic pancake ingredients include flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, butter, milk, and eggs.
Why do they celebrate Pancake Day?
Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Traditionally, lenten fasting included abstaining from eggs and butter, so a number of foods became traditional to eat on Shrove Tuesday, lest they go to waste.
Recommended Recipes
Pancake Recipes
Making pancakes from scratch is super easy. If you’ve never done it before, know that you can ditch the boxed mix. These easy Pancake Recipes will make you a star!
Puffed Pancake with Apples
This Puffed Pancake bakes in the oven for the easiest breakfast ever. Bake apple compote in a dish alongside for the ultimate comfort breakfast.
Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes
Want to enjoy pancakes without a lot of added sugar? This recipe for Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes is packed with flavor and nutrition.
Blueberry Lemon Pancakes
Blueberry Lemon Pancakes that you can serve hot or prep ahead of time for an easy morning breakfast!
Basic Pancakes
This simple pancake recipe is easily to prepare and perfect for feeding a crowd. There are several ways to make it freezer-friendly as well.
Aebleskiver Recipe
Enjoy a traditional Danish holiday treat when you make Aebleskiver. This simple recipe for Danish pancakes bakes up light and fluffy. Serve with powdered sugar and berry jam.
Easy Homemade Crepes
Enjoy homemade crepes, save money, and enjoy la belle vie. This easy recipe will get you hooked on making crepes yourself at home.
Eggless Pancakes
Enriched with cottage cheese and applesauce, these eggless pancakes are the perfect breakfast. They cook quickly, reheat well, and freeze beautifully.
Sheet Pan Pancakes from Fresh April Flours
Whip up some light and fluffy pancakes without standing over a skillet! Make your next batch of pancakes in the oven with these simple and easy sheet pan pancakes.
Fluffy Japanese Pancakes from Salt & Baker
These fluffy Japanese pancakes are thick, soft, and billowy. Their soft texture on the inside and a golden brown color on the top and bottom makes for a beautiful and delicious pancake dinner.
Bacon Pancake Dippers from Devour Dinner
Make Bacon Pancakes for a fun, quick, and easy dinner idea for big and little hands.
Hoe Cakes (Cornmeal Pancakes) from House of Nash Eats
Hoe cakes [cornmeal pancakes] are sure tasty for breakfast, but also for dinner! Also known as johnnycakes, among other names, the cornmeal texture and flavor is sure to please!
Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes from SueBee Homemaker
Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes combine a classic buttermilk batter with the best swirl of cinnamon and sugar. Top these with a pat of butter and some maple syrup for the best pancake dinner!
Scotch Pancakes from Errren’s Kitchen
This recipe for Scotch Pancakes (aka drop scones) makes light and fluffy mini pancakes. Serve stacked high with warm jam and extra fruit.
Pancake Toppings
You can dress up any simple pancake dinner with some fun toppings. Obviously, butter and maple syrup are traditional, but don’t forget these other options:
- fresh fruit
- whipped cream
- powdered sugar
- Nutella
- chocolate chips
Lemon Sauce
Lemon sauce can easily elevate your favorite desserts or even store-bought treats with its sweet tart flavors. Similar to a lemon curd, this dessert sauce requires no eggs.
Baked Apple Compote
This Baked Apple Compote is delicious. Apples scented with rich butter and spices cook up tender and full of flavor.
Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ditch the can this holiday season. Cranberry Sauce is incredibly easy to make yourself and it tastes amazing. It also freezes beautifully!
Raspberry Sauce Recipe
Enjoy this quick and easy raspberry sauce with pancakes, waffles, and a number of desserts. It comes together in a flash, making it a great last-minute dessert.
Chocolate Syrup Recipe
Make as much or as little chocolate syrup as you need! This homemade Chocolate Syrup recipe comes together with just 4 ingredients in about 10 minutes.
Mocha Chocolate Syrup
Just 4 ingredients to make this homemade chocolate syrup to serve over ice-cream!
Salted Caramel Sauce from Fresh April Flours
You only need four simple ingredients to make your own homemade salted caramel sauce. In this recipe, I use the “wet” caramel method which is my tried and true method.
Gingerbread Syrup from Salt & Baker
Gingerbread Syrup is a fun topping for pancakes. It’s a homemade syrup complete with dark brown sugar, fresh cinnamon sticks, allspice berries and ginger!
Honey Butter Pancake Syrup from Venison for Dinner
Honey Butter Pancake Syrup is quick to mix up, nutrient dense, and with no weird ingredients! Plus the ingredients are sure to be in everyone’s pantry!
Homemade Buttermilk Syrup from Devour Dinner
Fresh Hot Buttermilk Syrup just makes memories. It’s is a delicious and creamy syrup for your Pancakes, Waffles or even French Toast.
Strawberry Sauce
Feel like Martha Stewart and make your own homemade strawberry sauce! This is an easy, 4 ingredient fresh strawberry sauce recipe, perfect for pancakes.
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This post was originally published on February 28, 2014. It has been updated for content and clarity.