There are breakfasts that fill you up, and then there are breakfasts that feel like something. The kind where the smell of butter hitting a hot griddle pulls everyone out of bed. The kind where stacks of golden pancakes land on the table, and for a few minutes, the world slows down.
These are those pancakes.
Old-fashioned, yes—but not fussy. Just flour, eggs, milk, and a little sugar, transformed into something impossibly light and tender. They're the pancakes worth waking up for.
A Little Background
Pancakes have been around for thousands of years—ancient Greeks and Romans had their own versions—but the fluffy, diner-style pancake we know and love today really came into its own in 19th-century America. Thanks to the rise of baking powder and refined flour, cooks could finally create pancakes that were light instead of dense.
The "old-fashioned" label simply means we're sticking to the basics. No shortcuts, no strange ingredients. Just the good stuff.
What You'll Need (Serves 4)
Dry Ingredients:
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
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3 tablespoons granulated sugar
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
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1 ¼ cups milk (whole milk works best, but any kind will do)
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1 large egg
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus more for cooking)
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract (trust me, don't skip it)
Optional Add-Ins (Make Them Your Own)
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Chocolate chips
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Fresh blueberries or sliced bananas
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A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg
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Buttermilk instead of regular milk (for extra tang and fluff)
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Chopped pecans or walnuts
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A little lemon zest for brightness
