Small Batch Pancakes
Just in time for the weekend! Small batch pancakes are the way to start off your Saturday.
Growing up, my dad made pancakes every Saturday morning. As I got older and moved out on my own, I’d still make them every now and then, but I never needed a whole batch of pancakes for myself. Sometimes it was nice to have leftovers to enjoy the next day or stash in the freezer. But I’m also not a morning person at all, so measuring out ingredients and making things from scratch doesn’t happen very often, especially if I’m just cooking for me!
But over the last few years, I’ve been searching for a great smaller batch recipe. Minimal ingredients and something that can be whisked together in a small bowl while still producing soft and fluffy pancakes with the right texture. After much testing and tweaking, here they are!
This recipe makes exactly six pancakes. Each pancake is a scant 1/4 cup batter that spreads out into a nice, decent size. No tiny pancakes in this house!
This is a great recipe because if you’re cooking for just yourself, you can still have half and save the other half for another morning. If you’re cooking for two, you’ve got three pancakes each! If you’re cooking for three, you’ll have two pancakes and room for other breakfasty and brunch items like eggs and bacon. It works however you want to split it up!
About this recipe
Flour: I used all-purpose flour, but I’m sure you could change this to whatever you prefer. Whole wheat or a gluten-free flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill) should still work fine.
Milk: Same with the milk! I used whole milk, and while fat-free or dairy-free nut milks might be a little thinner in texture, I think they’d still work.
Sugar: There’s only one tablespoon of sugar in this recipe, so it should still work if you leave it out or change it to something else, like honey or agave.
Small Batch Pancakes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp butter or oil for skillet
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients in a small or medium-sized bowl until all ingredients are incorporated (batter may have a few small lumps).
- Heat 1 tbsp butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Measure out a scant 1/4 cup of batter and pour into skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbles appear and the batter begins to firm up around the edges. Flip pancake and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve pancakes with your favorite toppings and syrup!
Notes
More of my favorite breakfast recipes:
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Dutch Baby
Lemon Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast
Cinnamon Roll Waffles
Is this an error? Recipe description says each pancake is made with 1/4 cup batter, but the recipe card says to measure out a scant cup of batter. Which is correct?
Hi, so sorry about that! It should definitely say scant 1/4 cup batter. I’ve updated the recipe! Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention!
This is the first time I’ve reviewed a recipe and I had to because these were the most perfect pancakes I’ve ever made! This one is a keeper.
These are delicious. I’ve added two handfuls of frozen blueberries, the result was the most attractive pancake plate I’ve ever seen in my life
these were great …i do not make pancakes often as I find they are usually too heavy or dense.
thank you Beth!
I made these for 2 people with different appetites. No waste. Pancakes were delicious and I received compliments.
This is the first time I’ve ever used a pancake recipe that produced pancakes that looked proper! Thank you!
This recipe is perfect for when u want to make pancakes for breakfast when you don’t know what to eat! I’d tried this and let me say, how amazing it turned out perfect so I recommend this recipe
I’m a pancake freak. I like experimenting in the kitchen. Can I add orange creme yogurt for extra flavor would I need to change any ingredients
Hi! I probably wouldn’t add yogurt to the pancake batter. It would probably change the texture. But you could serve it with orange creme yogurt if you’d like!
The best pancake I’ve ever made. Perfect amount for 2-3 people!
Fantastic! We’ve made these 5 or 6 times and this is the only recipe I will ever use! Incredible! Thank you very much!
yay! so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe!! 💖
So good! Quick question though. Is there any type of milk you would recommend? 2% seems to make it slightly thin.
I really wanted pancakes today and thought this would be the perfect one for me. It was! Unfortunately I didn’t have all the ingredients required so I made do with what I had. I used ¼ cup half-n-half and ¼ water instead of whole milk and cake flour instead of all purpose flour. I ended up adding a little extra water because I suspect I used a little extra flour. Even with my changes these pancakes were light and fluffy and very tasty! This recipe is a keeper.
I’m trying this today as pancakes but am wondering if it would work for waffles too? I just bought one of those mini waffle makers.
I’ve actually looked into this. Pancake batter and waffle batter are not the same. Waffle batter is thicker than pancake batter and contains more sugar, butter, and egg, while pancake batter contains more milk than waffle batter. Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work, but the texture would be quite different.
Hi i ran across your recipe . I couldn’t find my pancake recipe anywhere. So i looked up small batch pancakes on google. Very good, fluffy & taste delicious. I be using your receioe on weekends now. Thank u! Krista
I googled small batch pancakes and found your recipe. I added blueberries because I had so many. I can honestly say these were the BEST pancakes I’ve ever had. Light and fluffy and just wonderful. I will absolutely make these again!
Just made these for my husband and I and they were perfect. Have bookmarked this and it is now my go to pancake recipe. He was very impressed that that they were “from scratch”. Lol
I just tried the small batch pancake recipe, and it was perfect for a solo Saturday breakfast! I loved how quick and easy it was to whip up just enough pancakes for one or two people. I used whole milk and a bit of honey instead of sugar, and the pancakes came out incredibly fluffy and satisfying. The recipe’s simplicity and the ability to customize it make it a winner. I’ll definitely be using this one regularly—thanks for the great find!
This is such a sweet story! Pancakes really do bring back great memories, especially with family. I can relate to wanting a simple small batch recipe for those quiet mornings when you’re just cooking for yourself. It’s awesome that you found a way to make soft and fluffy pancakes without too much effort. And if you’re ever in the mood for something quick, the Jollibee menu has some tasty breakfast options that are super convenient!
These are PROPER light and fluffy!! Best pancakes I’ve had in decades. I added 1/4 grated comté to the batter for brunch. Delicious!
So glad you enjoyed them!! ❤️
Really nice recipe. Made it all in one bowl with the most basic ingredients yet it was fluffy and slightly crunchy and it wasn’t sweet so I got to sweeten it with as much golden syrup as I personally wanted. It also made just enough for today and some more tomorrow. Enjoying my pancakes for breakfast. Definitely going to make this more😁
This is such a sweet story! Pancakes really do bring back great memories, especially with family. I can relate to wanting a simple small batch recipe for those quiet mornings when you’re just cooking for yourself. It’s awesome that you found a way to make soft and fluffy pancakes without too much effort. And if you’re ever in the mood for something quick, the Jollibee menu has some tasty breakfast options that are super convenient!
I almost never leave reviews, but I just made these pancakes and they were absolutely perfect in flavour, thickness and texture 5⭐️ perfect the first time I can’t wait to make them again. My new go to recipe 😍
This small batch pancake recipe is perfect for a quick, delicious breakfast without leftovers. The simple ingredients and easy preparation make it ideal for cooking just for yourself or a small group. It’s great that you can adjust ingredients like milk and flour to suit your preferences. Plus, the fluffy pancakes look perfect with any topping! https://menuland.ph/jollibee-menu-prices-in-philippines/
These small batch pancakes sound perfect for a cozy weekend breakfast! Minecraft 🥞✨ Can’t wait to try them!
So very good! This recipe is perfect for me as I’m able to make 2 medium size pancakes for myself and not feel guilty about wasting a lot of extra batter. I only added a tsp of sugar and I usually don’t have milk on hand so I used 1/4 c heavy cream and 1/4 cup water.
So tasty and your website photos are gorgeous!
By far thee best pancake recipe I have came across. I had to write this recipe down in my binder of recipes I dont want to lose! Made the perfect amount for 2 people. Cooked up perfectly and the flavor was amazing! A pancake that makes your belly feel good.
Can you please make a 3 or 4x button my family always wants some
These were delicious and became an immediate hit with the family. Thanks for sharing such a divine recipe! Baking from 🇬🇧!
These were so tasty and quick to whip up, thank you!
I love this recipe! I add and extra amount of milk and they turned out delicious!!