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!
these were great …i do not make pancakes often as I find they are usually too heavy or dense.
thank you Beth!
This is the first time I’ve ever used a pancake recipe that produced pancakes that looked proper! Thank you!