You will need only one egg, some flour, milk, butter, and a few other pantry staples to whip up 30 mini pancakes in under 30 minutes. Double the recipe to freeze some for a quick and delicious breakfast later. These mini pancakes are so much better than store-bought!
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About the mini pancakes recipe
The recipe for my mini pancakes is based on a classic American pancake recipe, but they are made in a fun, bite-sized version that's perfect for kids and adults alike. When my son was little, I used to cut regular pancakes into smaller pieces for him. Then, I realized it was so much easier to make smaller pancakes from the start.
These fluffy mini pancakes freeze beautifully and can be reheated in just a few minutes, making them convenient for busy mornings. Serve them with maple syrup, butter, fresh fruits or your favorite jam. These are also great for brunch and breakfast platters, since pancake is just two or 3 bites.
If you love pancakes, try my classic American pancakes, syrnyky, fluffy kefir pancakes, Greek yogurt pancakes, oat milk pancakes, and beetroot pancakes.
Ingredients
These mini pancakes are made with simple pantry ingredients you probably already have at home. Flour provides structure, baking powder helps the pancakes rise, while milk, eggs and butter create soft texture and rich taste. I also add a little sugar for sweetness, and vanilla extract gives them the warm, homemade flavor. I also add a little bit of cinnamon, but it is optional.
What you'll need:
- All-purpose unbleached flour
- Granulated cane sugar
- Aluminum free baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Room temperature large egg
- Room temperature whole milk, you can also use 2% milk.
- Melted butter
- Puree vanilla extract and cinnamon.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Whisk just until combined. Do not overmix. The batter should look lumpy.
- Let the pancake batter rest for 10 minutes. Heat your frying pan over medium heat. Add a little bit of butter.
- Scoop out a tablespoon of pancake batter into the hot pan. Repeat the same by adding 4-5 more scoops or as many as you can fit on a frying pan. Let them cook over low- medium heat for about 60-90 seconds or until you see small bubbles on top.
- Flip the pancakes and cook on the other side for another minute.
- Remove them from the skillet on a plate. Cook the rest of the batter. If you see the butter start smoking, reduce the heat a little bit. You may need to add a little bit more butter between each batch if needed.
Serving tip
To keep them warm while you finish the rest, place the cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 200°F. You can also cover them loosely with the foil so they do not dry out.
Serving ideas and toppings
- Savory: I love serving sweet pancakes with some breakfast chicken sausage, smoked salmon or bacon, and some golden hash-browns.
- Sauces and spreads: Maple syrup, honey, Nutella, chocolate sauce, almond, or peanut butter, jams
- Toppings: Whipped cream, sour cream, Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, fresh berries, fruit sprinkles.
How to store and reheat
- To freeze: flash and freeze them on a cutting board lined with parchment paper for about 1 hour. Once the pancakes are solid, transfer them into a freezer bag or a container. They will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To refrigerate: let pancake cool down completely. Transfer leftover pancakes into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- To reheat from frozen: place 5-6 pancakes on a plate in a single layer. Microwave on high for about 35-45 seconds or until hot.
- To reheat from the fridge: Microwave on high for about 15-20 seconds or until hot.
Expert recipe tips
- To prevent the melted batter from solidifying, pour it in at the very end by continuously whisking the pancake batter.
- Let the pancake rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before frying.
- To make the mini pancake even size, you can use a mini pancake pan, a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon), a stainless steel measuring tablespoon, a squeeze bottle (like the kind used for ketchup or mustard), or a pancake batter dispenser.
- To speed up the cooking process, you can use two frying pans if you do not have a large griddle.
- Cook the pancakes on medium or medium-low heat to prevent the butter from burning.
- When using a stainless steel pan, cook it on low-medium heat and if the butter still burns, rinse the frying pan every 2-3 batches.
Recipe variations (savory and sweet)
There is a lot you can do with the pancake batter. You can make them sweet or savory. Just remember if you add anything to the batter it needs to be chopped up small as well.
Sweet variations:
- Chocolate chip: mix in some mini chocolate chips.
- Berries: frozen wild berries work best for this recipe, because they are much smaller.
- Banana and Nutella: dice some bananas and swirl some Nutella into the pancake batter.
- Apple and cinnamon: peel and grate the apple and add it to the batter with some cinnamon.
Frequently asked questions
You can use butter or oil to cook pancakes. I usually cook my pancakes on low to medium heat, so I prefer using butter for the flavor. Vegetable oil or avocado oil works great too. Vegetable oil can handle higher heat without burning, but it lacks flavor. Butter, on the other hand, adds a nice flavor and creates a beautiful golden-brown crust, but it can burn easily at higher temperatures. Another great option is combining butter and vegetable oil or using clarified butter, which offers both - it's flavorful and can handle high heat.
I always use the time and visual clues to tell the best moment to flip my pancakes. Depending on the heat, it usually takes about 1-2 minutes for them to cook on the first side. When you see bubbles on top and the edges of the pancakes look browned and slightly lifted from the pan, it is time to flip them. After flipping, they should cook for another minute.
Yes, you can use this recipe to make regular size pancakes instead. You will have about 8 regular size pancakes with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Mini Pancakes
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 tablespoon or small cookie scoop
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 room temperature egg
- 1¼ cup room temperature milk
- 3 tablespoons melted and slightly cooled butter
- ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon butter or oil for cooking
Instructions
- In the first bowl, whisk 1½ cup all-purpose flour , 2 tablespoons granulated sugar , 3 teaspoons baking powder , ½ teaspoon salt , ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
- In the second bowl, whisk 1 room temperature egg, 1¼ cup room temperature milk, 3 tablespoons melted and slightly cooled butter , and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract .
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, whisking them until combined. Do not overmix, the batter should look lumpy. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes at room temperature.
- In a large skillet, heat about 1 teaspoon of butter over medium heat. Using a tablespoon side measuring spoon or a cookie scoop, scoop out the pancake batter and add it to the hot pan. Add about 4-5 more pancakes at once, depending on the size of your skillet.
- Cook on one side for about 60-90 seconds, until you see small bubbles on top and the edges set. Flip the pancakes and cook them on the second side for another minute. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. You will have about 40 mini pancakes.
Notes
- You can use whole milk, 2% milk or any milk alternatives.
- Pancake batter can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- You can cook them in two skillet simultaneously to expedite the cooking process.
- Freeze the pancakes for up to 2 month.
- Frozen pancakes reheat well from frozen in the microwave.
- You can also use this recipe to make about 7-8 regular size pancakes.
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