{Tips & Tricks} Making Light & Fluffy Pancakes

 

Whether you make pancakes from scratch or from the box, they are relatively easy to prepare. Up until this year, I always reached for my trusty box of Bisquick, mixed all of the necessary ingredients and got to work mixing and flipping the flapjacks. One time I went to reach for the box when all of a sudden it dawned on me..."I can make these from scratch."

I researched a few pancake recipes and then tried my hand at making them...and voila! That's when I fell in love with making pancakes from scratch...and it's a good thing I did because my husband fell head over heels in love with pancakes from scratch. Since then, I've been creating all sorts of pancake recipes on weekend mornings. I've made everything from Pumpkin Pancakes to Blueberry Pancakes and everything in between. Coming from a lover of French toast, that's saying a lot.

When making pancakes from scratch, all you need are a few simple staple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, egg, butter and your favorite goodie to fold into the batter right before pouring it onto a hot griddle. The following is my go-to recipe for light and fluffy pancakes:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted 
• Flavor ingredient (optional)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and melted butter.
3. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together and whisk until incorporated.
4. Fold in flavor ingredient (optional).
5. Warm a greased griddle or frying pan over medium heat.
6. Pour the batter onto the warm and greased griddle and brown on both sides. Rule of thumb: Once the pancake begins to bubble around the edge it's ready to flip.

That's it! Making pancakes from scratch is as simple as that. There are few items to keep in mind when trying to create light and fluffy pancakes:

1. Measure ingredients carefully.
2. Do not overbeat the batter.
3. Grease the griddle or pan and don't add batter until it is nice and warm.
4. Use a laddle, measuring cup or ice cream scooper to ensure consistent-sized pancakes.
5. Cook the pancakes until the edges start to bubble on the uncooked surface and then flip.
6. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and make sure that the spatula head is wide enough for an accurate flip.
7. Serve the pancakes warm with softened butter and warmed syrup.

What is your favorite kind of pancake? Blueberry Pancakes are a favorite of mine!

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