Name: Old-Fashioned Pancake
Yield: 13

This Old-Fashioned Pancake Recipe is fluffy inside with crisp buttery edges made for soaking up syrup. My recipe has photos, tips, and tricks for reliable pancakes every time.

author’s note

Buttery, Crispy, and Soft Old-Fashioned Pancakes!

Growing up, pancakes weren’t just a weekend breakfast. They were an event in my house. My mom always made them from a box mix, and while those are so nostalgic and I still think they taste good, I really wanted to reliable my own pancake recipe I can make at home with fewer ingredients added in.

After plenty of testing, this Old-Fashioned Pancake Recipe has become my go-to. They’re soft inside with crisp, buttery edges, rich with flavor, and just thin enough to soak up a good drizzle of syrup. Honestly, they’re so good I can eat them plain, right off the skillet.

The assorted ingredients used in this recipe.

Old-Fashioned Pancake Batter Ingredients

Ingredient	Swap / Tip
Melted Butter	Swap with neutral oil, but butter gives the best flavor
Whole Milk + Vinegar	Use buttermilk if you have it
Egg	For egg-free: use flax egg (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water)
White Flour	Half whole-wheat flour works, but texture will be denser
Cornstarch	skippable, but makes a noticeable difference
Sugar	Swap with honey or maple syrup for natural sweetness
Baking Powder + Baking Soda	Don’t skip—they’re the lift-makers!
Vanilla Extract	Almond extract for a fun twist

Mixing dry ingredients together then creating from-scratch buttermilk for this old-fashioned pancake recipe.

How To Make from-scratch Pancakes

Make buttermilk by mixing vinegar and milk. mix in egg, vanilla, and melted butter.
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, sugar, leaveners, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine wet and dry with a light whisk. Keep it lumpy and rest 5–10 minutes.
Cook pancakes on a buttered skillet. Flip when bubbly and edges are set.
Repeat and serve with more butter and your favorite toppings.

Quick Tip

Top these satisfying from-scratch pancakes with Blueberry Syrup, Buttermilk Syrup, Caramel Syrup, or Whipped Cream paired with berries!

Mixing dry and wet ingredients for the batter.

What Is the Secret to Good Old-Fashioned Pancakes?

My number #1 tip: Avoid over mixing the batter; lumps are fine!
Let the batter rest 5 to 10 minutes for tender pancakes.
Watch the heat and lower it if pancakes brown too quickly.
Use a griddle if you make pancakes often. It makes cooking easier.
Grease with butter by running a cold stick over the pan, then wipe between batches for even cooking.

satisfying from-scratch Old-Fashioned Pancake Recipe with maple syrup

Quick Tip

Flip this Old-Fashioned Pancake recipe when bubbles pop into craters, edges look firm, and the underside is golden. Cook the other side until the edges turn golden too.