Pancakes You'll Want To Make Every Single Morning

There's something absolutely decadent about indulging in a stack of pancakes first thing in the morning. Maybe it's because if you're taking the time to make pancakes, you're already in relaxation mode — you're not rushing around, grabbing a Pop-Tart or scarfing down a bowl of cereal before running out the door. You're prepared to kick back, enjoy your coffee, and take all the time you need to fully enjoy a stack of pancakes filled (or topped with) your favorite flavors. Whether it's drizzled with syrup, or it's a serving's worth of fresh berries, it's sure to be a nice treat.

But if it's been a while since you've fired up the griddle and taken the time to whip up a batch of batter, you shouldn't let that stop you from practicing your pancake flip. With just a few ingredients, you can cook up a batch for a crowd, or allow yourself the fun of cooking pancakes for one. These simple recipes are the perfect place to start. 

Feel free to experiment with toppings. For instance, go tropical with chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and chopped macadamia nuts. Or you can use your pancakes as bread for a savory-sweet breakfast sandwich. (Pro tip: Try breakfast sausage and bacon between two hot cakes.) You may discover a newfound appreciation for this breakfast staple.

If you're less concerned about carb intake and more concerned about starting your day off with a nutrient-filled breakfast, look no further than our recipe for oatmeal pancakes. The rolled oats that the recipe calls for offer a significant amount of added fiber, which can help you feel full long after eating. Not to mention, rolled oats also contain additional vitamins, proteins, and minerals like iron, which you'd be hard-pressed to find in a pancake made solely of all-purpose flour.

One tip to keep in mind is that you'll want to soak the oats in milk before using them in your batter. This extra step only takes 10 minutes, and you can have the oats soak while you're prepping the rest of your batter. The result is softer oats, which are easier to mix with your other ingredients, resulting in a batter with just the right consistency for making pancakes.

When you want your morning meal to bring warmth and comfort into your world while delivering aromas that take you back to your grandma's kitchen, look no further than this recipe for quick banana pancakes. They'll take about 30 minutes to whip up, and then you can enjoy taking your first bite of the banana, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar-infused flapjacks. They are sure to be a hit with the whole family. Don't forget to top them with walnuts and syrup to truly dig into the decadence that's particularly good for a cold fall or winter morning.

Possibly the best part about this pancake recipe is that it's easy to turn it into a vegan-friendly breakfast. Simply trade the egg for a little apple cider vinegar, and just like that, your pancakes are free of any animal-derived ingredients.

When your pantry's bare, you might still have the necessary ingredients to whip up a batch of pancakes when using this straightforward 3-ingredient pancake recipe. You'll need self-rising flour, milk, and an egg to cook up a small stack. Unlike some other 3-ingredient pancake recipes, this one does not call for bananas, which means that not only do you get the skip the banana flavor (not everyone is a fan of bananas, you know), but you also end up with a more true-to-taste-and-consistency flapjack that's light and fluffy, rather than somewhat flat and moist.

And remember, you can always use low-carb flour in place of the self-rising option (just make sure you follow the recipe's instructions for how to switch out flours), and jazz up your pancakes with whatever add-ins or toppings you prefer. For instance, if you increase the total ingredient count a hair, try mixing in a bit of Nutella for a sweet treat that's perfect for a birthday breakfast or Valentine's Day surprise.

When you're craving restaurant-quality pancakes, but don't feel like changing out of your pajamas, look no further than this recipe for IHOP-style buttermilk pancakes. You will, of course, need to plan ahead so that you actually have buttermilk on hand, but the other ingredients are more-or-less what you'd expect from a homemade pancake: all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, a little sugar, a dash of salt, an egg, and vegetable oil — and they're items you probably already have on hand if you're a regular baker. 

As the author points out, though, the ultimate way to master IHOP-style pancakes is to get the presentation right. Try using a melon baller to place the perfect rounded scoop of butter atop your three-pancake stack, then don't be shy about adding syrup. Remember, IHOP offers those easy-pour syrup dispensers that allow you to dump a lake's-worth of your favorite sweet liquid on your flapjacks, so don't hold back from a generous pour at home. It's not like you make pancakes every morning. When you do, there's no harm in indulging a little.

When you're counting carbs, look no further than these quick-to-prepare, two-ingredient pancakes. The recipe requires mashed, ripened bananas and eggs. That's it!

Keep in mind that these low-carb pancakes may look similar to the flour-based variety, but they're not going to taste exactly the same. For one thing, they include bananas, and unless you're used to eating banana-flavored pancakes, it may take a few bites to grow accustomed to the strong banana flavor. Plus, it's important to remember that a pancake batter made of nothing more than mashed bananas and eggs won't end up with the same light and fluffy consistency you're used to enjoying.

But, if you approach this recipe with the intent to enjoy it for what it is (and how it tastes), rather than what it's not, there's a good chance you'll end up enjoying this sweet, low-carb treat. Just remember, the pancakes themselves are low in carbohydrates, but if you load them up with buckets of syrup, your carb count for the morning won't end up staying low.