Perfect pancakes
See this recipe step by step

Perfect pancakes

A foolproof batter recipe and plenty of tips on how to make pancakes with flair, whether sweet or savoury

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

Method

  1. Blending in the flour: Put the flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the middle, then pour in about 50ml milk and 1 tbsp oil. Start whisking from the centre, gradually drawing the flour into the eggs, milk and oil. Once all the flour is incorporated, beat until you have a smooth, thick paste. Add a little more milk if it is too stiff to beat.
  2. Finishing the batter: Add a good splash of milk and whisk to loosen the thick batter. While still whisking, pour in a steady stream of the remaining milk. Continue pouring and whisking until you have a batter that is the consistency of slightly thick single cream. Traditionally, people would say to now leave the batter for 30 mins, to allow the starch in the flour to swell, but there's no need.
  3. Getting the right thickness: Heat the pan over a moderate heat, then wipe it with oiled kitchen paper. Ladle some batter into the pan, tilting the pan to move the mixture around for a thin and even layer. Quickly pour any excess batter into a jug, return the pan to the heat, then leave to cook, undisturbed, for about 30 secs. Pour the excess batter from the jug back into the mixing bowl. If the pan is the right temperature, the pancake should turn golden underneath after about 30 secs and will be ready to turn.
  4. Flipping pancakes: Hold the pan handle, ease a fish slice under the pancake, then quickly lift and flip it over. Make sure the pancake is lying flat against base of the pan with no folds, then cook for another 30 secs before turning out onto a warm plate. Continue with the rest of the batter, serving them as you cook or stack onto a plate. You can freeze the pancakes for 1 month, wrapped in cling film or make them up to a day ahead.
Try

Reheating pancakes

To oven reheat, stack the pancakes on a heatproof plate; cover with foil. Warm at 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 for 10-15 mins from cold or 5-10 mins from room temperature. To microwave, stack, cover with cling film, pierce the film. Reheat on High for 1 min.

Sweet & savoury

Onion, cheese & bacon Fry a chopped onion, then add chopped streaky bacon and cook until golden. Tip onto pancakes, grate over cheddar, fold up and eat hot. Tropical fruit & ginger: Fresh tropical fruits, stem ginger syrup and Greek yogurt.

Per serving

107 kcalories, protein 4.0g, carbohydrate 12.0g, fat 5.0 g, saturated fat 1.0g, fibre 0.0g, sugar 2.0g, salt 0.1 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, February 2007.

Try 3 issues of Good Food magazine for £3 - subscribe now!

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo lienocka

    29 December 2007

    lienocka rated this recipe

    5 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Pauline

    03 February 2008

    Pauline rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great stuff

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Sammy

    05 February 2008

    Sammy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Perfect

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo cocina

    05 February 2008

    cocina rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've been using this as my staple pancake recipe for many years, and it never fails me.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo kat24k

    05 February 2008

    kat24k rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    It really works!!!! So impressed...feel like an absolute genius!!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo kes

    07 February 2008

    kes commented on this recipe

    Made these for shrove tuesday. My 11 month daughter loved them served with a little lemon and sugar

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo janiceangela

    08 February 2008

    janiceangela rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    great recipe, very easy to do. Delicious

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo patricia

    19 February 2008

    patricia rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Never had any success with pancakes before they either stuck to the pan or ended up in a mess when i did manage to turn them over but this recipe worked perfect, shall use this all the time now for sweet and savory pancakes

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo PoppyD

    12 April 2008

    PoppyD rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Mmm lovely as a Saturday night snack in front of the telly! I didn't use any oil in the batter to make it slightly healthier and didn't notice a difference. Will make many times again :-)

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo loosyloo

    27 April 2008

    loosyloo commented on this recipe

    really nice but they did make the house a bit smokey

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Rhiannon

    02 August 2008

    Rhiannon commented on this recipe

    yumm! i � pancakes! do this a lot for week-day meals with ratatouille! =]

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Rhiannon

    02 August 2008

    Rhiannon commented on this recipe

    ^^sorry. meant 'i love pancakes'^^

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo sarahgoo122

    13 September 2008

    sarahgoo122 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    wicked mann these pancakes are amazing :D

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo becci-225

    09 December 2008

    becci-225 commented on this recipe

    It didnt work at all turned to total stodge! awful will stick to my normal recipe from now on!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo PidgePidge

    25 January 2009

    PidgePidge rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    Although these pancakes looked great, they were incredibly rubbery and a bit bland. I normally add baking soda (bicarb of soda) to pancakes and I wonder if the lack of it in this recipe contributed to there being no air at all in the batter--and the lack of air gave them the strange texture. I would try again with a pinch of baking soda, plus maybe a teaspoon of sugar, plus extra salt.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Debby

    21 February 2009

    Debby rated this recipe

    5 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo KateA

    24 February 2009

    KateA rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Perfect! Especially impressed at how easy they were to turn over, the oil in the batter must have helped. The mixture only made 6 though, not the 8 as stated.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Hels and Al

    24 February 2009

    Hels and Al rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Perfect pancakes, at last!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo cakeanyone?

    25 February 2009

    cakeanyone? rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I used 100g flour and 280ml milk - absolutely perfect!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Leamac83

    25 February 2009

    Leamac83 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made these last night and has sugar and lemon on them. Mmmmm perfect pancake day pancakes!!! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!! :)

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Leave a comment or suggestion

You must sign in or register to leave a comment.

Sign in / Register

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 300ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil or vegetable, plus extra for frying
  • pinch salt
Print this recipe
Add to your binder

Per serving

107 kcalories, protein 4.0g, carbohydrate 12.0g, fat 5.0 g, saturated fat 1.0g, fibre 0.0g, sugar 2.0g, salt 0.1 g

Advertisement

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons why to sign up:

  • You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
  • You can add your own recipes to this site for others to try; plus, rate and make comments on recipes, and share your views on our blog.

Follow Good Food

Advertisement

All about Good Food

Magazine

Good Food Magazine

Subscribe to Good Food magazine - enjoy 100+ triple-tested recipes delivered to your door, every month.

Order today, and receive your first 3 issues for just £3

On TV

Foodie TV

See your favourite chefs on Sky Channel 247, Virgin TV 260 and find their recipes at goodfoodchannel.co.uk.

Good Food Apps

Good Food Apps

For Good Food on the go, download our apps to your phone or portable device.
Find out more here

Buy ingredients

With just one click, the full list of recipe ingredients will be put into a basket at your choice of provider. Choose from:

mySupermarket Compare prices and choose a retailer you wish to buy them from.

Ocado Let Ocado deliver all you need for this recipe, right to your door

Tesco Buy all the ingredients from our recipes through your Tesco online shop.

new

Asda Shop with Asda? You can now buy ingredients for our recipes via your Asda online shop.

In association with the above providers. Terms and conditions apply.

Close