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Old-Fashioned Pancakes

This is the most basic recipe for a slightly thick pancake. It's just as easy to make a quick homemade batter as it is to open a box mix, which needs ingredients added to it anyway. And using organic ingredients seems to give the pancakes a cleaner and truer flavor. From the book "Mad Hungry," by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books).
Mad Hungry, September 2010
  • Yield Makes 2 cups batter; 16 4-inch pancakes
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving
  • Vegetable oil, for the griddle
  • Pure maple syrup, warmed, for serving

Directions

  1. Place a heat-proof platter into a warm oven (at 200 degrees).

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add in the egg, milk, and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk from the center, slowly incorporating the flour. Rest the batter for 10 minutes.

  3. Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or favorite griddle over medium-high heat. Swirl the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet (or use oil to coat the griddle) and immediately pour in 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. When bubbles rise to the surface, flip the pancakes, slightly reduce the heat, and cook until the bottoms are golden and the centers are cooked, about 1 minute. (Rarely does the first pancake work because it takes a bit of time to get in the groove with the heat, fat, and batter.)

  4. As the pancakes come out of the skillet, place them on the warm platter in the oven until ready to serve. Serve a stack of 3 pancakes, topped with more butter and the maple syrup.

Recipe Reviews

  • Manar4
    24 Jan, 2013

    Amazing>>>>>.This is really the best pancake recipe I have ever tried .... It is sooo fluffy and at the same time well cooked from inside
    Also it is mixed in one pot and u dont need to separate eggs so it is rapid
    but if u ,as me, like them sweet add 2 or 3 tbs of sugar

  • Nana3751
    14 Sep, 2012

    I really love your show and recipes, but I wish you would add the nutritional values.

  • creativitycooks4u
    7 Apr, 2011

    These pancakes take longer than thinner pancakes on the skillet- but it was worth the wait! I served with warm honey.

  • redsoxmom
    11 Mar, 2011

    Wonderful recipe. The pancakes were light and fluffy. Superb!

  • TresaSu
    5 Feb, 2011

    This will be my new go to pancake recipe for everyday pancakes. Sure buttermilk would be good but I don't keep it in the house. We loved these pancakes and they are just great for a regular saturday morning or breakfast for dinner on a weeknight. Nothing fancy just good. That's what I love about Lucinda!

  • Brawnybear
    3 Jan, 2011

    Needs buttermilk!

  • maybelazy
    29 Dec, 2010

    Great recipe! I loved it and will use it from now on instead of buying the pancake mix. I will add half a teaspoon of salt next time, though, as I thought it had a bit too much of a salty taste. Still, this recipe is better than any pre-made pancake mix.