How do I make pancakes?

Pancake problems are nearly all batter or heat. Lumpy batter comes from adding all the liquid at once; tough pancakes come from over-whisking or not resting; and the first pancake fails because the pan hasn't reached a stable temperature yet. That last one is universal and not your fault.

What you'll need

• 100g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 300ml milk
• Pinch of salt
• Butter or oil
• Non-stick frying pan and a whisk

Step by step

1. Put the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre.The well is what lets you incorporate liquid gradually, which is how you avoid lumps.
2. Crack the eggs into the well and whisk, drawing flour in from the edges.You're making a thick smooth paste first. This stage is where lumps are prevented.
3. Add the milk gradually, whisking as you go.A splash at a time until it's smooth, then the rest more quickly. Adding it all at once guarantees lumps.
4. Rest the batter for at least 30 minutes.The flour hydrates fully and the gluten relaxes. It genuinely makes them more tender, and it lets lumps dissolve.
5. For thick American-style pancakes, add a teaspoon of baking powder and reduce the milk to about 200ml.Don't over-mix these — lumps are fine, and over-mixing makes them tough and flat.
6. Heat the pan over medium heat and wipe it with a little butter or oil.Wipe, don't pour. Excess fat makes them patchy and greasy.
7. Accept that the first pancake will be wrong.The pan hasn't stabilised. Everyone's first pancake is a test — it's not a technique failure.
8. Cook until bubbles form and the edges look set, then flip once.One flip only. Flipping repeatedly makes them tough and deflates thick ones.

Tips

• Batter keeps in the fridge overnight, and thin-pancake batter is often better the next day.
• If the batter thickens on standing, thin it with a splash of milk. Rested batter almost always needs slight adjustment.
• For thick pancakes, drop the batter and leave it alone — spreading it out with the back of a spoon knocks out the air.
• Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven, stacked with baking paper between them.

Common mistakes

• Adding all the milk at once — It's the main cause of lumpy batter. Gradual incorporation prevents it entirely.
• Not resting the batter — The flour hasn't hydrated, so pancakes are tougher and more likely to tear.
• Over-mixing baking powder batters — It develops gluten and knocks out air, giving tough, flat pancakes. Lumps are fine in these.
• Pan too hot — They brown outside before cooking through. Medium heat is right for both styles.

Questions people ask