I know–light and fluffy aren’t two words you’d typically think of to describe Whole Wheat Pancakes, which have a reputation for being dense and chewy. Light and fluffy is, however, the perfect way to describe this Whole Wheat Pancakes Recipe.
Pancakes are my middle son Ben’s most frequent request for breakfast. While we typically eat a hot breakfast most days, we try to limit the sweet ones to once or twice a month. (This recipe was originally published over eight years ago. I shared this recipe the very first week I started blogging! It’s hard to believe sometimes that it has already been that long.)
Whole Wheat Pancakes
I’ve made endless different recipes for pancakes over the years. Some have been good while others left something to be desired. If I’m going to make pancakes for breakfast, you can be sure I want them to be nothing short of excellent.
I also want whatever breakfast I make to provide my family with the energy they need to start their day.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with eating a good old white flour pancake now and again, I’ve often thought it would be nice to figure out a way to make this classic breakfast food a little more nutritious without sacrificing the taste. Whole Wheat Pancakes have more fiber than their white flour counterparts which makes them more filling too.
Wheat Pancakes
I first made this recipe with all-purpose flour and we all enjoyed it. After making it a few times, I realized that this pancake recipe is great with all kinds of versions of flour. A while back, when we were grinding our own wheat (yes, that was quite a while back), I used half whole wheat flour, all whole wheat flour, hard white wheat, soft white wheat; basically, I used whatever I have on hand in the freezer.
Now, I am more likely to make these with store-bought whole wheat flour or plain all-purpose flour when I don’t have whole wheat flour on hand.
The pancakes made from this recipe do not taste like any other whole wheat pancakes I have made. While I’ve made some good whole wheat pancakes, they’ve never before turned out as fluffy as I prefer. These pancakes come out perfectly every time.
I love them!
The biggest difference I’ve found with whole wheat pancakes is that we don’t eat nearly as many of them as we used to eat traditional all-purpose flour pancakes because they’re so much more filling!
Whole Wheat Pancakes Recipe
I guarantee you that this is the only Wheat Pancake Recipe you’ll ever need! They are absolutely delicious.
This batter is also a fantastic canvas for mixing in all kinds of tasty additions. To make these into blueberry whole wheat pancakes, drop a few fresh blueberries onto each pancake as it cooks on the griddle.
Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts would be another delicious addition to this batter.
We usually make and eat them just as written here, served with plenty of our favorite pancake toppings.
Pancake Toppings
These light and fluffy pancakes are so good they deserve only the best pancake toppings!
Many times I serve these, we enjoy them with a simple classic combo of butter and pure maple syrup. Cutting into a stack of fluffy pancakes with the side of a fork and letting the maple syrup soak into the pancake is my idea of a heavenly breakfast.
I serve the butter and syrup on the side so everyone can drizzle on their desired amount. When it comes to syrup, there’s no substitute for maple but there are a few other syrups that we love just as much on pancakes!
Have you ever tried Buttermilk Syrup? I first encountered it served over waffles at a restaurant and was so impressed that I rushed home to recreate it. It’s a rich and caramel-y alternative to the usual maple flavored syrups and tastes phenomenal on whole wheat pancakes.
My boys and I also really enjoy this homemade Brown Sugar Butter Syrup on our pancakes. It’s easy to make and brings a slight toffee like flavor to the pancakes.
And I can’t forget to mention my Grandma’s Waffle Sauce. I learned the recipe for this creamy, buttery, perfect sauce from my grandmother and it’s never felt to impress. Sweet with notes of vanilla and nutmeg, it’s just as tasty on pancakes as it is on waffles.
Blueberry Syrup and this tangy Lemon Sauce would also be a welcome sight at my breakfast table on pancake days.
Plenty of times, I’ve served these pancakes with fresh fruit and whipped cream or slathered with peanut butter and jelly. However, I serve them, they’re a hit.
Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes
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Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Combine wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients, whisking until fully combined.
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Pour onto hot griddle and flip when lightly browned on the bottom. I like to keep the finished pancakes warm in a basket lined with a tea towel until we are ready to eat.
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Serve with plenty of butter and maple syrup, or with fruit and whipped cream, or with peanut butter and maple syrup, or with peanut butter and jelly as a sandwich. The possibilities abound.
FREEZER MEAL: Let the pancakes cool completely, before storing them in an airtight ziploc bag. Reheat the frozen pancakes in the microwave. I frequently triple this recipe for my family, so that we’ll have plenty in the freezer for easy breakfasts.
Light Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup, plus 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp butter melted and cooled
Instructions
- Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Combine wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients, whisking until fully combined.
- Pour onto hot griddle and flip when lightly browned on the bottom. I like to keep the finished pancakes warm in a basket lined with a tea towel, until we are ready to eat.
- Serve with plenty of butter and maple syrup, or with fruit and whipped cream, or with peanut butter and maple syrup, or with peanut butter and jelly as a sandwich. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 5/17/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 8/15/19}
Nic says
These are the best whole wheat pancakes I’ve had! I used half the amount of salt originally asked for in the recipe, just as a precaution based on another comment. The taste the s perfect and the texture is wonderful, this recipe is my new to-go-to recipe for pancakes, thank you!
Mary Younkin says
Hi Nic, I am so very happy that you love these pancakes as much as we do!
Kelly Burns says
Love this recipe. I have made it multiple times. I hsve added some walnuts for an even more hardy feel. So fluffy! I might add some flax seed next time.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the pancakes, Kelly!
Rebecca Taylor says
We loved them!! the fluffiest wheat pancakes I have ever made. We topped them with pumpkin butter and banana slices and had them for dinner. Saving the recipe for sure.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the pancakes, Rebecca!
Stacy W. says
Hi Mary,
Can I sub the sugar w monkfruit sweetener (granulated) and the milk and butter w nondairy ones?
Mary Younkin says
I haven’t tried that myself, Stacy, but I am guessing it will work.
Twila says
Thanks for the great recipe!! Love your newsletters! Pancakes turned out beautifully!!
Mary Younkin says
That’s awesome, Twila.
Aretha Barnes says
Delicious
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the pancakes, Aretha!
Haley says
These came out sooo fluffy and delicious. Loved them! Thank you so much!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you love the pancakes, Haley!
Tammy Denise Gallagher says
yUMMY!!!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the pancakes, Tammy!
SV says
These did not turn out well for me at all. Not sure what happened, as the only change I made was coconut oil in lieu of butter. The measurements were precise, yet the pancakes would get brown on the bottom and remain frothy liquid on top… Never cooking through enough to flip them properly. Cooked in cast iron on Low-Medium like I always do our pancakes. Perhaps my grain just didn’t respond well to the recipe, but I suspect the full tablespoon of baking powder is also a likely culprit.
Mary Younkin says
That is very strange! I’ve never had pancakes cook on the bottom and remain liquid on top. I’ve never tried them with coconut oil, but that really shouldn’t have affected the recipe. I bake with it often. I can’t even imagine what caused that if you were cooking them the same way you typically cook pancakes on the stove. I’m at a loss! I use a full tablespoon of baking powder every time I make these and it works beautifully. Were you using plain whole wheat flour? Any chance you were grinding your own flour and it was a bit too coarse? Did you by chance sub any other ingredients?
Caterina Krug says
Pancakes were super fluffy and delicious. My kids loved them and said they taste like normal pancakes!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad that you’re enjoying the pancakes!
Chloe Schoonover says
they are amazing!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that the pancakes are a hit!
Tom says
I’m sure these would have been good if we would have used baking powder instead of baking soda. Omg, my tongue feels weird.
Mary Younkin says
LOL! Oops! They’re definitely best with baking powder. I’m glad you still enjoyed them.
Shira says
Delicious!!! Fluffy and scrumptious! I made mine with a berry sauce by just heating up some berries on the stove top and adding a little bit of maple syrup- yummy 😋
Mary Younkin says
That sounds like the perfect breakfast, Shira!
Emily says
Can this batter be made ahead of time and then used the next day?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that, Emily.
Ben says
Very delicious I added blueberry and chocolate chips, they were fantastic!
Mary Younkin says
That sounds great, Ben.
kianna says
do you think a mix of whole wheat pastry flour and regular whole wheat flour work here? look great!
Mary Younkin says
I’m guessing yes, but I haven’t tried that myself, Kianna.
Vera says
Can you make these dairy free by substituting almond milk for regular milk and oil for the butter?
Mary Younkin says
That should work, Vera. However, I have not tested it myself.
Sharon says
Thank you so much for this recipe. The pancakes were very fluffy and soft despite being made of whole wheat. I always struggled for a soft whole wheat pancake. Now I have the perfect recipe 😁😊
Mary Younkin says
I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying the pancakes, Sharon!
Beth says
This is hands down the best whole wheat pancake recipe I have ever made, and I have tried quite a few! Today I tried the recipe in my waffle maker and it worked like a charm! I added two extra tablespoons of milk, to thin it out just a little bit, and the waffles were fluffy, with zero drips, which is always a win in the waffle world!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the pancakes, Beth.