Light Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes

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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.

Light and Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes? Yes! - get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

This recipe was originally published over ten 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.

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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. These pancakes never fail to make his day.

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.

There’s nothing wrong with eating good old traditional pancakes or buttermilk pancakes. And these Banana Pancakes are filled with coconut and pecan, making them truly irresistible.

However, 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.

As an added benefit, 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 could be 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.

Light and Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes - get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

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. We 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.

If you make pancakes often, nothing beats a great electric griddle for streamlining the cooking process. A few years ago, when my 15-year-old griddle finally died, I tested every single griddle I could get my hands on.

When I finally tried this extra large electric griddle, I knew I’d found THE ONE. It’s a little on the spendy side, but I am telling you now, it beats all the others hands-down.

This nylon flexible turner is a pancake-making must-have, as is a dough whisk. If you aren’t familiar with the awesomeness that is a dough whisk for pancakes and waffles, you are missing out. It’s a crazy-looking tool, but it stirs the batter just enough without overmixing it.

I’ve tried pretty much all of the nifty pancake-pouring gadgets out there, and I stand by a good old measuring cup as the easiest way to make pancakes. I use the ¼ or ⅓ cup sizes for most pancake making – this set that I use every day will allow you to improvise for all kinds of sizes.

Super fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes - get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

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.

If you’re looking for a gluten free option, these Light and Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes always get rave reviews. These 2 Ingredient Cream Cheese Pancakes remain a long-time favorite with my oldest son.

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.

Super fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes are a dreamy weekend breakfast! - get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes

  1. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Combine wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients, whisking until fully combined.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
Can You Freeze Pancakes?

Yes! Pancakes are the ultimate breakfast 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.

These aren't the usual Whole Wheat Pancakes! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

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 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.

Fluffy, buttery, nutty, pecan pancakes topped with maple syrup make for a tasty and easy breakfast we all enjoy.

Naturally sweet and bursting with blueberry freshness, banana blueberry pancakes are a weekday breakfast must in our home.

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.

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Light and Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes - get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Light Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes

4.68 from 53 votes
These fluffy white pancakes are filling and delicious.
Pin Print Review
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 medium pancakes

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher 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

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal · Carbohydrates: 12g · Protein: 2g · Fat: 3g · Saturated Fat: 2g · Cholesterol: 21mg · Sodium: 129mg · Potassium: 147mg · Fiber: 1g · Sugar: 2g · Vitamin A: 112IU · Calcium: 70mg · Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 5/17/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/13/21}

Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes are a breakfast favorite! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Elizabeth says

    These were GREAT!! I subbed honey for the sugar and a little oil for the butter. We loved them! These will become a Saturday staple.5 stars

  2. katie says

    Followed the instructions. My battery is so liquidy. I don’t know what I did wrong
    Maybe whole wheat pastry flour instead of hard red?

    • Mary Younkin says

      That may have been it, Katie. I typically use hard white whole wheat flour. Sorry the pancakes didn’t turn out very well; if you decide to try making the recipe again, let me know how they turn out with hard white flour!

  3. Savina says

    I substituted regular sugar with brown. Other than that, best whole wheat pancakes I’ve ever had! Thank you for sharing your recipe5 stars

  4. katie says

    Followed the instructions. My batter is so liquidy. I don’t know what I did wrong
    Maybe whole wheat pastry flour instead of hard red left too much liquid?

  5. Julie Rivers says

    I only use 100% whole wheat flour and am always looking for a recipe for light, fluffy WW pancakes.
    This is not it. They taste good but are flat and somewhat heavy.

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi, Julie! I’m not sure what might have happened; these pancakes have always turned out well for me. Is there a chance that you might have omitted/substituted some ingredients from the recipe?

  6. Brittney says

    These pancakes were good. I substituted the sugar with monk fruit sweetener and added some vanilla extract.5 stars

  7. Donisha says

    Made these pancakes for my family. I added almond essence to the wet ingredients and added blueberries while they were in the pan. They came out fluffy! 10/10 would recommend.

    Love from Barbados🇧🇧4 stars

  8. Nicole says

    I’m just starting switching to whole wheat flour, so I’ve been trying to figure out a pancake that turns out ok. This was pretty good! I think I let my batter sit a bit too long while I waited for the griddle to heat, so it became thick and a little gummy. I just added a splash more milk, and then it was a lot better.
    Thanks for the recipe!5 stars