Easy

Classic American Hotcakes

Name: Classic American Hotcakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 tbsp caster sugar; ½ tsp fine salt; 240ml whole milk; 2 large eggs; 40g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, Plus extra for cooking; 1 tsp vanilla extract

Prep 10 minsCook 20 minsServes 4£0.60/servingAmerican Stack

Golden, cloud-soft, and properly thick - these are the hotcakes you get in a good American diner. Baking powder gives them their famous fluffiness; vanilla adds warmth. Stack them tall, melt a knob of butter on top, and pour over real maple syrup. This is the definitive American breakfast.

Classic American Hotcakes - american stack pancake recipe served on a plate, photographed from above

Ingredients

200g (1½ cups)plain flour
2 tspbaking powder
2 tbspcaster sugar
½ tspfine salt
240ml (1 cup)whole milk
2 largeeggs
40g (3 tbsp)unsalted butter, melted and cooled, Plus extra for cooking
1 tspvanilla extract

Method

1
Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
2
In a separate jug, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. A few lumps in the batter are correct - overworking it develops gluten and makes the hotcakes tough.
Tip
Rest the batter for 5 minutes to let the baking powder activate - you will see small bubbles form on the surface.
4
Heat a large non-stick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Add a small knob of butter and swirl to coat.
5
Pour approximately 60ml (¼ cup) of batter per hotcake into the pan. Cook until bubbles appear across the surface and the edges look set and slightly dry - about 2 minutes.
Tip
Resist the urge to press down on the hotcake; it needs the height.
6
Flip once and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until the underside is golden brown. The hotcake should spring back lightly when pressed.
7
Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven (100°C) while you cook the remaining batter. Serve in a stack with butter and maple syrup.

Pro Tips

→The batter should be pourable but not too thin - it should drop slowly from the spoon rather than running freely.
→A medium, not high, heat gives the most even cook. High heat browns the outside before the centre sets.
→For extra-fluffy hotcakes, separate the eggs and fold stiffly whipped whites into the batter just before cooking.

Topping Ideas

Maple syrup and softened butter - the classicFresh blueberries and a dusting of icing sugarCrispy streaky bacon and maple syrup (sweet-savoury)Sliced banana and a drizzle of honeyChocolate chips (fold into batter before cooking)

Learn More

Terms in this recipe

Buttermilk Baking powder Hotcake Flapjack

Defined in the Pancake Day glossary.

Questions & answers

What is the difference between hotcakes and pancakes?⌄

There is no difference - hotcake and pancake are two names for the same food in American English. "Hotcake" is the older, more informal term with diner-culture associations; "pancake" is the more universal word. Both refer to a thick, fluffy, griddle-cooked cake made with baking powder.

Why are my hotcakes flat and not fluffy?⌄

The most common causes are overworking the batter (which builds gluten and prevents rise), using old baking powder that has lost its potency, or cooking at too-high heat so the outside sets before the inside can rise. Mix until just combined, check your baking powder is fresh, and cook at medium rather than high heat.

Can I make the batter ahead?⌄

The batter is best used immediately - the baking powder begins working as soon as it contacts liquid, so a rested batter loses some leavening power. For next-morning hotcakes, mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and combine just before cooking.

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