Easy

Mexican Hotcakes

Name: Mexican Hotcakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 240g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 3 tbsp piloncillo or soft dark brown sugar, Piloncillo gives the most authentic flavour; dark brown sugar is a good substitute; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp fine salt; 300ml whole milk; 2 large eggs; 50g unsalted butter, melted; 1½ tsp vanilla extract, Use a good-quality vanilla — it is prominent in the flavour

Prep 10 minsCook 25 minsServes 4£0.55/serving

Across Mexico, hotcakes are a beloved street-breakfast staple — scented with vanilla and cinnamon, cooked on a dry comal, and served with honey, cajeta, or piloncillo syrup. This recipe captures that warm, aromatic quality that makes Mexican hotcakes distinctly their own, even though the base is the same American pancake they evolved from.

Ingredients

240g (1¾ cups)plain flour
2 tspbaking powder
½ tspbicarbonate of soda
3 tbsppiloncillo or soft dark brown sugar, Piloncillo gives the most authentic flavour; dark brown sugar is a good substitute
½ tspground cinnamon
½ tspfine salt
300ml (1¼ cups)whole milk
2 largeeggs
50g (3½ tbsp)unsalted butter, melted
1½ tspvanilla extract, Use a good-quality vanilla — it is prominent in the flavour

Method

1
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
2
In a jug, whisk the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.
3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a few gentle strokes until just combined. Do not overwork — lumps are fine.
4
Heat a comal or dry non-stick pan over medium heat. Mexican hotcakes are traditionally cooked without added butter or oil; the dry surface gives a characteristic slightly matte finish.
If using a comal for the first time, let it heat fully for 2–3 minutes before adding batter — an evenly heated surface is key.
5
Pour approximately 80ml (⅓ cup) of batter per hotcake. Cook until bubbles appear across the surface and the edges look set, about 2–3 minutes.
6
Flip once and cook for a further 1–2 minutes until golden underneath.
7
Serve immediately with honey, fruit jam, cajeta, or piloncillo syrup (see tip below).
Piloncillo syrup: combine 100g grated piloncillo, 100ml water, and a cinnamon stick in a small pan. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain and serve warm.

Pro Tips

→Piloncillo (raw Mexican cane sugar, sold in solid cones) has a rich, slightly smoky molasses flavour that brown sugar can approximate but not fully replace.
→The cinnamon-vanilla combination is the defining characteristic of Mexican hotcakes — do not reduce either.
→Street vendors in Mexico often cook these on a very large, well-seasoned comal without any oil; a well-seasoned cast-iron pan achieves a similar effect.

Topping Ideas

Honey — the simplest and most traditionalCajeta (Mexican goat's milk caramel)Piloncillo syrup with cinnamonFresh mango or strawberries with cremaFruit jam (strawberry or guava work particularly well)

Questions & answers

Why are they called hotcakes in Mexico?⌄

Mexico adopted the American English word "hotcakes" directly, without translating it, during the 20th century as American food culture spread through Latin America. The word has been fully naturalised — most Mexicans consider it the standard Spanish-language word for pancakes, not a borrowing.

What is piloncillo?⌄

Piloncillo is unrefined Mexican cane sugar, sold in solid cone shapes. It has a deep, slightly smoky, molasses-like flavour that is richer than refined brown sugar. It is used in Mexican cooking for syrups, atole, and traditional desserts. You can find it in Latin American grocery shops; dark brown sugar is a reasonable substitute.

Can I use a regular frying pan instead of a comal?⌄

Yes. A comal is a flat, round griddle used across Mexican cooking; a good non-stick frying pan works well as a substitute. The key detail is cooking the hotcakes dry (no butter or oil), which gives them a slightly firmer exterior than the American version.