Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes

Is there anything more beautiful than a giant stack of pancakes, fresh off the griddle? Add a glass of orange juice, a strong cup (or two) of vanilla-flavored coffee, plenty of maple syrup and you have the perfect start to any day. Don’t you agree?

To be honest… I always have a box of pancake mix in the pantry. You never know when you’ll run out of groceries and have nothing left to make, but pancakes, which happens more than I’m willing to admit! Haven’t you heard that Thursday night is breakfast for dinner night? No? Oh, maybe that’s just at my house. Either way, we love pancakes and always have that convenient box mix on hand. However, you really just cannot beat the flavor and texture of homemade pancakes. Not from a box mix, from scratch. And, actually, whipping up this homemade blueberry pancake recipe is almost just as easy as using the boxed pancake mix. I promise!

If I’m going to roll myself out of bed and flip pancakes, I’d much rather make some amazing blueberry pancakes and enjoy that perfect, fluffy goodness. This recipe creates a light, airy batter that makes those tall and fluffy pancakes that are super tender and studded with sweet, juicy blueberries. Don’t you just love that moment when you flip a pancake over and watch it rise up super tall right before your eyes? I love that!

After making this recipe, my family decided these blueberry pancakes would be the only pancakes I make from now on. They’re that good. I guess that box in the pantry is going to be sitting for quite awhile!

ingredients

This recipe uses simple baking ingredients. You’ll need all of the usuals – flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Nutmeg or cinnamon is optional, but gives these pancakes lovely flavor. The wet ingredients are milk, an egg, butter and vanilla extract. Here’s a note on each of the ingredients:

• Flour. Regular all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour will give you the best results. To make these gluten free, try using an all-purpose gluten-free flour or oat flour. Whole wheat flour works, but your pancakes may not turn out as light and fluffy.
• Baking staples. You’ll need some vanilla extract for flavor, a pinch of salt to pull the flavors together and baking powder to help the pancakes rise.
• Sugar. Add just one tablespoon of sugar for a touch of sweetness.
• Nutmeg or cinnamon. For warm, cozy flavor!
• Milk. You can use any milk you’d like. Whole milk will give these the richest flavor.
• Egg. You’ll need just one egg in this pancake recipe.
• Melted butter. A little bit of melted butter gives these the perfect texture.
• Blueberries. Feel free to use fresh or frozen blueberries in this recipe.

Craving plain pancakes? These are even great without any extras! Or, you can substitute the blueberries for another add-in. Sometimes we love to mix in chocolate chips or banana chunks with macadamia nuts!

how to make this recipe

These made-from-scratch blueberry pancakes take just a couple of minutes longer to whip up, than boxed pancake mix. And once you give this homemade version a try, you won’t be able to go back to eating boxed pancake mix. No comparison! Here’s the easy method:

1. Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and nutmeg.
2. Add wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla; mix until just combined. Do NOT overmix. Some small lumps are fine.
3. Let batter rest. For best results, rest the batter for 5 to 10 minutes. This will allow the gluten in the flour to relax and the starch grains to swell and will make for the most light and fluffy pancakes.
4. Cook. Heat a large skillet, nonstick pan or griddle over medium to medium-high heat. Butter the surface and once hot, spoon out about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. You may need to gently spread the batter out some. Arrange blueberries evenly over the tops, as many or few as you prefer. After about 3 minutes and when bubbles begin to form on the surface and the edges look set, flip and cook the other side until cooked through and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Serve and enjoy. Top with any favorite toppings. We love maple syrup and an extra handful of fresh blueberries!

keep pancakes warm

If I’m cooking a breakfast spread for the family, I like to keep these warm until they’re all cooked and we’re ready to eat. I simply heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Once a batch of pancakes have cooked, I transfer them to a large baking sheet and put them in the oven to stay warm.

how to serve

The best thing about homemade blueberry pancakes is you get to pick exactly how you want them topped! Here are some ideas:

• Maple syrup
• Whipped cream
• Fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc.)
• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• Coarsely chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds, walnuts, etc.)
• Powdered sugar
• Butter or nut butter (Nutella, almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)
• Caramel sauce

tips for recipe success

This easy pancake recipe is pretty simple and straightforward, but I do have a few pancake-making tips that I’ve learned along the way. Here are some recommendations:

1. Don’t over-mix the batter. You want to gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until you have a lumpy, just-moist batter. Lumps are good, trust me! If you beat the batter until it is perfectly smooth, you’ll have a very dense, flat pancake instead of a light and fluffy one.
2. Rest batter. Once you’ve mixed up the batter, it’s best to let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to relax and the starch grains to swell. Your pancakes will be more likely to come out light and fluffy.
3. Don’t press down on the pancake with the back of your flipper. This can cause them to flatten and it won’t help them cook any faster.
4. Only flip once. Flipping the pancakes back and forth causes them to deflate and become dense, so when it’s time to check if they’re done on bottom, just barely lift them to take a peek.
5. Frozen blueberries. You can use frozen blueberries in this recipe. I would recommend thawing and rinsing the blueberries. Then, drain them well and pat them dry. You want to make sure to get rid of any excess moisture.

make ahead

The batter can be made in advance. You can refrigerate it for up to 4 hours before you plan to use it.

storing, freezing and reheating

• Storing leftovers. These keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To store in the refrigerator, let pancakes cool completely and then put them in a zip-top baggie or other airtight container. You can reheat them in a toaster or microwave when you’re ready to eat.
• Freezing. Once they’re cooled to room temperature, freeze them first on a large pan or plate. When they are slightly hard, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Pancakes will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freezing them first, separately, keeps them from sticking together.
• Reheating. To reheat frozen pancakes, you can either heat them in a toaster oven, microwave, or a warm oven. You can also reheat without thawing them first.

This is sure to become your new go-to pancake recipe. They’re soft, fluffy and melt in your mouth delicious!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagramwith a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.