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This Pancakes For One recipe makes 2 to 3 fluffy, golden pancakes from scratch in 15 minutes with one egg and simple pantry ingredients.
Featured Comment
“Hands down the best pancake recipe I’ve ever tried – and I’ve tried a lot. They’re so light and fluffy and maintain their fluffiness out of the pan.”
– Kaia
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Equipment: 10-inch skillet
- Cook Method: Stovetop over medium heat
- Servings: 1
- Yield: 2 large or 3 medium pancakes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Lightly sweet with warm vanilla, a tender center that’s soft without being cakey, and buttery golden edges with just enough crispness.
A single serving pancake recipe made with one egg, no pancake mix, and ready start to finish in 15 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Pancake Recipe From Scratch
A short stack of warm, golden pancakes, sized for one and ready in minutes. That’s the whole reason this recipe exists.
I’ve been making pancakes my whole cooking life, first for my family on weekend mornings and then scaled down for one. The ratio is 1 cup flour to ¾ cup milk to 1 egg, and it gives you 2 large or 3 medium pancakes with a tender center and buttery edges from cooking in a hot skillet.
The batter comes together easily with ingredients you already have: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, an egg, milk, vanilla, and butter. Nothing unusual, nothing you need to buy.
I’ve tested this recipe more times than I can remember, adjusting the flour and milk until the batter poured right and the pancakes came out soft without being heavy. A 10-inch skillet is the right size. If you’re cooking for two, double everything.
Add blueberries, chocolate chips, or a mashed banana to change it up. The base recipe handles all of them.
After over a decade of developing single serving and small batch recipes, this is the pancake recipe I reach for on any morning I want a real breakfast without a pile of leftovers.
If you’re looking for more small batch pancakes for one, try my small batch buttermilk pancakes, single serve banana pancakes, small batch sheet pan pancakes, small batch chocolate chip pancakes, and single serving pumpkin pancakes.
Watch How To Make Pancakes For One
Table of Contents
- Featured Comment
- Quick Look
- Why You’ll Love This Pancake Recipe From Scratch
- Watch How To Make Pancakes For One
- Ingredient Notes
- Pancake Recipe Variations
- How To Make Pancakes For One
- Expert Tips
- Troubleshooting
- Serving Suggestions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Fluffy Pancakes For One Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what goes into this single serving pancake recipe and why each ingredient matters. If you have any ingredients leftover, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
All-purpose flour is the base of the batter. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off. Scooping from the bag packs in too much and gives you heavy pancakes. For gluten-free pancakes, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Baking powder is what makes these pancakes rise. Check the date on your container before you start. To test freshness, stir ¼ teaspoon into ½ cup of hot water. If it bubbles, it’s good. Use aluminum-free baking powder if your pancakes have ever tasted metallic or bitter.
Sugar adds a slight sweetness and helps the outside brown evenly.
Salt balances the batter and keeps it from tasting flat.
One large egg gives the pancakes structure and helps them hold together when you flip.
Milk controls the batter thickness. Start with ¾ cup and add a splash more if the batter looks too thick.
Vanilla extract gives the pancakes a warm, homemade flavor.
Salted butter goes into the batter for flavor and into the pan for golden, buttery edges. Unsalted works too.
Pancake Recipe Variations
This small batch pancake recipe is a good base. Change or add one ingredient to make the pancakes you want.
Banana Pancakes For One: Mash a ripe banana and mix it into the batter for natural sweetness.
Buttermilk Pancakes For One: Swap the milk for buttermilk to add a slight tang and extra fluffiness.
Blueberry Pancakes For One: Fold ¼ cup of fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries into the finished batter.
Chocolate Chip Pancakes For One: Stir 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips into the batter.
Pancakes For Two: Double every ingredient for 4 to 6 pancakes. Cook time stays the same.
How To Make Pancakes For One
These steps and photos walk you through the process. For ingredient amounts and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg, then add the milk, vanilla, and melted butter. Stir until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir just until you don’t see dry flour. The batter should be thick but pourable. A few small lumps are fine.
- Melt a small amount of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Pour ¾ cup of batter into the skillet. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook for 1 more minute, until the bottom is golden.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
Expert Tips
Spoon and level your flour. Different flour brands absorb liquid differently, so how you measure matters. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping from the bag packs in extra flour and makes the batter too thick.
Cook the batter right away. Baking powder starts working the moment it hits liquid. The longer the batter sits, the less rise you get.
Test your skillet before you pour. Flick a few drops of water onto the hot pan. If they sizzle and evaporate, it’s ready.
Watch the edges, not the clock. Flip when bubbles form across the surface and the edges look dry and set.
Don’t press down after flipping. Let the second side cook undisturbed. Pressing pushes out the air you just built up.
Troubleshooting
If your pancakes aren’t turning out quite right, here is how to fix common issues like flat pancakes, thick batter, or uneven cooking.
Why are my pancakes flat?
Your baking powder has lost its lift or the batter was overmixed. Test your baking powder by stirring ¼ teaspoon into ½ cup of hot water. If it doesn’t bubble, replace it. If the baking powder is fresh, you likely overmixed. Stir only until the dry flour disappears.
Why are my pancakes dense and heavy?
There’s too much flour in the batter. Add milk one tablespoon at a time and stir gently until the batter loosens to a thick but pourable consistency. For your next batch, spoon and level the flour instead of scooping.
Why are my pancakes raw in the middle?
The heat is too high. Lower the skillet to medium and give each pancake the full 3 minutes before flipping. The outside browns fast on high heat, but the inside needs time to cook through.
Why are my pancakes sticking to the pan?
The pan needs more butter or more time to heat up. Add a small amount of butter and let it melt completely before pouring the batter. If the butter smokes immediately, the pan is too hot. If it barely melts, give it another minute.
Why is my batter too thick?
Different flour brands absorb liquid differently. Add milk a splash at a time until the batter is thick but pours off a spoon. Small adjustments are normal.
Why is my batter is too thin?
Add flour half a tablespoon at a time and stir gently until the batter thickens. Too-thin batter makes flat pancakes that spread instead of rising.
Why do my pancakes taste metallic or bitter?
Your baking powder contains aluminum. Switch to an aluminum-free baking powder. This is the most common cause of off-tasting pancakes and the fix is immediate.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these pancakes with your favorite toppings or try one of these from-scratch recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
2 large or 3 medium pancakes from about 1½ cups of batter. Each pancake uses ¾ cup of batter.
It’s best to cook the batter right away. Baking powder starts losing its lift as soon as it hits liquid. If you need to wait, cover the batter and refrigerate for up to 2 hours, then stir gently and add a splash of milk before cooking.
Yes. Cool them completely, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet for 30 to 45 minutes, then transfer to a zip-top bag with parchment between the layers. They keep for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
One large egg. This recipe is scaled so you use the whole egg with no leftovers.
Yes. Double every ingredient and you’ll get 4 to 6 pancakes. Use the same cook time per pancake.
Yes. A griddle works well and heats more evenly. Grease it with butter and use the same medium heat and timing.
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or in a skillet over low heat.
No. Waffle batter needs a different ratio. Use my single serving waffle recipe instead.
No. This is a from-scratch recipe using flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, an egg, milk, vanilla, and butter. No boxed mix needed. If you’d rather keep a dry mix on hand, try my small batch pancake mix.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this pancake recipe for one or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Fluffy Pancakes For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon salted butter -melted, plus an additional tablespoon of butter to grease the pan.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg. Add the milk, vanilla, and melted butter and stir until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir just until the dry flour disappears. A few small lumps are fine.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Pour ¾ cup of batter into the skillet. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook for 1 more minute, until the bottom is golden brown.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
OMG, these are even more fantastic than I expected! I really indulged this morning in honor of PMS— I made them with bacon grease in place of butter, and drizzled Karo corn syrup on top, just like when I was a kid. They are sooo flippin’ fluffy and perfectly moist. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I will be including it in my saved stash of recipes!
Tonight was a night I was craving breakfast for dinner (happens a lot lol) and my heart was set on pancakes. I was ticked off because I was out of pancake mix and had forgotten to buy more. Then I found your recipe…..THANK YOU!! It’s as simple as stirring up some mix and I got 4 big pancakes out of it. Though I tried my hardest I could barely finish three lol. Your site is a Godsend for people like me who are cooking (and definitely baking) for one. I’ve already tried a few other recipes with success so again …a great big heartfelt THANK YOU
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Jane. Your comment means the world to me. Thank you for letting me know you loved the pancakes and are enjoying the recipes.
These pancakes were delicious! Some were burnt (completely my mistake, the heat was way too high!) but those that weren’t, came out delicious! I added just a splash of vanilla extract as a personal preference!
These look great, but I noticed the calorie count is way off. A cup of flour has around 450 calories (200 more than the total in the nutrition label for this recipe). I put the recipe into a calorie counter and it comes out near 750 calories.
Hi Destin,
The nutritional information is for one pancake.
Joanie
These were the perfect breakfast pancakes for my sons birthday as only he wanted them. Thanks for making the recipe so simple to follow. Will be making them again.
I’m so happy he enjoyed the pancakes, thank you for letting me know.
Oh my gosh, Joanie! You did it again. Another FABULOUS recipe that made me want to pick up a fork, reach right through my screen and snag a pancake! I ran to the kitchen, whipped up this recipe and savored each and every bite. My empty plate is sitting right here next to my computer. Mmmm…that was good!
I love your recipe! I make pancakes for my children but I need to watch my carb count. This recipe let’s me make small batches for them with no leftovers to temp me!
What a great idea if you don’t have to feed a crowd! These pancakes look so light and fluffy.
Lovely recipe. Had mine with blueberries and maple syrup. Thank you.
Sorry, my bad – I used 1&3/4 c milk!
Hi! First I want to say that here are delicious! I love them – so fluffy and a super easy breakfast! Thank you 😊
These made more than 3 pancakes! I added some white vinegar to the milk to make pseudo-buttermilk and managed to squeezed 5 medium sized ones outta them. Great for those sudden pancake cravings!
Sooooo good Joanie! Thank you!
These are perfect! My daughter just went away to college. She will love these!
Thank you, Marjory.
These made for a perfect “me night” dinner! No modifications made to the recipe. I cooked them in my Mickey Mouse waffle maker to make Mickey pancakes. The recipe made 3.5 thick pancakes. I will definitely use this recipe in the future.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pancakes, Meg. I love that you used a Mickey waffle maker – so fun! We used to have one when my kids were little and they loved having Mickey pancakes.
Thank you for sharing, it is always nice to know how to make things for one 🙂
Mmm a stack of pancakes does sound delicious right about now!
Your pancakes so light and fluffy. I haven’t had pancakes in years because even when trying them at restaurants, they are just too heavy for me. Will have to try this recipe too!
Thanks for the recipe! If I have to mix batter, I usually prefer to have extras and have a quick breakfast/snack for a few days. But you’re right about fresh off the griddle tasting better than reheated so this is a great option to have.
Those look like the perfect pancakes! I love that it’s the perfect recipe for one person-so convenient!
Thank you, Kate.
Looks amazing! I haven’t tried making a pancake mix from scratch! I’m going to give this a try!
Belle
You definitely should, Belle. You can’t beat homemade.
I love single-serving recipes! Especially ones like this – you never normally see pancake recipes that only make one portion!
Thanks, Nicola.
This just made hungry, they look scrumptious and it’s really helpful because every time I dare pancakes I end up with too much and everyone gets tired of eating too much. Thank you for the recipe.
I know exactly what you mean, Joan and leftover pancakes are never as good as hot off the skillet.
Hi, love your recipes, just wondering if I want to make double for your recipes do I just double the ingredients and the cooking time if the food goes in the oven?
Hi Laura,
Thank you, I’m glad you like the recipes. A few of the recipes can be doubled but they are developed as single serving recipes and have been tested that way. The Pancakes For One recipe can be doubled with success.
THESE WERE SO YUM! I am amazed… I will be craving this forever! <3 Love it!
Perfect for just me and so good! Thanks for sharing, Joanie!
These were really good, and fluffy! I did have to add an extra tsp of milk because the batter was a tad too thick. This recipe would be perfect for two in my opinion. My fiancé doesn’t like pancakes and I was begging him to eat the leftovers. Pancakes fill me up quickly though so it could just be me.
Also a perfect size batch for kids! Whipped these up for my 4 and almost 2 year old made lots of little sized pancakes that they loved. Thank you!
I just made these and it was my first time ever making pancakes without a mix and even though the look deformed (my fault) they are WONDERFUL I will be adding this recipe to my box so thank you very much me and my nephew are very grateful.
Hi Jacob,
Thank you so much for letting me know that you enjoyed the pancakes. I'm so happy you liked the recipe.
Best,
Joanie
These are the best pancakes I have ever had – thank you so much! All the others were either very dense or eggy, but these were great. Actually, I split the recipe in half because after reading the other comments I didn't want to make too much, and that was enough for me. I substituted oil for butter (because I was too lazy to walk over to the microwave) and added a bit of vanilla extract. On top of the cooked pancakes I poured black current jam and it was so good! I never liked making pancakes because they wouldn't taste very good and would be really heavy, but if I do make them (which I definitely will, thanks to you), this is the only recipe I will ever use.
Rachel, I'm so happy you liked the recipe. I'll bet the jam on top was perfect. Thanks so much for letting me know. Have a wonderful week!
I had a hankering for pancakes this morning and my go-to "serves 2" recipe always ends in leftovers (even between hubby & I!). With the egg ratio it can't be divided easily so I turned to Google and landed here. Still a little much for just me to eat, and a little on the flat side (probably more my fault than the recipe – I'm used to using soured milk & bicarb for added fluff!) but overall this is definitely a recipe I will play with again next time the craving hits.
I sub'd Stevia for the sugar & added some vanilla extract and cinnamon sugar, then topped with maple syrup to serve and my craving was well satisfied (yep, I definitely have a sweet tooth). Thank you for sharing your recipe 🙂
I just made pancakes with this recipe and they are amazing (added a teaspoon of vanilla extract) a little too much for one person but perfect for two!! thank you!!!
Hi, I was extremely skeptical when the milk curdled, but I pushed through, and these pancakes taste great! Thanks for the effortless recipe! -Joann (Hey, we have really similar names!)
I just found your blog, searching for a single portion pancake recipe- I tried it out and love it! They came out so fluffy and I am very happy I found that recipe. Thank you!
Best regards from Germany 🙂
I’m so happy you liked the recipe, thank you so much for letting me know!
I just made this and it was good, though it was a bit too much for one person.
Perfect recipe and so easy to customize with your favourite flavors! I wanted pancakes but hubby wanted something else so this made everyone (me) happy!
I made these and they turned out great. Just a question, if i double the recipe, do i use 2tsp baking powder or still use 1 tsp?
Hi Hope, I’m so glad you liked the recipe. Thank you for letting me know. If you want to double the recipe, double all of the ingredients.
Hi. I live alone and would love to have more recipes for one person. Is there some way that I can get more thank you
Hi Joanie,
I stumbled across your blog searching for pancakes for one on Pinterest. Just wanted to say these were so good. Perfectly fluffy! These will definitely be my go to recipe for pancakes from now on. Thanks!!
Thanks so much for letting me know, Shannon. I’m so happy you enjoyed them! Enjoy your weekend!
I love the idea of pancakes for one! I currently have 4 little ones at home, and I must say……the idea of a quiet household sounds amazing to me! But I can imagine it feels a little lonely once it actually happens. The funny things about life, I guess…. 🙂
Thank you, Cathy. I can remember when my kids were all little and keeping me so busy that I would dream about how it would be when they got older. Looking back, it happened so quickly although it didn’t feel like it in the moment. First, elementary school was a new chapter – then off to high school (which was fun) and then college. My husband and I are actually enjoying this time in our lives, it opens up new oportunities to travel and do things we couldn’t do when they were little. Even though I miss my kids, being an (almost) empty nester is pretty fun 🙂
I love all your great recipes and I want to thank you for them. Is it possible to make this pancake recipe and freeze the leftover ones separated with parchment paper, and then warm over in my air fryer or toaster?
Hi Darlynn,
I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes, thank you so much for letting me know.
Yes, the pancakes freeze well and are a nice treat to have on hand when you don’t feel like making up a fresh batch.
Joanie
Super idea! The holidays are fabulous, but can be a bit of a bummer when everyone can’t be together…I know the feeling!
Thanks, Patricia!
Mmmm, I’d love a short stack like this with some warm maple syrup and mug of hot coffee. A perfect way to start the day!
Thanks, Brandon!
I will be a wreck when my kids go off to college. I hope they stay in the same city because I will miss them so! I do love the idea of pancakes for one though and these are perfectly fluffy!
What a great idea! I’m always wanting pancakes but don’t want all the excess!! Love this post!
Thanks, Becky. It’s perfect for just one.
This is great, although now I won’t have any excuse to stuff myself with pancakes 🙂
Thanks, Katherine 🙂
First off, Joanie, I seriously thought you were in yours 20s; you look amazing! When you said 5 kids, and half them in collage, you threw me for a loop! I seriously love how you make recipes that are suitable for one person. Sometimes I do not want to make a huge meal!
PS: laser eye surgery went fantastic, highly recommend it!
Thanks so much, Kacey – you totally made my day! So glad to hear about your eye surgery, I may have to bite the bullet and go for it.
I love pancakes, there is something so perfect about them. Plus they go perfect with bacon 🙂
Thanks, Amy.
These look great! Perfect serving size! 🙂
Thank you, Josie!
Joanie,
My kids have not yet launched, but I can empathize with you. Last summer my octogenarian parents planned yet another downsizing–this time from a 2 bedroom condo in a retirement community to an 800 square foot apartment in an Active Seniors building (apparently that means that they get meals in the dining room and a driver to take them places, but they get themselves dressed and stuff).
My folks emailed us kids and asked us to find a 3-4 day window where we could all converge (we don’t all like in the same country much less time zone as our folks).
What a treat! Hanging out with my brothers and our parents–even if we were packing up and shedding family heirlooms and lightening their load, it was still very special to hang out with my family of origin. I enjoy our holiday times, with spouses and kids and all, but it is very neat to be with just my first family too.
Pancakes–too right they are easy to throw together if you’ve got the right stuff. Since I make muffins so often, I go through baking powder and baking soda frequently which means I know it’s fresh. These look smashing!
Thanks!
Thank you, Kirsten. I bet it was so nice getting to reconnect with your siblings and parents. Two of my kids are fresh out of college and two are still in college and it’s challenging to try to find a window of time where we can all get together. So far, we’ve all decided that the first week in June works for all of us so I’m excited to go on vacation with them all. I’m looking forward to making it a yearly event. I think we should be able to if we all schedule it a year ahead of time.
I already ate breakfast, but I’m going to make these for lunch. Pancakes for lunch is OK right? 😀
Absolutely, Sharon. Pancakes for lunch (or dinner) is ok with me.
they are gonna be for my lunch cuz we only have sandwichs for lunch
I never thought I’d feel so strongly about a pancake recipe, but these are exceptional.