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These fluffy pancakes for one are soft, golden, and perfectly buttery – the ideal breakfast when you’re cooking just for yourself. Ready in 15 minutes, this small-batch recipe uses simple ingredients you probably already have to make two or three soft, delicious pancakes.
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
Step-by-Step Video: Fluffy Pancakes For One
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: Made with pantry staples and ready in under 15 minutes.
- Perfectly Portioned: Yields two to three soft, fluffy pancakes – no leftovers!
- Versatile: Enjoy as is or add mix-ins like cinnamon, vanilla, or lemon zest for extra flavor.
I’ve been making pancakes for years, and this single serving pancake recipe is a scaled-down version of the one I used to make for my family. These pancakes are light, fluffy and the perfect way to start the day – just the right amount for me!
Looking for more small batch pancake recipes? Try:
- Small Batch Buttermilk Pancakes
- Single Serve Banana Pancakes
- Small Batch Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Single Serving Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch pancake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Pancake Recipe Variations
This pancake recipe for one is a great base, but you can easily switch it up with different flavors. Here are a few options:
- Banana Pancakes: Mash a ripe banana and mix it into the batter for natural sweetness.
- Buttermilk Pancakes: Swap the milk for buttermilk to add a slight tang and extra fluffiness.
- Blueberry Pancakes: Add a handful of fresh blueberries to the batter.
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes: Stir in some chocolate chips for a touch of sweetness in every bite.
How To Make Pancakes For One
These photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this quick and easy pancake recipe. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg and add the other wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until you don’t see any dry flour. It’s okay if there are a few small lumps. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more milk gradually.
- Heat a bit of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour about 3/4 cup of batter into the skillet. Cook the pancake until bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Flip the pancake with a spatula and cook for another minute on the other side. Remove the pancake from the skillet and place it on a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Remove the second pancake from the skillet.
- Enjoy with butter, homemade pancake syrup, homemade whipped cream, our small batch butter pecan syrup, or your favorite fruits.
Expert Tips
- Measure Flour Accurately: Fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your dry measuring cup, and level it off with a straight edge. Accurate measuring helps you get soft, fluffy pancakes every time.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Stir just until no streaks of flour remain. A few small lumps are fine—overmixing makes pancakes dense instead of light.
- Use Fresh Baking Powder: Old baking powder loses its lift. To test yours, add ½ teaspoon to ¼ cup of hot water. If it bubbles vigorously, it’s still good; if not, it’s time to replace it.
- Know When to Flip: Flip the pancakes when bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look set. Waiting for those popping bubbles helps ensure an even golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s best to make the batter fresh, but you can prepare it a few hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Give it a gentle stir before cooking. If it thickens, add a splash of milk to loosen it to the right consistency.
Flat pancakes usually mean the baking powder is expired or the batter is overmixed. To test your baking powder, mix 1/2 teaspoon with 1/4 cup of hot water (not boiling). If it fizzes and bubbles, it’s still good. If not, replace it for the best rise.
Absolutely! Just double all the ingredients to make more pancakes.
Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or on a pan over low heat until warmed through.
Yes! Let the pancakes cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30-45 minutes until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag, separating the layers with wax or parchment paper. To reheat, microwave a pancake for about 20-30 seconds or warm them in a 350°F oven wrapped in foil for about 10 minutes.
If you’ve tried this small batch pancake recipe 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 large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then add the milk, vanilla, and melted butter, whisking until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. If the batter is too thick, add a little more milk gradually.
- Heat a small amount of butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Pour about 3/4 cup of batter onto the skillet. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Flip the pancake and cook for another minute on the other side, until golden.
- Transfer the cooked pancake to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve the pancakes with your favorite toppings like butter, syrup, or fresh fruit.
Notes
- Measuring Flour: Fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your dry measuring cup, and level it off with a straight edge—this gives you an accurate amount.
- Batter Consistency: Mix just until you don’t see streaks of flour. It’s okay if the batter is a bit lumpy; avoid overmixing.
- Check Your Baking Powder: Make sure your baking powder is fresh for light, fluffy pancakes.
- Flipping Pancakes: Flip the pancakes when you see bubbles on the surface starting to pop.
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.
The pancakes were good but omg this is way too much for one person. I’m hoping these pancakes taste good after freezing and microwaving bc my daughter and I each had 2 (1/4 c batter to make each) and there’s tons of batter left.
I can see where the confusion came in! This recipe actually uses 3/4 cup of batter for each pancake, which makes larger pancakes—using 1/4 cup would definitely give you a lot of smaller ones, which explains the leftover batter. I hope you and your daughter enjoyed them, and yes, they freeze and reheat quite well!
Wow! Delicious!!
Thank you!
Delicious
I made these today and they were really good! I accidentally made my fire alarm go off, but they still turned out great 🤭🤫
these are honestly the best pancakes i have EVER had – i’m not one to leave comments but i just had to on this one. these are restaurant-level.
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed the pancakes.
I had a problem with the melted butter. It clumped up and hardened immediately when I poured it into the milk mixture. I didn’t think it would be problem since the recipe doesn’t mention bringing the liquids to room temperature. I started over on the wet mixture and used avocado oil instead. That worked much better. I don’t recommend the butter because it would take too long for everything to come to room temperature to avoid clumping. I want to make pancakes immediately when I am hungry so I would suggest for others to use avocado oil or another flavorless oil. Pancakes turned out good.
I made these today! I wanted easy pancakes and a small quantity and these were perfect!! I added a smashed banana and a dollop of cottage cheese to the wet ingredients, and blueberries once they were in the pan. I got 5 fluffy, beautiful pancakes from my batch! And so yummy! This really is a fabulous recipe!!
I have tried many recipes . Yours are the best that I have made..
Thank you so much!
I forgot to put in the egg and these still worked, so if you’re egg free or vegan this a good recipe for you! I made blueberry pancakes 🙂
Great to know! Thanks so much for your feedback.
Thank you so much Joanie. This recipe was an awesome success! Hubby took 2 bites and declared them the best he’s had, and I never even got the chance to ask what he thought of them!! I follow a lot of your recipes- they never disappoint.
Thank you so much, Pat! I’m so happy to know you both enjoyed the pancakes.