These Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes are Extra light and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness and some earthiness from the whole wheat. They strike such a wonderful balance of textures and flavors.
You can make these your own by adding some fruit or chocolate chips (check out these Whole Wheat Strawberry Banana Pancakes for an extra fruity version!), but I like to serve them up simply with a pad of butter and some maple syrup.
With just 8 simple pantry ingredients, this homemade whole wheat pancake recipe is totally approachable. Plus, they come together in just 30 minutes or less, making them an easy part of my weekend breakfast routine. All must for a mom-on-the-go like me!
My husband is a tough critic. A “pretty good” from him is something to celebrate, which makes a “wow this is great” even more special.
I kid you not, Rob, the guy who doesn’t eat wheat bread. The guy who skips over anything marketed as “healthy” on a restaurant menu. The guy who doesn’t give praise where praise isn’t due.
That guy said that these were “THE BEST PANCAKES I EVER HAD”. And I didn’t even put chocolate chips in his (something I do for him when using store-bought mix).
Anyway, my point is, don’t let the whole wheat thing scare you. This recipe is deserving of a happy birthday breakfast in bed. Or a happy anniversary breakfast in bed. Or maybe don’t eat them in bed because, well, maple syrup. But you get it.
Whole Wheat Pancakes Ingredient Highlights
Any milk works here including any percentage of dairy milk or any unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk.
Brown sugar is much preferred because it gives your pancakes a caramel flavor, but you can substitute granulated sugar in a pinch.
How To Get Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes Every Time
How To Make Homemade Whole Wheat Pancakes
The first thing to do is melt your butter into your milk. We do this first so that it has a chance to cool down before we add the egg, to avoid the egg scrambling.
Cut your butter into small cubes and drop them directly into your milk in a microwave-safe dish or cup. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the butter is completely melted into the milk.
Overall, it shouldn’t take more than 90-seconds on high to melt the butter. Set it aside to cool.
Add your whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine before adding the egg, vanilla extract, and butter and milk mixture.
Whisk again to aerate your batter. You should actually see little bubbles form in your batter at this point.
Note: this batter is much thicker than traditional pancake batter.
Get the butter hot in the pan before pouring your batter in to form your pancakes.
If you want perfectly round, ultra-thick pancakes like the ones pictured, use pancake molds. Place them in your pan and pour the batter directly into them, filling them to the top. You can remove them before you flip.
Luckily, you have a visual indicator of when it’s time to flip because little air pockets will form in your pancake batter. Slip your spatula underneath your pancake and flip it over. Try to stay close to the pan. Dropping it from a distance may put you at risk for splatter.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Whole Wheat Pancakes
These Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
The best ways to reheat your pancakes is either by refrying them in a pan or by reheating in the oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.
For a no fuss reheat, you can microwave on high for 10-15 seconds (per pancake). It’s best to not stack the pancakes while microwaving them for a more even heat.
If you do freeze your pancakes, thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them or defrost them in the microwave for about 1 minute.
Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (cows or unsweetened non-dairy)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter + more for griddle (nondairy works)
- 1 large egg (or flax egg, room temperature)
- 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the milk to a microwave safe dish. Cut 3 tablespoons butter into smaller cubes and add directly to the milk. Heat your butter and milk in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the butter is completely melted and integrated into the milk. Set aside and take your egg out of the refrigerator to reach room temperature.1 cup milk, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter + more for griddle, 1 large egg
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Once your milk and butter mixture has cooled, add them, too. Whisk until smooth, careful not to overbeat.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add butter to your griddle or pan and allow it to heat up on medium-high until the butter is melted. For the thickest, most uniform pancakes, use pancake molds. Pour batter into your molds or freeform circles onto the pan and cook over medium heat until little air pockets form.3 tablespoons unsalted butter + more for griddle
- When it's ready to flip, the batter on the uncooked side will start to form little air bubbles. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes, and allow them to cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the pancake batter is used up, adding butter before each batch to keep your griddle greased. Serve warm with maple syrup.
Pro Tips
- You can use cooking spray instead of butter for a lighter version, but these pancakes taste really good with a little crisp on the outside. You may have to leave them on your pan or griddle a bit longer if you’re using a spray.
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3 thoughts on “Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes”
These were very good. I was surprised by how light and fluffy they were. The only thing I did different was used maple syrup instead of brown sugar snd added 1 tablespoon of ground flax. Recipe made about 12 good sized pancakes.. Will be making these again. And again!
I’m so glad you loved them, Jennifer! I often make them with flax, too. I’m going to try maple syrup in place of brown sugar next time 🙂
Can’t wait to make these. I am a big fan of pancakes!!!