Craving maple syrup but want some nutritious whole wheat to start your day? These Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes are the perfect merge of both indulgent and healthful.
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.
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 Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Milk. Cows or unsweetened nondairy almond, flax, hemp, soy, oat, etc.
- Unsalted butter. You can easily use a non-dairy substitute. If you’re using a “buttery spread” that’s salted, omit the extra added salt.
- Egg or flax egg.
- Whole wheat flour. You can substitute all-purpose flour. Just add an extra tablespoon. In other words, use 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour for this recipe instead of whole wheat flour.
- Baking powder. This gives us that light and airy texture. If you don’t have baking powder, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a pinch.
- Brown sugar. Brown sugar is much preferred because it gives your pancakes a caramel flavor, but you can substitute granulated sugar in a pinch.
- Vanilla extract & salt. For flavor.
- Maple syrup (optional for serving). Not required, but highly recommended for the greatest breakfast combo!
How To Get Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes Every Time
Make Your Buttermilk
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.
Next, set your buttermilk aside to cool. Take your egg out of the refrigerator, too, so that it can start to come up to room temperature.
Mix Your Dry Ingredients
Add your whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine before moving on to the next step.
Add Your Wet Ingredients
Next, add your egg, vanilla extract, and butter and milk mixture.
A whisk is your secret weapon in this recipe! There is purposely a lot of baking powder in this recipe because you gotta have that fluff and rise. But the whisk is what aerates your batter.
You should actually see little bubbles in your batter before pouring it onto your griddle. Bonus whisk tricks: it gets rid of any lumps. Because you can’t call a lumpy pancake light or airy.
Note: this batter is much thicker than traditional pancake batter.
Butter Me Up
Don’t fear the flip! I know it’s the most intimidating part of making pancakes, but you got this! The key is to make sure you always have a generous amount of butter in your pan, so your pancakes don’t stick and they get a crispy exterior.
Green tip: Look for organic and palm oil-free butter if you can. Buying organic means you are supporting farms that do not use damaging pesticides and fertilizers, and palm oil production is a huge driver behind deforestation.
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.
Pancake Enhancers (Panhancers?)
This recipe is versatile! It’s absolutely delicious with blueberries or chocolate chips in it. Just stir them into your batter in step 3, or for more even distribution, drop them directly into your frying pancake after pouring your batter into the pan.
Sometimes I serve them with sliced strawberries or whipped cream or both. Or pecans and peanut butter or even Nutella! Go for it!
The Lighter Side
And lastly, 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, so you may have to leave them on your pan or griddle a bit longer if you’re using a spray.
These Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes are like biting into a fluffy syrup cloud. And the whole wheat flour provides vitamins and nutrients? You can totally have it all!
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.
Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? It’s always best to avoid food waste by properly storing and reheating leftovers.
Whole Wheat Pancakes Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour in pancakes?
In general, you can easily substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour in homemade pancake recipes. For every 1 cup of whole wheat flour, substitute 1 cup + 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
Are whole wheat pancakes healthy?
The answer to this question depends entirely on your health goals. Whole wheats are considered nutritious as they contain a multitude of vitamins, nutrients, and health fibers.
However, this Whole Wheat Pancake recipe contains sugar and butter and is served in maple syrup.
How do you make pancakes light and fluffy?
If you’re pancakes are not light and fluffy, it is often a sign that you overbeat your batter. To get the lightest and fluffiest pancakes, use a whisk and mix only as much as necessary.
Avoid using tools like hand and stand mixers, which will more likely overbeat your batter.
Why You Should Make these Light & Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes
- The texture. It’s in the name! These thick pancakes are incredibly fluffy and soft.
- They’re nutritious. The use of whole wheat flour packs extra fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.
- They’re subtly sweet. Delicious with or without maple syrup!
If you’re loving these Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes and want more delicious maple-syrup-soaked breakfast, check out these Bananas Foster Pancakes and these Silver Dollar Pancakes.
Light and Airy Whole Wheat Pancakes
Print Save 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.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and 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.
- 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.
- 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. Try them with these Vegan Breakfast Sausage Patties!
Pro Tips
- You can absolutely make this recipe vegan by using any non-dairy milk, vegan butter, and a flax egg. Just make sure if you are using sweetened or flavored milk, you adjust the other ingredients accordingly. For example, if you’re using sweetened vanilla almond milk, put a little less brown sugar and a little less vanilla in your pancake mix.
- 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!!!