Whole Wheat Pancakes
These Whole Wheat Pancakes are made with 100% whole wheat flour and taste absolutely delicious! They’re a healthier option to enjoy for breakfast or brunch.
Most of the times that I’ve opted for whole wheat breads over white, I would do it for health reasons but secretly preferred the taste of white. But I can honestly say that whole wheat tastes way better when it comes to pancakes.
It’s fun to make these for friends and family and see how surprised they are by how delicious, flavorful, and fluffy they are, because labeling something as whole wheat inevitably leads to some pre-judgements.
This is the general theme in the comments section below as well, as this has been one of the most popular recipes on this blog since I first posted it in 2013.
They are some darn good pancakes, and since they’re healthier than the usual pancake, it’s a happy surprise!
Many times when people substitute whole wheat flour in for white like for homemade sandwich bread, it can be tricky because whole wheat flour doesn’t have the same gluten-developing capabilities as white flour.
…but we don’t need to develop gluten with pancakes! And in fact, we don’t want to.
So these pancakes are able to be very fluffy and light in texture, but with more nutrients and flavor.
How to Make Whole Wheat Pancakes:
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, which are whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar:
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then add the wet ingredients, which are made from buttermilk (or regular milk or almond milk), egg, and melted butter (or oil):
Whisk the two to combine, keeping in mind that you only want to whisk until the flour disappears.
Like most pancake recipes, you want to leave lots of lumps. This ensures you don’t overmix, and it keeps the pancakes fluffy and light.
This will be a pretty thick batter, unlike many of the super thin boxed pancake mixes that run like water. It’s part of what makes them so fluffy.
You can spoon scoops of it onto a hot griddle, but I actually love using a cookie scoop to portion so every pancake is the same size.
Cook the pancakes for a few minutes until bubbles start to form on the top:
Check that it’s golden underneath, then flip and cook for another couple minutes:
I know these pancakes don’t win any beauty contests without any toppings, but they really do taste incredible.
I like to slather them with butter and pure maple syrup, or add fruit like sliced strawberries and bananas:
Next time you’re in the mood for some really indulgent pancakes…try these Cinnamon Roll Pancakes or Carrot Cake Pancakes. Best to treat them as dessert though, heh.
I also love making super thin Crepes and filling them with fruits and spreads. Enjoy!
How to Freeze Pancakes:
First let the pancakes cool completely, then follow one of these two methods so the pancakes don’t stick to each other:
For the first method, place the pancakes on a sheet pan in a single layer, making sure they aren’t touching each other, and freeze for 30-60 minutes, until they are completely frozen. Then you can remove the pancakes and place them in a large plastic bag. This way they won’t stick to each other, and you can take out as many pancakes as you’d like.
For the second method, stack the pancakes between wax paper or parchment paper, and place those stacks in a resealable bag to freeze. This will keep them separated so they don’t freeze stuck together.
Freeze the pancakes for up to two months.
How to Reheat Pancakes:
Here are three methods for reheating, either by using the microwave, oven, or toaster:
Microwave Method (my favorite):
Place 1 to 5 frozen pancakes on a microwave-safe plate. Cook uncovered at 20 seconds for 1 pancake, 30 seconds for 2 pancakes, 40 seconds for 3 pancakes, 50 seconds for 4 pancakes, and 60 seconds for 5 pancakes. Exact timing will depend on the strength of your microwave, but this is a good guideline.
Oven Method:
This is great for a larger numbers of pancakes. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the desired number of frozen pancakes into a foil packet. Or place pancakes in a flat layer on a sheet pan and cover the pan tightly with foil. Just make sure you seal tightly to prevent the pancakes from getting dry. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the pancakes are warm and soft.
Toaster Method:
This is my least favorite method, but it does work. You are limited to only one pancake per slot, and need to watch to make sure the pancakes don’t become crispy or overcook. Time varies depending on toaster settings.
Whole Wheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (5 ounces by weight)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk*
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp melted butter**
- butter for greasing the griddle
Instructions
- In a big bowl, whisk to combine the whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk to combine the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
- Whisk the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir the two together until just barely mixed. You want any visible loose flour to be stirred in, but there should still be plenty of lumps. If you stir out the lumps, the pancakes will likely be tough.
- Preheat a nonstick griddle to 375 degrees F and grease the surface with butter.
- Add small scoops of pancake batter (the batter will be thick) and use a cookie scoop to gently smooth the scoop into a flatter circle.
- Cook for a few minutes, until you see little bubbles forming on the surface.
- Flip the pancakes and cook for a couple minutes on the other side. If you peek underneath, the bottom should be golden brown.
- Serve with butter, pure maple syrup, or sliced fruit. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated with new photos, writing, and tips in August 2018. Originally published in May 2013. This post contains an affiliate link.
553 Comments on “Whole Wheat Pancakes”
Best pancakes and fluffy!
Yes! Yes! and Yes! These were so light and fluffy. I’m a triple sifter so I triple sifted my whole wheat flour. I used vegan butter, flax “eggs”, and made my own buttermilk with Almond milk and fresh lemon juice. I omitted the baking soda. This is now my staple recipe for pancakes. I’ll probably try the recipe in the waffle maker.
Simply the best! Recipe came out perfect. Tasted great. Not heavy in any sense, so lite and fluffy. This is being marked as tried, tested and No.1 ! Plus how to freeze instructions which will be used. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
This is a must try for me
These pancakes were great! I quadrupled the recipe so we could freeze some for later. I also added vanilla, cinnamon and ginger powder. I added some melted butter to the batter and used coconut oil to grease the griddle. They had a nice, fluffy texture and tasted great. So nice to add a whole wheat flour pancake recipe to my breakfast recipe collection. Another fifteenspatulas.com keeper!
Thank you for adding the weight for the flour!!!! I wish more recipes did this! Can’t wait to make these
Great recipe! I added 1 tablespoon of flax seed and instead of sugar I used maple syrup, it tasted great.
Just tried these for the first time and my kiddos loved them! I used stone ground WW flour because that’s what we had, they were perfect!
Been making this for years! My husband drools over this one. And now my 1 year old son as well!! I add more sugar (i love my sugar) and I replace 2 Tbspn butter with 2 Tbspn of Rice Bran Oil. Oh Its just perfect!
These were delicious, light, and fluffy. I’ve made them twice this past week and my son said they even taste better the second day. I used a half cup of cinnamon egg nog and half cup skim milk in place of the buttermilk. It was unconventional but I bought the egg nog on a whim and was trying to use it up in cooking because I learned my family doesn’t like flavored egg nog. The flavor was delicious in the pancakes. I’m thinking about making more to freeze. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s definitely a keeper!!
Hi Nicki, really glad to hear this, and thanks for sharing your substitutions!
I subbed applesauce for the butter, delicious. I did think they were a little thin but didn’t bother me. Thanks for the recipe, it was quick and easy just what I needed.
Hi Anne, since apple sauce is mostly water, and butter is mostly fat, swapping that would definitely change the texture. Glad they still had good flavor!
These were great! I omitted the sugar and substituted coconut milk for the milk. I think the consistency of the coconut milk- even thicker and clumpier than buttermilk- helped a lot. I also substituted canola oil for butter, as we’re dairy free these days. Loved it!!
Hi Amanda, that’s great, and thanks for sharing your subs!
These were absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe
Just made these but vegan with a chia egg, soy milk (added a splash of apple cider vinegar), and vegan butter. These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had! The flavor and fluffiness are perfect!
I tried those and they are so yummy! I did change 2 things! I add little bit more sugar and add about 1/2-1 table spoon of sour cream into the butter..i tripled the recipe and my boys didn’t even notice the difference! this recipe is a keeper!!thank you!!
I made these today with freshly ground hard white wheat. Yummy!
That’s wonderful, Emily!