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.
555 Comments on “Whole Wheat Pancakes”
Flavor is great! Cooked texture is perfection IF you don’t overmix the batter! She’s right, they will NOT win any beauty contests :)) And with a few cooking tweaks from the mindset of “regular” pancakes (VERY THICK BATTER) they will be your new family lifetime favorite.
Critical direction of hers to follow exactly:
DO NOT OVERMIX!
My tweaks were as follows:
–I used a 1/4 c. measuring cup
–I used a stainless steel pan
–I used extra light olive oil
–Large burner, electric stovetop on 4 (NO HOTTER and pan removed between cakes)
Here’s where I really went off grid from normal pancakesV that made all the difference:
**Always keep in mind these will not win any prizes for their appearance, but they are OFF THE CHAIN IN FLAVOR**
After dumping and scraping batter into hot oil in pan from the measuring cup, quickly “shape” edges and use kind of a straight downward chopping motion to spread out the very thick clump with a high heat rubber spatula. Get it to approximately half inch thickness. Don’t worry. You’re gonna squish to thin it later.
BIG TWEAK #1: Don’t look for bubbles throughout or golden brown underside!! It’s just too thick. Just look for set edges enough to flip.
BIG TWEAK #2: Flip & Flatten!
Now simply flip twice more to your desired color. They will be thick, tender, done throughout, AND crispy…WIN WIN WIN WIN!
I served with berries, butter, and real maple syrup. But they’re so yummy that nothing but butter is even necessary. Seriously! My hubby is terribly pancake PICKY and was totally SOLD.
Yummm! I just made this today & boyyy were they good! I used unsweetened coconut milk (becoz that’s what i had on hand) with 1tbsp apple cider vinegar. The rest i followed the recipe & added vanilla extract n cinnamon. The whole family loved them! From this recipe i got 12 silver dollar sized pancakes.
This is my first recipe from your site and I would say it was a good start! I’ll be doing some searching through the rest of your recipes.
My entire family loved these! Couldn’t taste that they were “healthy” pancakes 🙂
Just made these and wasn’t all that impressed. First, it took a bit more buttermilk to make the batter resemble anything more than a dry lump of bread dough. The pancakes were slightly gritty and lacking in any flavor. They also immediately absorbed all the maple syrup like a sponge and then became mushy and began to fall apart, which was less than pleasing. Also, I would suggest starting at a lower griddle temp than 375. I think griddles tend to vary fairly wildly in how accurate the heat is measured. 375 on my griddle resulted in a pancake that was horribly burned in under a minute. My general rule is to start around 275. Lastly, you don’t need an ice cream scoop to make uniform pancakes – just a measuring cup. Also, since ice cream scoops vary in size, it’s better to judge serving sizes by using a measuring cup. In my experience, this recipe produces approximately five and a half pancakes using 1/3 cup scoops of batter.
We just made these this morning and they were not lacking any moisture. I x 4 the recipe. I used rice wine vinegar to add to the milk and used light olive oil to replace butter. Also we never use red whole wheat, we only use hard white whole wheat. In fact I was afraid there was a little too much liquid but it was perfect. Great recipe!
Also, my mother taught me that water should spit off the grill to start your pancakes, and the pancakes were usually ready to flip once the bubbles were forming on the top side. then just adjust your heat accordingly. I cooked ours on the stove this morning on a square non stick pan.
I just made these today…pretty darn good! Trying more healthier version of pancakes for my 12 y.o. son. At his first bite this is what came out of his mouth…”Mmm!” I’d say it was a hit. I will try doubling (or tripling) recipe and freeze so that on school days he can just heat them up. Thanks for a great recipe!
I added a tablespoon of ground organic flax seed and 2 tablespoons of wheat germ to give them a nuttier taste. Also, added a teaspoon of cinnamon. Yummy!
Good recipe but I used other light flours like rice, barley and rye. No sugar cause I used sweetened rice milk. Also no vinegar was used. I added spice. Its an easy basic recipe.
I did it! These turned out so fluffy. Now I can eat pancakes without the guilt of feeding my kids unhealthy stuff!
Made these today and they turned out very good. Soft, fluffy and delicious. It’s definitely a keeper. Thanks Joanne for sharing a wonderful recipe
Great recipe! I used a little maple syrup in place of the sugar. My kiddos super enjoyed! Also I used coconut oil in place of butter! Measurements are perfect and recipe will be used again and again! Thank you:)
Those whole wheat pancakes look very fluffy and delicious!! Can this be made without eggs (as I am a pure vegetarian who doesn’t eggs) using a flax egg as an egg substitute?
I really didn’t believe these would fluff up with only a half tsp of baking powder with my old wheat flour but it did. I found that these browned noticeably faster than white flour pancakes; not sure why but I don’t plan to leave the stove when I make them. They are tasty and easy to put together.We put them in our tortilla warmer until the whole batch is cooked up, then serve them still warm. Next time I’ll have a fresh package of good wheat flour to use. Thanks for a great go-to recipe.
These are the best pancakes I have ever made made! Thank you for this recipe. I used whole wheat flour I ground with my countertop mill. I also used 4tbsp of buttermilk powder (found in the baking isle) and 1 cup of water.
My kids ate them! My husband ate them! So so so good!!!
Can I make the batter the night before?
I don’t recommend that. You can mix together the dry ingredients ahead of time, but when you add the liquid, you activate the leavening.
Can I use Splenda instead of sugar to make the whole-wheat pancakes?
I love this recipe! I change only two things! I use 3 tsp of brown sugar and added chocolate chips. Amazing!