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”
How many pancakes is the nutritional info based on please?
How many calories per 1/3 of the recipe. I was a little confused. The recipe is for 3 servings. So, does your Nitrient List show the amounts per serving or the entire tecipe?
Please advise and thanks. They were really delicious.
PS. I had a heart ❤ attack so we keft out the salt and we swapped 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour for 1/4 cup of almond flour, used Splenda cookiing powder vs. sugar, nonfat milk, and Smart Balance and sugar free syrup, all of that per my cardiology nutritionist. TRY IT!😉
Finally!! A simple, straight forward, no-surprises, tasty pancake recipe!! Thank you for this! Used olive oil instead of melted butter and a dash of cinnamon, perfection 😌🥞☕️
These were amazing!! First time in a long time I made perfect , tasty and healthier pancakes. Thank you.
I love this recipe! I cut the sugar and butter out and add a whole banana with a shake of cinnamon- super yummy and a bit healthier!
What a good idea! I wanna try it now too!
These are my absolute favorite pancakes, even over regular ones. They are my kids favorite too! Impossibly delicious with some chocolate chips!
I added two tablespoons of milk to the buttermilk because I didn’t want the pancakes to be too thick. As a result, I didn’t need to do anything with a cookie scoop. I used whole *white* wheat to keep the flavor mild, and measured by weight: 113g. I used a cast iron skillet because I don’t have a griddle. Temperature control was trickier, of course, but I managed. As the recipe indicates, the pancakes didn’t look very good, but they tasted great! Unfortunately, there weren’t nearly enough pancakes to serve three people, I’d call this recipe 1.5 or possibly 2 servings, not three. Next time I make it, I’ll double the recipe, and cut the butter with oil for health reasons.
Really great!!
This recipe saved my diet. The only thing I did was sub swerve sweetener for the sugar, but I cried a little on my first bite. It’s so hard to find sugar busters compliant recipes for breakfast foods. I also used “Bobs Red Mill whole wheat flour, mainly because it was all they had available. Also I’m not sure why but my phone wouldn’t let me rate it five stars.
Glad to hear you enjoyed them, Jeffrey! Thanks for letting me know about the stars. There was a glitch with the plugin but should be resolved now. Happy cooking!
This is the best pancake recipe I have ever used. I have tried over 20 other recipes from boxed pancakes versus raw ingredients. My whole family, adults and children, loved the pancakes so I will definitely be making them again! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Pallavi, that is wonderful!! So glad your whole family enjoyed. Happy cooking!
This is my new go-to. So simple and always good results, whether with buttermilk or milk + vinegar.
i tried this out…. it was lovely!!!
Great recipe! I did substitute coconut oil and coconut milk and added a sprinkle of cinnamon and day off vanilla and they still turned out delicious.
Loved these pancakes! The taste and texture were perfect—hearty but not heavy. I followed the recipe as written, using vinegar & milk instead of buttermilk. The batter was thicker than what I normally use for pancakes, but using the cookie scoop worked great. It made just enough for me and my two boys; I will double the recipe next time so we can freeze the leftovers. Definitely a keeper!!
I should add, I used a scale to measure the flour by weight, since it can be hard to measure flour accurately by volume.
Really impressed, this pancakes are fluffy and delicious. The only thing I did different it’s just add one tablespoon of sugar only, I don’t like it too sweet. Definitely I will do them again.
These turned out perfectly. I actually made a large pancake in a cookie sheet with these and put chcolate chips in one section, blueberries in another and nuts in another. It baked perfectly and was delicious. Thank you!
Wow, how long did you bake them? Does it still have that pancake crust?