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”
SO GOOD! I’ve mad a lot of whole wheat pancake recipes and at first glance, this one didn’t appear to be much different. But it is the best tasting one I’ve had! I made it with WW pastry flour. Will make again, and again! Thanks!
Hi Natalie, I’m so glad you loved these pancakes! I agree, they’re simple and don’t look like much, but I love the flavor. Happy cooking!
Very good recipe. I doubled the recipe and omitted the oil. I added mashed bananas instead. I have found it is important to add mashed bananas after lightly mixing together all the wet and dry ingredients. They came out extremely fluffy and light. Next time to kick up the protein I will add a little nut butter.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad Wendi, and thanks for sharing your tweaks!
add a table spoon of mexican vainilla. super good, yum yum
I just found the recipe for the pancakes and tried it. This is the BEST recipe for WW pancakes I have ever tried. I loved being able to prepare the “home made” buttermilk so easily. My husband never complimented and enjoyed WW pancakes as he did this morning, after he ate them. Thank you very much for such a wonderful recipe!
Hi Dora, I am so happy to hear these are the best WW pancakes you have tried! I really love them too. Glad you enjoyed them!
My kids devoured these!
My batter came out pretty runny and the pancakes were thin and overly moist. However, I used 1/2 cup hand-ground wheat flour (because my kids did it at school) and 1/2 cup all purpose. I’ll try it with the correct flour next time! But the kids didn’t seem to care and ate more than usual!
Hi Robin, I’m so glad you all enjoyed the pancakes!
I made these for my Ramadan breakfast, if you can only eat two meals in a day, you might as well make them both count. I’m pleased to report that these pancakes were so worth it! Very simple recipe and easy to follow. The pancakes came out delicious on my cast iron skillet.
Hi Tarik, I’m so glad you enjoyed these pancakes! I love them so much. I’m craving them now.
This recipe is going to be a go to for pancakes; light, fluffy and flavorful. I made a few adjustments instead of using sea salt I used regular table salt, added cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and all natural vanilla. My boyfriend and I loved them, cannot wait to try out more of your recipes!!!
Hi Shannon, I’m so happy you enjoyed the pancakes! I love them too. They’re so simple and delicious. You made some great additions as well. Enjoy!
Hi,
I am allergic to eggs and hence cannot eat a lot of stuff that has eggs in them. Can you please suggest an alternative for these beautiful pancakes. Can I skip the eggs altogether?
Hello, I’m sorry to hear you are allergic to eggs. Unfortunately I don’t think these would go well without the eggs, but I’ve never tried (so maybe it’s worth a go). I did google eggless pancakes and it seems there are tons of recipes, so it might be better to use a pancake recipe that was designed to be eggless.
Thanks so much for your response!! Will do the needful!!
Hi Debamitra I make a gluten free pancake that does not have any eggs, dairy or oil. In this recipe I would substitute the milk for almond milk…I believe one person said it “soured” nicely with the vinegar or lemon juice. Take out the eggs and oil and replace with mashed bananas. I also like to add a nut butter for added protein and a healthy fat. I typically use almond butter, about one or two tbs depending on size of batch. It is very important to lightly mix the wet and dry ingredients before adding the mashed banana and nut butter. When adding them in again mix in lightly….basically fold into the mix as you do not want to over mix or it will toughen the pancakes and they will lose the light and fluffy texture. I also replace the sugar with honey and add vanilla. I doubled the recipe and used two very ripe bananas. Also instead of bananas you can use pumpkin and add some “pumpkin” type spices…ie cinnamon, nutmeg etc. delish! Good luck.
Sorry Joanne…this actually makes it a completely new recipe but living with a family that has gluten, dairy, egg and peanut issues it is nice to have a good base recipe and then tweak to fit the particular needs. And your is a fabulous base to start from when needing to make those changes.
Thanks for the recipe, these are delicious – light, fluffy and so easy!
Wonderful, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed them Kathleen!
Hi,
Really liked the recipe…if I make buttermilk one day before and keep it in fridge overnight? Id dis going to affect taste or texture of pancakes?
Thanks
Hi Hina, I think it would be fine to do it ahead of time!
just made some from South Korea… awesome, first time cooking also. ㅅㅅ
YAY!!! Where in South Korea? My mom is from Seoul. I am half Korean =) Glad you enjoyed the pancakes!
I made these and they were extremely good! Most of my siblings don’t like whole wheat anything so it was a nice surprise that they liked them.
Hi Beth, I’m so glad that you all enjoyed the pancakes!!!
I tried these this morning. So very good and then I realized I forgot to add the sugar! My husband and I gobbled them down. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Tiana, I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed the pancakes! Yeah, the sugar isn’t essential, just gives it a slight sweetness that’s nice. Enjoy!
Would it change the flavor if I used honey instead of sugar?
Hi Mel, it’s such a small amount of sweetness that I don’t think it would make much difference, so feel free to go ahead and swap with the honey. Enjoy!
You can’t even tell they are whole wheat! They look so fluffy and delicious!!!
These are gorgeous! I love whole wheat pancakes, so I can’t wait to try this!
These look awesome! And I love whole wheat and buckwheat pancakes. I have a whole wheat mix that I like, but I should give this recipe a try. I don’t think I’ve ever made pancakes from scratch. My husband only likes the Snoqualmie pancake mix. Maybe the from-scratch version will change his mind. 🙂 Thanks!