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.
622 Comments on “Whole Wheat Pancakes”
These are great. How many pancakes are there per serving?
i have this recipe broken into 3 servings. so if you make 3 pancakes, 1 would be 1 serving. if you make 6 smaller pancakes, 2 would be a serving
Thanks so 1 pancake is based on the nutrition you provided above?
I have used this recipe at least 50 times in the last 3 years. I have made these using regular Milk (whole, and various %’s), Almond Milk, Oat Milk, as well as using Sugar, or Splenda, and always have used Apple Cider Vinegar. As well as using regular butter, and at times I’ve used vegan butter.
Every time I have great results. This is definitely a recipe that I highly recommend to anyone reading this who has been looking for a simple, delicious breakfast pancake that can be made to be vegan with easy common household substitutions.
Zero risk, all reward when you go with this recipe!
WOW! thank you for taking the time to write this Adrian. Im so glad you have been enjoying this one!
These are amazing !!!! The best !!!! Thank you so much
Thank you! They are my favorite pancakes too
My go-to recipe — no other pancakes compare! I often use hazelnut milk as a milk substitute. So good.
Thank you Jennifer! I couldnt agree more!
Hi, I use King Arthur whole wheat flour. The package recommends weighing the flour. 1 cup of their flour equals 113 grams which is just under 4 ounces. Do you recommend going by the package weight or your recipe weight? Will it make much of a difference? Thank you!
for these pancakes you wont notice much of a difference if any but i typically do recomend weighing dry ingredients. It produces a more consistent product and less margin for error. Cheers!
The fluffiest pancakes I ever eaten. They are so good especially with a little vanilla protein powder.
love adding protein! Cheers!
Hello! I would like to make these in my Nutrition class with high schoolers to show them whole-wheat foods can be delicious. I know it says it serves 3, but do you have any idea of how many pancakes this recipe makes?
I added 2 bananas in the wet stage and 1/4 cup chipped pecans in the dry stage and made really incredible banana nut pancakes. Highly recommend!
wow! Sounds great, thank you for sharing!
These are the best pancakes I have ever eaten by far! I also added a splash of vanilla and blueberries. Thanks for a great recipe!
yum! I love these with blueberries! Thanks Sara!
Thank you for this recipe. My 3 year old and I make these together almost every Sunday. Easy, healthy, and delicious! We love them.
Thats so fun! I love hearing this. Thankyou Danielle!
These pancakes are wonderful! They cooked up fast and fluffy and with the nicest little bit of crispiness on the outside. This is the first recipe I’ve tried with King Arthur Golden Wheat flour. I’m going to keep a big batch of the dry ingredients on hand as a mix.
Thank you Mary!
I love this recipe so much. My add-ins (for single recipe): One chopped tart apple, 1/2 c fresh raw cranberries, 1/3 c chopped walnuts. Half goes in my 100yo cast iron pan for Day 1 (coat the back of a smooth spatula w/cooking spray to help in smoothing/evening) and the second half is for Day 2. Yep, just one giant pancake per day! Very little change in taste/texture for the second go-round; may want to stir in another drip of buttermilk.