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”
Just made them and my hubby told that these are awesome :). Thanks for the sharing the receipe. I do not eat eggs so have anyone tried replacing flax seeds powder instead of eggs……..let me know any reviews. I will share too when I will try eggless one.
Thanks again.
I have tried at least 15 different whole wheat pancake recipes and none compare to these. I followed the recipe exactly and my family devoured them all. Absolutely the best pancakes I have ever made. Making them again tonight for Wacky Wednesday (breakfast for dinner). The only thing I am doing differently is doubling the recipe!! Thank you!
Wonderful!! I’m so happy to hear that Jennifer.
I have been really trying to replace white flour in our food wherever I can and to reduce our processed foods as much as possible. I’ve been really struggling with pancakes, because although my husband and I love whole wheat pancakes, our 4 year old son is not a fan. He keeps wanting me to buy what he calls “real pancakes”–which are the frozen ones from the store and as far from real as possible.
I made these last week using coconut oil instead of butter in the mix (although we topped them with butter), and they were fantastic. Our harshest little critic even requested them this morning. Off to make a double batch!
Oh–I also subbed honey for the sugar.
Hi Nicci, that is wonderful!!! Glad your family enjoyed the pancakes, and good to know about those substitutions.
Delicious! My 18 month old just gobbled up three of them. Added a little mashed banana and almond butter. They also freeze beautifully and make for a perfect easy, 2 minute breakfast 🙂
My husband made these with freshly ground wheat, topped with freshly cooked pumpkin and a little syrup. Yum. I was skeptical at first about the pumpkin, but it was delicious (and healthy).
YUM! Made these this morning for the kids and they loved them. Added chopped banana & mini chocolate chips, didn’t even need syrup!
I would have enjoyed if you put the calories per pancake. Though I really enjoyed this. Thank you 🙂
How can I turn this pancake mix into a waffle mix? I sure you know the trick :).
I used spelt flour…they were really good as well. Great recipe.
Hi Mirjana, thanks so much for sharing that spelt flour works well here! I know people will want to try =)
Agree with everyone else…wonderful recipe! Making batter again for super stick weekday breakfast. What about a WW waffle mix?
Hi Cindy, really glad to hear you enjoyed the Whole Wheat Pancakes! You can definitely premix and store the dry ingredients and keep it in your pantry to speed up the process a bit. Enjoy!
Just made these this morning and it hey turned out perfect and delicious!
Your simple recipe is what we’d say in Hawaii….Onolicious!
Mahalo!
Onolicious, I love that! So glad you enjoyed the pancakes =)
These pancakes were so tasty that I was able to hide our two-year-old’s crushed up vitamin inside and he still gobbled it up! It wasn’t until after I started cooking that I realized I didn’t even use extra butter for the griddle.
I’ve just started calorie counting so I used Olivio in place of the butter in the recipe. I thought that they were even delicious without adding extra butter on the cooked pancakes. Such a rich, nutty flavor! It is the first time I’ve curdled milk for pancakes – I think this is the secret to the flavor. Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi Monica, that’s wonderful!!! So glad everyone enjoyed the pancakes, and thanks for sharing the Olivio substitution results. Happy cooking!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve never been the best pancake maker but I’m extremely proud of how these turned out, and I give all the credit to you and this recipe. I just recently started trying to eat healthier and was sure I wouldn’t like whole wheat pancakes nearly as much as regular. But BOY was I wrong, these are the best pancakes I’ve ever had EVER! And thanks to you I can make them as often as I want. 🙂 I will be shearing this recipe with everyone I know. Thanks again… (Used brown sugar in replace of regular, added vanilla, and chocolate chips, cant give up my chocolate!)
Hi Serenity, I’m so happy that you loved the whole wheat pancakes so much! And your substitutions sound good too =) Happy cooking!
These pancakes are amazing! I have to admit the only reason I looked for a whole wheat recipe was because I was out of all-purpose flour– but I’m so glad I stumbled onto this recipe and this website! I folded in fresh blueberries just before putting them on the griddle– melt-in-your-mouth good! Thanks so much Joanne– my kids loved them! We’re making the hot, buttered fluffy pretzels later today– I can’t wait!
Hi Veronica, I’m so glad you enjoyed the pancakes! Sometimes the best new discoveries happen by accident =)
These are excellent! Very light and fluffy, hard to believe they’re whole wheat! I used olive oil instead of butter, and soy milk in place of cow’s milk.
I’m glad you enjoyed the pancakes Melissa! And thanks for sharing your substitutions. I’m sure this info will be useful to others. Cheers!
Yum! Doubled the recipe and added a splash of vanilla. My kids gobbled them up – my 2-year old even asked for seconds! I froze the leftovers, and we are now enjoying them for “brinner!” Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that Madeline!