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”
These turned out great. My husband and I have been trying to eat healthier. Who says dieting had to be boring when you can have these little babies. 🙂
Hi Barbara, it makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed the pancakes! Happy cooking.
Great looking recipe, I’m curious if the batter lasts in the fridge like some regular batters, to be able to use the next day? Mostly curious to see if I can make the batter the night before and just do the easy step in the morning as I am not a morning person
Hi Jose, I’ve honestly never tried making it the night before so I’m not sure. I know that gluten develops in highly liquid batters but I’m not sure it’d be anything significant here. If you try it please report back and let everyone know.
I think the baking soda and baking powder won’t last overnight. But I just made them, and was skeptical of all whole wheat pancakes. I have seen lots of recipes with half white/half wheat flour. These are so yummmmmy! Thanks for the recipe.
Glad you enjoyed the pancakes Michelle!!
Thank you so much for this great recipe! I was so impressed. Being a diabetic I try to stay away from white flour. I was skeptical about these pancakes but I was so impressed with how they turned out. The recipe now has a permanent place in my files. Thank you~ Patricia
YAY! That’s wonderful Patricia. Glad they earned a place in your files.
I need to admit I always made pancakes from boxes and this morning I wanted to make something special for my wife. I followed your recipe and everything turned great. Pancakes were delicious and fluffy. I will never buy another pancakes mix box! Next time I will try with bananas like some people here recommended.
Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
Wonderful to hear Leon! Glad you and your wife enjoyed them.
I made these wholewheat pancakes this morning and they were fantastic. No more premixed for me. Thanx Joanne for sharing this recipe. Really great pancakes. Cheers!
Really wonderful to hear, Mark. Hope you enjoy them again and again!
Thank you so much for the tasty recipe! My kids who are 6 and 3.5 loved it, as did I and my husband. The only thing I added was 2 tsp of vanilla and it turned out delicious!!!
So happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed the pancakes, Susan. Happy cooking!
Great recipie! I stumbled onto this website when I was looking for a recipe to make for a project we are doing. This one is perfect! Just wondering if anyone know a nice drink that can accompany this? I was thinking of making pink lemonade, but maybe someone has a better idea? Loved to know anyone’s thoughts!
I have been using this recipe for several months. The last time I made them, my husband (who balks at most “healthy” tweaks I makeito food) came in the kitchen before I could get the flour put away. He made a bit of a face but then goes “Huh. I’ve never had whole wheat pancakes, butI’m sure once you’re done adding your stuff they’ll be good.” I laughed and had to tell him. “Sorry bud, you’ve been eating these for months.” He’s always seen me add cinnamon, so I guess for him, that accounted for the different color. The point being, even my picjy as a two year old husband LOVES these pancakes!
This is the best story ever, Heather! hahaha. Love it.
I was really having a rough day with exams and honestly these pancakes were responsible for making me feel so much better. Thank you for that!
Hi Jen-Lyn, I’m really happy to hear that! Good luck with exams =)
I made these pancakes this morning, They are so fluffy and light and taste so good!!!! Thank you for sharing.:)
Wonderful to hear Kim, hope you enjoy them again and again!
I made these once and thought these definitely live up to the name – ie whole wheat pancakes that actually taste good. I think you could feed them to most people and they wouldn’t realize they were made with whole wheat flour.
Made them a 2nd time with blueberries. They were ok but not better – the blueberries definitely subtracted from the recipe rather than added to it.
Made them a 3rd time but decided they needed a flavour kick. So I added 1 tsp vanilla extract (to the curdled milk mixture) + 1/4 tsp cinnamon (to the dry ingredients). Result – AMAZING!
(On reflection, I’m not sure why the recipe is missing vanilla anyway.)
Someone was asking about subbing out the egg for flax seed. We actually added it, but next time I’m gonna substitute. We sub’d out the melted butter for EVOO and ditched the sugar for Stevia. Added the milled flax, and they were absolutely delicious!! I think the EVOO gives them pancakes a little extra crispness … Yummmm!!
I don’t have vinegar:( possible to leave out?
I substituted the milk for almond milk, the vinegar for lemon juice and the sugar for Splenda. Turned out well.
Great to know those substitutions worked well. Thanks Ashley!
I am 80 and a widow and trying to eat healthy. Can’t wait to try. I have choc chips to add.
So delicious and very quick and easy! Whole wheat pancakes can sometimes be dense but these are perfectly light and fluffy. I used rice vinegar as I was out of white wine vinegar. I also doubled the recipe and added some vanilla and cinnamon. Delicious!!
Hi those pancakes look great I am going to make them today but i was wondering do I need to use vinegar cause Im fresh out and I do not have lemon juice either. Please help me.
Hi! You might be able to get away with it, but omitting the acid means there won’t be something to neutralize the baking soda, so the pancakes might have a metallic taste to them. Might be good to wait.
Thanks I did make the pancakes without vinegar and my family LOVED them. They said I should star selling them, anyway thank you for the details.
Wonderful to hear, Zulema!