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”
I am so in love with theses pancakes I’v made them twice until now, and they were actually tatse good as you said 😀
I always search about wholewheat alternatives but it didn’t go for Panccakes until I found these, so puffy and fluffy .
Thank you so much I wanted so badly to leave a comment because they worth it ! :’)
that looks really good!
I made these this morning and they were truly wonderful.
I wanted to get away from using our standard Bisquick and figured since I have a big bag of whole wheat flour in the cabinet I’d use that.
And thanks for the tip about the cookie scoop! It worked really well for size and for spreading the batter.
My milk never curdled with the vinegar, but that didn’t seem to affect anything.
The recipe made 17 pancakes for me, which I consider 3-4 servings.
(As a side note, my calorie counting app says 1/4 of this recipe would be 215 calories.)
I will definitely use this recipe again and again!
These pancakes are awesome, so light and fluffy and delicious. I’ll never eat a pancake made from white flour again!
So happy to hear that, Lisa!
Wow, Delicious Whole Wheat Pancakes and I mill my own Wheat berries
Very cool!
I used fresh ground whole wheat flour and creme fraise and they were wonderful.
That’s wonderful to hear, David!
OMG these are really delicious pancakes, I just made them. Thanks so much for the recipe. Topped them with some fresh raspberries and maple syrup.
That sounds wonderful, to add the raspberries and maple syrup!
This is a wonderful recipe! I shared it on my blog’s facebook page so other people could try it out too. Thanks!
I was skeptical, but really wanted to find a healthier alternative to pancakes. But these were amazing. Dare I say it, they were even better than ‘white’ flour pancakes! Thank you.
YAY! So glad to hear that, Esther.
I shared your link on my blog. I am 57 and started my blog for a school project. I am working toward my bachelors degree. Better late than never! These really are the best whole wheat pancakes ever! Thanks for sharing.
That is wonderful, Lucille!
Those look tasty!Daddy cooks breakfast around here so I will try this recipe Sunday morning.
Great recipe! Thank you so much for posting it! My three kids loved the pancakes!
made these last night for supper. They were great. Great instructions.
Wonderful to hear, Andrea.
Wow! Excellent! Made them today morn with my kids – they loved them. Even smell nice when cooking. Well done!
Hi Beryl, that’s wonderful!!
Hi, what I can use instead of sugar? And can I use almond milk?
I think others have used honey and alternative milks and said it turned out well.
These are fantastic! My husband shutters when he hears “whole wheat” (I’m still working on him!) and he loves them. They freeze/reheat excellent as well. I defrost them and then heat them up in the toaster! I just finished making 48 so my mom, sister, husband and myself can all put some in our freezers! Can’t wait to enjoy them on a weekend morning and not have to do any of the work!
So glad to hear this Megan!!