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These griddle cakes are light and fluffy old-fashioned pancakes, fried to buttery perfection on the griddle!
We’re big fans of pancakes on the weekends. If you love these thick and pillowy griddle cakes, check out my Greek yogurt pancakes and these moist and fluffy ricotta pancakes, next!
Table of Contents
Today, we’re making thick, buttery griddle cakes from scratch! Griddle cakes are basically old-fashioned pancakes. They’re delicious and rustic, with golden fried edges and soft, fluffy middles that soak up maple syrup like no other. Cooking with plenty of butter is the secret to a crispy brown edge! These were so easy and quick to make, I can’t wait to bring them out again next weekend.
Why I Love This Griddle Cakes Recipe
- The fluffiest texture. This griddle cake recipe uses extra leavening and whipped eggs to create thick, airy pancakes. They’re like little golden cushions on the plate!
- Rustic in the best way. Griddle cakes are an old-timey breakfast that’s easy and comforting.
- Quick. The batter comes together in just a few minutes. Let it rest while you preheat the griddle, and you’ll have soft, perfect griddle cakes on the table in no time.
What’s the Difference Between Griddle Cakes and Pancakes?
Depending on where you live and who you ask, a griddle cake, pancake, hotcake, and flapjack are all interchangeable names for the same thing! It’s a bit different in the United Kingdom, where a griddle cake is a thick, fluffy pancake similar to the buttermilk pancakes you’ll find here in the US. Meanwhile, a pancake in the UK is thinner and wider, like what we’d call a crepe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of the ingredients I needed to make these griddle cakes were already in my pantry! You’ll find a lot of baking staples in my notes below. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable recipe with the full amounts.
- Flour – All-purpose works best.
- Sugar – You can use granulated sugar or brown sugar.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – I use both for extra lofty griddle cakes! Check the dates on the packaging to make sure that your leavening hasn’t expired.
- Salt
- Eggs – If you think of it, take the eggs out and let them come to room temperature. They’ll combine more smoothly with the batter.
- Milk – Use whole milk, 2%, or any type of milk you’d like. Non-dairy milk (like almond and oat milk) will also work in this recipe, though I recommend using the unsweetened kind.
- Butter – Melted to mix into the batter, plus additional butter for cooking on the griddle. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
How to Make Griddle Cakes
If you’ve ever made pancakes, you can make griddle cakes. The method is pretty much the same. Follow the steps here, and scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Make the batter. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then stir in the milk. Add the dry ingredients, followed by melted butter. Once you’ve mixed the batter, set it aside to rest.
- Prep the griddle. Meanwhile, get your griddle or skillet preheating over medium-high heat. Afterward, coat the pan generously with butter.
- Cook. Add scoops of batter to the griddle, about ½ cup at a time. Let the griddle cakes cook for a couple of minutes on one side, then flip and cook until both sides are nicely browned. Repeat until you’ve used all the batter, then serve!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix. Just like when you’re making cakes and cupcakes (just about any baked goods, for that matter), take care not to overwork the pancake batter. Overmixing produces dense, tough pancakes, or in this case griddle cakes. Stir just until the ingredients are combined. A few lumps are ok!
- Rest the batter. Let the bowl of batter sit undisturbed on the counter while you preheat the griddle. Resting pancake batter, even if it’s just for a few minutes, lets the liquid in the batter absorb any floury lumps, and it also gives the leavening a chance to distribute. You can even rest it longer in the fridge, for up to 30 minutes.
- Fry with butter. Coating the griddle with a fair amount of butter is key to these griddle cakes’ crisp, golden edges! Oil works in a pinch, but it just doesn’t have the same flavor or browning effect.
- Watch for bubbles. You can tell when griddle cakes are ready to flip the same way you’d tell when cooking pancakes: bubbles will start to form and burst on the surface of the pancake. That’s your sign that it’s time to flip!
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve my griddle cakes the same way I’ll eat just about any stack of pancakes: Loaded with butter and drenched in maple syrup! For a fresh garnish, add a topping of mixed berries, chopped bananas, or apples. Or, give these griddle cakes a sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for crunch. We also love these pancakes drizzled with raspberry sauce or strawberry syrup when I have a batch in the fridge. Just add a side of eggs and bacon!
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate. Store the cooled griddle cakes airtight in the fridge and reheat them within 3 days.
- Reheat. You can warm these pancakes easily in the toaster or covered in the oven. The microwave also works well.
- Freeze. To freeze the cooked griddle cakes, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, or together, with parchment between each pancake. Stash them in a freezer bag to freeze for up to 2 months. You can thaw them or reheat the pancakes straight from frozen.
More Breakfast Recipes
Griddle Cakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1 ½ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted plus more for cooking
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, pinch of salt
- Beat eggs until nice and foamy. Stir in milk to combine.2 whole large eggs, 1 ½ cup milk
- Add the flour mixture and mix until mostly blended, add the melted butter and mix until combined. A few lumps are ok!2 Tablespoons butter
- Let mixture set while you heat your griddle or skillet.
- Heat to griddle to medium high heat. Once hot generously coat with butter to get that nice golden brown edge.
- Scoop about ½ cup pancake batter onto the hot surface and cook for 2-3 minutes until lots of little bubbles form on the surface. Carefully flip and cook for 2 more minutes until cooked through.
- Remove and repeat with remaining batter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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