I’ve finally nailed a mcdonalds pancake recipe that whips up those fluffy, golden discs at home with everyday pantry items. They puff just right, smell like syrupy mornings, and pop on the griddle in minutes.
This pancake recipe tackles problems like flatness, uneven size, and mix clumping, ensuring fluffy, uniform pancakes perfect for breakfast enjoyment.
I struggled with flat pancakes and uneven sizes until I found this pancake recipe that keeps each cake round and tender. And I’ve fixed that past mix clumping and missing tang issue (happened when the kids barged in).
I always heat my pan first so cakes brown evenly. After a ten-minute rest the batter puffs up into soft discs you flip in about two minutes per side. My kids cheer for the warm stack and I feel proud each time.
If you are up early and need another quick breakfast treat, check out my Frozen Biscuits in Air Fryer.
Table of contents
Dietary Considerations
- This recipe is not gluten-free due to all-purpose flour.
- This recipe is not dairy-free due to nonfat dry buttermilk powder.
- This recipe is not vegan due to egg.
- This recipe is vegetarian and nut-free.
- This recipe does not meet keto or low-carb diets due to high carbohydrate content.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Fluffy Tangy Crumb I let the batter rest 10 minutes so the cornstarch and dry buttermilk powder absorb the milk, giving each 2-tbsp pancake a tender bite.
- Signature Malted Aroma Two tablespoons of malted milk powder mixed into the dry sift gives that McDonald’s aroma and depth without any extra sweetness.
- Cloud-Like Lift Beating one egg white to stiff peaks traps air, and folding it in helps pancakes puff 3-inch rounds in 60-second flips on a 350°F griddle.
- Uniform 3-Inch Discs I portion about 2 tbsp batter per pancake and set ring molds on a 350°F griddle, so each round cooks evenly and stacks neatly.
Copycat Mcdonalds Pancake Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cool Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: griddling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: vegetarian
Description
A delicious recipe for fluffy McDonald’s-style pancakes made at home.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons nonfat dry buttermilk powder
- 1 tablespoon malted milk powder
- 1 large egg, separated
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Incorporate the nonfat dry buttermilk powder and malted milk powder, ensuring no lumps remain. This process is crucial because sifting aerates the flour, contributing to lighter pancakes.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Combine this wet mixture with the dry ingredients. Stir gently, ensuring to leave some lumps. Overmixing can develop gluten, resulting in tough pancakes.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped egg white into the batter using a rubber spatula, being cautious to preserve the air bubbles. This step is essential for achieving that signature McDonald’s lift.
- Cover the bowl and allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. This resting period is vital for the dry ingredients to fully hydrate, ensuring that the pancakes rise beautifully when they hit the heat.
- Preheat a nonstick skillet or electric griddle to 350°F. Lightly brush the surface with vegetable oil. If desired, you can place 3-inch metal ring molds on the griddle to help achieve uniform pancake sizes.
- Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of batter into each ring mold or directly onto the griddle surface. Let them cook for 1–2 minutes until the edges begin to set and bubbles appear on the surface. Gently flip each pancake and cook for an additional minute until they turn golden brown. Adjust the heat as necessary to avoid over-browning.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a wire rack placed in a 200°F oven to keep them warm and crisp. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.
Notes
- **Buttermilk Powder**: This adds tang without thinning the batter. If you don’t have buttermilk powder, you can substitute it with 1 cup of milk combined with 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Adjust the milk powder amount accordingly if you choose this route.
- **Malted Milk Powder**: This ingredient is key to delivering the authentic flavor profile; avoid skipping it if possible, as it contributes significantly to the taste.
- **Cornstarch**: This ingredient lightens the flour’s protein content for a tender crumb. It should not be replaced with more flour.
- **Storage**: Cool pancakes on a wire rack, stack them with parchment paper in between, and seal in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 2 days. To reheat, use a toaster or place them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to restore their crisp edges.
- **Variations**: For a slight tang and dairy reduction, almond milk combined with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar can be used instead of whole milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pancakes
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: pick a brand with high protein content for better lift; sift before using to avoid lumps and lighten the crumb.
- Nonfat dry buttermilk powder: adds tang without thinning batter; brands like Bob’s Red Mill work well; sift with dry mix.
- Malted milk powder: gives that signature aroma and depth; Horlicks or Ovaltine blend in easily with other dry ingredients.
- Large egg: separate yolk at room temp for smooth batter; whip white to stiff peaks for extra lift.
- Whole milk: full-fat adds creaminess and tang; shake carton first; for a DIY buttermilk swap mix milk with a splash of vinegar.
- Vanilla extract: pure vanilla adds subtle depth; avoid imitation; give bottle a shake to redistribute settled vanilla solids.
Recipe Baking Tips
- If edges remain wet after 1 minute, cook pancakes 30 seconds longer at 350°F before flipping to prevent undercooked centers.
- When batter spreads unevenly, use a 2 tablespoon scoop and optional 3 inch ring mold on 350°F griddle to achieve uniform discs.
- For flat pancakes, let mixed batter rest 10 minutes at room temperature before cooking to hydrate dry ingredients and improve pancake rise.
- If pancakes brown too fast, reduce heat to 325°F after first minute on griddle to avoid burnt surface and undercooked centers.
- When batter pours too thick, whisk in 1 tablespoon milk before folding egg whites for consistency in 2 tablespoon pancake portions.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with turkey sausage patties and cucumber tomato salad besides apple compote and gluten free garlic bread on platter tray. Place potato wedges and spinach zucchini fritters alongside berry yogurt parfait and pumpkin seed granola in glass jars with spoons.
Use pancakes in strawberry yogurt trifle and banana cream stacks topped with almond butter and honey swirl beside mint sprigs. Add chopped pancakes to cereal bowls with coconut milk and chia seeds plus diced apples under cinnamon dust on counters.
Top pancakes with berry compote and maple cream sauce alongside toasted pecans and orange zest over ceramic platter beside knives. Drizzle salted caramel sauce and Greek yogurt glaze over stacks before scattering chopped walnuts and dried cranberries on steel counter.
Recipe variations
- You can use 1 cup gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour and add 1 teaspoon vinegar to mimic buttermilk acid for equally tender pancakes.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon malted milk powder to the batter for subtle warmth served alongside my Sourdough Blueberry Scones each morning.
- Either 1 cup whole milk or 1 cup almond milk plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar hydrates batter and maintains tangy flavor in pancakes recipe.
- If using 3-inch ring molds, double the batter ingredients yields twelve pancakes and triple yields eighteen for making ahead and storing in an airtight container.
Save This Recipe!
How to Store?
To keep your mcdonalds pancake recipe fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
Room Temperature: airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. cool pancakes on a rack, stack with parchment paper.
Refrigeration: airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days. cool completely before stacking with parchment paper to avoid any sticking.
Freezing: wrap pancakes in foil, place in freezer container up to 3 months. thaw at room temperature, reheat in toaster.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chips Zucchini Bread
- Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Ingredients in McDonald’s pancakes are flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, nonfat buttermilk powder, malted milk powder, egg, whole milk, vegetable oil, vanilla.
McDonald’s pancakes are different because they use nonfat dry buttermilk and malted milk powders for flavor and cornstarch for tenderness.
Ingredients in McDonald’s pancake syrup are high-fructose corn syrup, water, corn syrup, maple concentrate, caramel color, natural flavor, salt, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate.
If you enjoyed this copycat mcdonalds pancake recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
