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The Best Fluffy Cast Iron Pancakes (from Scratch!)

Pancakes are definitely something that tastes better from scratch, and even better when you make them in a cast iron skillet. When you cook pancakes in a cast iron skillet they’re perfectly fluffy with crispy edges. We try to make as many things from scratch as possible on our homestead, and this is one of them. This is one of those recipes that my husband knows by heart, probably because he makes them at least once a week. We love topping them with local syrup, or sometimes we’ll make fruit topping like our apple cinnamon pancake topping. When you have kids, pancakes are in the breakfast rotation quite a bit.

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I’m so picky when it comes to pancakes, I always thought I hated pancakes, but it turns out I just hated the box mixes. Now pancakes for breakfast is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Maybe it’s the addition of vanilla or using melted butter instead of oil for even more flavor, I’m not sure, but these are tasty and so easy to make!

Everyone that stays with us and has our pancakes is always asking for the recipe, because it’s so good. Just another one of those recipes my husband is famous for, his chocolate chip cookies are pretty famous among our family and friends too.

Why Cast Iron?

We recently switched all of our cookware (we literally threw away anything labeled as non-stick so we can feed our kids with) so now we only have cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel.

How to cook pancakes in cast iron

The secret to making the perfect pancakes in cast iron is a little bit of bacon grease and butter. Melt a tablespoon of bacon grease and a tablespoon of butter together. Lightly brush this mixture on the pan until it glistens, but make sure it’s not pooling. Do this in between each pancake. You’ll have the absolute fluffiest pancakes with perfectly crispy edges.

The Secret to Fluffy Pancakes

Don’t overmix! The secret to the perfect fluffy pancakes is to stop whisking when there are still small lumps.

The Pantry Staples

Save a trip to the store—you likely have all 6 of these ingredients in your cupboard right now. Making pancakes from scratch and avoiding the box mix means it’s also one less thing to buy at the grocery store and one less thing to store in the pantry! If you’re looking to cut grocery costs and live a more sustainable life, check out my list of 20+ things I no longer buy at the store as a homesteader.

This recipe makes about 10 medium sized pancakes, double it if you’re serving pancakes for a crowd (or or family of 6 like ours!)

What you’ll need for the perfect cast iron skillet pancakes

Cast Iron pan – I love using Lodge cast iron, we have them in so many sizes.

Silicone Basting brush – Use this to brush butter and bacon grease on your pan.

From scratch pancakes

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tbsp melted butter can substitute for oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp bacon grease

Method

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add egg, vanilla, butter and milk. Whisk it all together, let stand for a few minutes to thicken.
If you're using cast iron, melt a tablespoon of bacon grease and a tablespoon of butter together.
Lightly brush this mixture on the pan until it glistens, but make sure it's not pooling. Do this in between each pancake. You'll have the absolute fluffiest pancakes with perfectly crispy edges.
Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side on a hot griddle or frying pan.

FAQ:

Why are my pancakes flat? Check if your baking powder is expired! You need fresh baking powder to make fluffy pancakes.

Can I make the batter ahead of time? It’s best fresh, but you can mix dry ingredients ahead of time.

Can I freeze these? Yes! They toast up perfectly from frozen.

More Favorites

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like these other family-friendly recipes from the blog:

French Toast

Best ever breakfast potatoes

Final Thoughts

Give it a try this week and see if it earns a permanent spot on your rotation! Want more free recipes sent to your inbox monthly? Join the farm fam!

Do you make big breakfasts on weekdays or save big breakfasts for the weekend?