Perfect Pancake Muffins Recipe
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These Pancake Muffins are fluffy, delicious, and taste just like your favorite pancakes — but baked as muffins for easy grab-and-go breakfasts! Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes, they’re perfect for busy mornings or weekend brunch.
The light, fluffy texture and classic buttermilk pancake flavor make these pancake muffins a family favorite! This easy recipe turns traditional pancake batter into portable, kid-friendly muffins that are great for busy mornings or weekend brunch. Whether you serve them plain or with maple syrup, these pancake muffins are sure to become a favorite breakfast.
Why You’ll Love This Pancake Muffins Recipe
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes with simple pantry staples.
- Kid-Approved: Handheld muffins are a fun breakfast for little ones.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Perfect for meal prep for easy weekday breakfasts.
- Portable: Great for on-the-go breakfasts, school lunches, or weekend brunch.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- All-Purpose Flour: You can also use a blend of whole wheat and white flour if you like.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness and gives the muffins structure as they bake.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavener, helping the muffins rise.
- Baking Soda: Also helps the muffins rise, since this recipe uses buttermilk.
- Salt
- Buttermilk: If none on hand, make this 2-ingredient homemade buttermilk.
- Egg
- Butter: Melted butter. Can use cooking oil if you like.
- Maple Syrup: Warmed, for serving. Or use your favorite pancake syrup.
Optional Mix-Ins
- Chocolate Chips
- Blueberries, Diced Strawberries, Raspberries, or Chopped Peaches
- Lemon Zest
- Nuts: Chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
- Cinnamon
How to Make Perfect Pancake Muffins
This easy muffin recipe uses simple ingredients and no special equipment.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Set oven to 350º F. Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick baking spray or use muffin liners, and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
- Combine: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to just combine. Don’t overmix. Allow the batter to rest for about 3 minutes.
- Add any mix-ins (optional): Gently fold in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or berries if using.
- Scoop into muffin tin: Scoop the pancake batter with a cookie scoop to evenly divide into muffin cups, filling each about 1/2 full.
- Bake: Bake for 13-15 minutes until slightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve: Serve them with warmed maple syrup for dipping.
Recipe Success Tips
- Don’t Overmix: Stir just until combined to keep muffins fluffy.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Helps the batter mix evenly.
- Test for Doneness: A toothpick should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
- Make Ahead: Bake a batch on the weekend for easy weekday breakfasts.
Storage Tips
- Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature overnight or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely, wrap individually, and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, then heat in oven or microwave.
- Reheat: Microwave 15–20 seconds or warm in a toaster oven.
- Make-Ahead: Bake ahead and freeze; Store the batter in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container, then bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade pancake batter, like in this recipe, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Yes – many optional mix-ins, such as chocolate chips, fruit, and nuts, can be added.
Yes – substitute with your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
More Favorite Breakfast Ideas
Why These Pancake Muffins are a Breakfast Star
Fluffy and sweet, these pancake muffins bring all the comfort of classic pancakes in a grab-and-go muffin. Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and endlessly customizable — they’re great for busy mornings and weekend brunch.
Perfect Pancake Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, (spoon + level)
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
- 2 cups (490 g) buttermilk
- 1 (50 g) egg
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) melted butter
- maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick baking spray or use muffin liners and set aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients: buttermilk, egg, and melted butter in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the buttermilk mixture slowly into the flour mixture, stirring to combine as you pour. Allow the batter to rest for about 3 minutes.
- Scoop pancake batter and fill each indention of mini muffin pan about 1/2 full. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve with warmed maple syrup for dipping.
Notes
- Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature overnight or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely, wrap individually, and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, then heat in oven or microwave.
- Reheat: Microwave 15–20 seconds or warm in a toaster oven.
- Make-Ahead: Bake ahead and freeze; Store the batter in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container, then bake as directed.
- Chocolate Chips: I like to use mini-chocolate chips. I think they are sized perfectly for this recipe.
- Blueberries, Blackberries, Diced Strawberries, Chopped Peaches
- Lemon Zest
- Chopped Nuts
- Cinnamon
- Bacon: Add chopped cooked bacon
- Don’t Overmix: Stir just until combined to keep muffins fluffy.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Helps the batter mix evenly.
- Test for Doneness: A toothpick should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
- Make Ahead: Bake a batch on the weekend for easy weekday breakfasts.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I was wondering if you have to put buttermilk in this recipe. Can you put regular milk instead?
My kids really love cornbread muffins with a hot dog in them (corn dog muffins). Has anyone tried this and put a sausage link in them? It’d be a pig in a blanket muffin. I’m not sure if the grease from the sausage would be a problem though. Maybe if you cooked the link first? I might try it. Either way, I love the idea of pancake muffins. 🙂
This recipe is my new go to for pancakes. They come out delicious and oh-so tasty. I made this recipe but as regular pancakes but they come out a tad on the thick side. Any tips on how to make the pancakes thinner? Less flour perhaps?
Made these today for my picky kiddos to snack on or pack in school lunches. They are fabulous! So super easy and delicious. Love the crispy, buttery outside. I added some (not too many) mini chocolate chips and they eat them without syrup. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!
I made these this morning for breakfast and my children have declared that these need to be our new Sunday morning tradition! I used regular sized muffin tins and it made 18 muffins – delicious, light, fluffy, tasty and perfect for dipping in maple syrup. Thanks so much for sharing – this is a keeper recipe for me.
I’m so glad your children loved them, Barb! xo
Pancake muffins are the best!
Wow Robyn – these look so good. Thank you and have a great weekend.
How cute, and now they are portable. I can see my kids, and husband dipping these pn their way to football practice.
What a fantastic breakfast treat! I need these now!
Hi ~ I looove your recipes, can’t wait to make these muffins. I compared thsir ingredients to your chocolate muffins and they had less sugar but the syrup will be added. I am always looking for ways to reduce sugar and white flour in my kids food, do you have any suggestions or recipes. Thanks!