These aren’t your typical Saturday morning pancakes. Sure, they are delicious, fluffy, and taste incredible topped with maple syrup, but these breakfast delights also boast hearty whole grain, protein from Greek yogurt, and no refined sugar. Which makes them the perfect everyday pancakes you can feel good about serving. Make a big batch ahead of time, freeze, and reheat for a quick and easy breakfast that satisfies. (Or have pancakes for dinner! The BEST!) Another reader, Carla, commented: “I second the other comments—fantastic recipe. This will be our standard. Fluffy on the inside, browned on the outside, nice and tall. Thank you! And the whole wheat flour really does make them more flavorful. ★★★★★“
What You’ll Love About These Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes
Made with healthful whole wheat flour, but still light and fluffy Packed with protein thanks to eggs, Greek yogurt, and milk No refined sugars—we’re using pure maple syrup, yum! Quick and easy to make Delicious with a variety of add-ins and toppings
Grab These Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Flour: I’m a total fangirl for King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour. Not a celebrity, just a fangirl for… a flour company. You can also use white whole wheat flour. Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Both give the pancakes some serious lift. Since whole wheat flour tends to weigh things down, we need to add just enough leavener to aerate the cooking batter without leaving any chemical aftertaste. Salt + Cinnamon: For flavor. Yogurt: I typically use plain Greek yogurt, but you can use any kind: dairy or nondairy; full-fat, low-fat, or nonfat; plain, vanilla, or honey flavored. You could even use sour cream. Milk: These whole wheat pancakes are great with any type of milk, dairy or nondairy. Maple Syrup: Not just for topping! We’re sweetening the batter with it. Make sure you use the pure stuff, not the one labeled “pancake syrup.” Eggs: To bind the ingredients together. Vanilla Extract: A kiss of vanilla is the perfect flavor enhancer for these pancakes. Have you tried homemade vanilla extract before? Coconut Oil: The recipe calls for melted coconut oil, but you could substitute vegetable oil or melted butter if you prefer.
How Do I Know if My Pan Is Ready to Cook Pancakes?
The best temperature for cooking pancakes is 375ºF (190ºC). If you’re cooking on an electric griddle, you can simply set it to heat to that temperature. If you’re cooking in a griddle pan or large skillet on the stove, allow the pan to preheat for several minutes over medium heat. Don’t be tempted to crank the heat up to high; that will lead to unevenly cooked, burnt pancakes. Because whole wheat flour is capable of making pancakes taste like dry hockey pucks, let’s avoid that nonsense by loading the batter with just enough moisture. I like to use a large mixing bowl with a pour spout. Makes pouring the batter onto the pan/griddle much easier. To test if the pan is ready, flick a few drops of water from your fingers onto the pan. If they sizzle in place and disappear, it’s not quite hot enough yet. If they “dance” around on the surface before sizzling out, your pan is good to go! (Feel free to dance around a bit yourself, too!)
5 Success Tips for Making the Best Whole Wheat Pancakes
Can I Make These Whole Wheat Pancakes as Waffles?
Absolutely. Use today’s batter and follow the same cooking instructions for these buttermilk whole wheat waffles! (Or just use that recipe, which is pretty similar!)
Optional Pancake Toppings and Add-Ins
A pat of butter and drizzle of maple syrup tastes wonderful on these, of course! As does whipped cream and honey butter. You could also try topping them with some melted peanut butter or homemade almond butter, strawberry topping, blueberry sauce, raspberry sauce, apple butter, or lemon curd. I have separate posts for both whole wheat blueberry pancakes and whole wheat banana pancakes, but you can simply make this recipe and mix in up to 1 cup of your favorite pancake add-in, such as berries or chocolate chips.
Serve Alongside:
If serving these pancakes as part of a big brunch, they plate nicely with fresh fruit, eggs, quiche, frittata or breakfast egg muffins, bagel breakfast casserole, or ham and potato casserole. And for even more inspiration, see my complete list of 30+ healthy breakfast recipes.
More Favorite Pancake Recipes:
Birthday Cake Pancakes Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes Greek Yogurt Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes Pumpkin Pancakes Homemade Crepes 🙂
