I discovered how to make my own from-scratch fluffy homemade pancakes in the last year or so. I used to always make them from a box mix until it dawned on me one day that I could do it from scratch, and ever since that mind blowing revelation I’ve shunned boxed pancake mix. It’s so easy to make pancakes from scratch and they taste about a thousand times better, too.
One Sunday morning I decided to get all fancy up in here and made candied bacon in the oven. That sounds so super fancy, doesn’t it? Like maybe I slaved over making it in a kettle pot and carefully crafting a bubbly concoction to put my precious bacon into… but NOPE. I just sprinkled brown sugar on top and put it in the oven and went about the rest of my morning. I hope this doesn’t shatter some illusion you have of me in the kitchen. News alert: sometimes I’m totally lazy.
I don’t know why it took me so long to discover that Trader Joe’s bacon is GLORIOUS. They even sell bacon ends for 2.99 (for one pound) and it’s the same as the above – apple smoked bacon – but bits and pieces (but also with a few intact, full strips). They didn’t have any of that on this day, so we got the regular package.
I only made half candied bacon in case someone didn’t want any. Hah.
Bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. And viola! Bacon! I love cooking it in the oven because there’s no splattering and it’s easy clean up (as long as you put foil down).
Mmm, bacon.
I think the secret to the fluffy homemade pancakes is this: milk and vinegar. This creates soured milk. You could use buttermilk, but hell, I don’t usually have that on hand unless I’m planning on making banana bread or something.
The egg goes in after a little 5 minutes wait period, and then some cooled down melted better.
That all gets added to some dry ingredients. See how it’s all bubbly? I think the vinegar and baking soda do some magic in there or something.
I used my half cup measuring cup for ladling the batter into my buttered pan.
And then I put frozen blueberries in it. These are itty bitty sweet wild blueberries.
Man, my pancakes never look all perfectly brown on top. I read it’s because my temperature is too high, but haven’t ever managed to “fix” the problem. Still tastes good, so I guess I don’t care that much.
I also warm up (real) maple syrup and put it into that mini carafe because hot maple syrup tastes so, so good to me. These homemade pancakes are always fluffier and taller than anything I’ve ever made from a box!
I wish someone would make me breakfast on a weekday. Now that’d be a treat to have pancakes before work!
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- Mix milk and vinegar together and set aside for a least 5 minutes to sour the milk.
- Melt a 1/4 cup of butter on the stove or in the microwave and let cool.
- Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until all blended in happy harmony.
- Add eggs to the milk mixtures and beat them in. Then add cooled, melted butter.
- Heat a large non-stick pan on the stove over medium heat. You'll know it's ready to start when a sprinkle of water sizzles on top.
- Ladle about a 1/4 cup of batter to make little pancakes. Top with whatever you'd like (blueberries? strawberries? bananas? chocolate chips?) if you want pancakes with "stuff" in them.
- When the edges start to brown and little bubbles appear on top and "burst", they are ready to flip.
- Cook on the other side for another couple of minutes.
- Serve and pour hot maple syrup all over and stuff your face with these babies!
- If you're not using the oven for something else, heat your oven to 200 degrees and keep these babies warm in the oven. I will also sometimes just use a plate and aluminum foil on top to keep all of the pancakes warm.
Freeze extra pancakes, and then toast them on a weekday! If I’m running out the door, I’ll make a pancake sandwich with PB and strawberries. If I have a few minutes at home, I’ll dip them into maple syrup. I do the same thing with waffles and it makes me weekday breakfasts much more fun.
Also, who wouldn’t want candied bacon??
Hi Leanne – Oh thanks for the tips! We don’t usually have leftover pancakes actually, but I’ll keep that in mind. Toaster + Pancake doesn’t ever occur to me! I don’t even have a waffle maker! I like to mix and match the sweet bacon with the unsweet bacon so you get both – I sometimes like it just plain when it’s really good bacon.
Oh this looks like such a great breakfast to make for my godson when he’s in town!
I can’t believe I just saw this post now – I think you can teach restaurants a thing or two about candied bacon (ahem, Slater’s 50/50).
Is there really no bacon splatter when you bake in oven? Is the bacon crispier when you bake in oven?
I’ve never made pancakes from scratch and your recipe looks easy to follow. Thanks!
Hi Faye – Slater’s. Ohhhh, Slater’s. So disappointing, they are. Haha. No, there’s no bacon splatter in the oven, there are bacon drippings, but if you put foil over your sheet then it’s no problem. It just all drips down into the pan. You must elevate the bacon on a rack so that it’s crispy – if you don’t, then it’s limper since it’s cooking in the fat drippings. The level of crispness can vary depending on long you bake – 15-16 minutes is a little limper, I like mine around the 20-21 minute mark. Much longer than that it might burn!
I don’t seem to be that good at cooking pancakes. I used a mix and they didn’t turn out that well. Not cooked enough yet still burned! I may try your version out on a weekend though. I like that you can make your own buttermilk. I tend to avoid recipes that call for that because I never buy it. And yes to real maple syrup! That fake stuff doesn’t kick it for me!
Hi Lynn – After I started making my own, I just don’t like pancakes from the mix anymore. It doesn’t ever taste quite right, especially those “water only” ones. The milk + vinegar thing is so much better than buying buttermilk – I feel like I can never use that whole carton before it expires. And yes – always yes to real maple syrup! No corn syrup for me, thank you!