Are you wondering how to make your pancakes extra fluffy? In this article we tell you everything you need to know about how to make pancakes that are light and fluffy rather than flat and dense. We discuss both ingredients and cooking methods that can help to make your pancakes more fluffy.
How to make pancakes extra fluffy
- Whip your egg whites
- Add extra baking powder
- Add baking soda and vinegar
- Preheat your pan
- Mix your pancake batter less
- Add more fat to your batter
Whipping your egg whites for fluffier pancakes
Whipping your egg whites is the most common strategy for making pancakes that are light and fluffy. Rather than mixing your eggs into your pancake batter whole, separate your egg yolks from your egg whites and whip your egg whites until they are light and airy.
After you whip your egg whites, you should avoid stirring the egg whites too much. If you stir your egg whites too much, some of the air bubbles will be pushed out of the egg whites. You should fold your whipped egg whites into your pancake batter as a last step after you have mixed all of the other ingredients together.
Adding extra baking powder for fluffier pancakes
Another alternative that does not require as much effort is adding more baking powder to your pancake mix. Baking powder is the ingredient that is typically used in pancake batter to give the pancake batter some rise. This is because baking powder contains an acid and base which are combined when the baking powder is activated by heat or moisture.
When the acid and base in the baking powder are combined, they create a chemical reaction that produces lots of little air bubbles. These air bubbles get pushed into the pancake batter. The more air bubbles are in your pancake batter, the more light and fluffy the pancake batter will be.
Adding baking soda and vinegar for fluffier pancakes
Another alternative to adding more baking powder to your pancake mix is adding some baking soda and vinegar. When baking soda and vinegar are put in close contact they produce a chemical reaction that releases air bubbles. These air bubbles push lots of air into your pancake batter, which will result in light and fluffy pancakes.
If you are going to add vinegar and baking soda to your pancakes you should make sure to use a vinegar with a neutral flavor that will not have a strong effect on the flavor of your pancakes. White vinegar is a great choice for a vinegar with a neutral flavor.
Pre-heating your pan for fluffier pancakes
If you want to make pancakes that are light and fluffy, you should make sure to preheat your pan before putting your pancakes on your pan. Preheating your pan serves multiple purposes. First, the heat of the pan helps to activate the baking powder and ensure that the baking powder pushes air bubbles into the pancake batter. Many types of baking powder are designed so that they do not activate until they reach high temperatures.
Second, the pancakes will start to cook and set faster if your pan is hot. This will prevent the pancake batter from spreading as much which will prevent the pancakes from flattening out too much.
Mix your pancake batter less for fluffier pancakes
Another technique that will help you make pancakes light and fluffy is mixing your pancake batter less. This is particularly important if you are making pancakes with regular flour that contains gluten because the more you mix your pancake batter the more the gluten will develop. As gluten develops, it makes the resulting pancakes more chewy and less fluffy.
You should not be afraid if your pancake batter still has lumps of batter in it when you are done mixing it. This is fine, and in some cases it is even preferred. Lumpy batter tends to spread less, resulting in fluffier pancakes.
Add more fat to your batter for fluffier pancakes
Adding a little more fat content can also help your pancakes come out nice and fluffy if you are using a regular wheat-based flour. This is because gluten does not develop as well in high fat environments. If you are making gluten free pancakes, then this tip might not be as useful.
If you do not want to add more fat to your pancakes then you can also try adding some acid. Gluten does not develop as well in acidic batter. This is part of the reason that buttermilk, which is a more acidic alternative to milk, is often used in pancake batter.
