These fluffy Japanese pancakes may be my new favorite pancake! Not only are they fluffy but they tastes delicious! They are like a slightly sweeter buttermilk pancake with the most wonderful fluffy, yet almost dense, kind of indescribably yummy texture.
You may have seen Japanese pancakes so perfectly round and giggly that they look fake. While this recipe will create that type of pancake; it’s all in how you cook it and how much time you want to take to make them. I prefer a slightly more rustic approach, so they are still fluffy and giggly but just not so perfect looking. I am feeding 6 hungry people in the morning and I am on the clock.
So, I make mine slightly “messy” or “less fussy”. Meaning I do not use a ring around the pancake to make it perfectly round and high. I also don’t make them in a high sided pot, one at a time. That way helps with the height and look too. You can use both of these methods to get the perfectly round and high pancake.
I make mine using a non-stick griddle that I spray with a little non-stick spray. These will stick if you don’t use a non-stick pan and spray. Using the griddle ensures I can make a few at a time for the kids. That way these cook fast enough to still eat them when they are warm and fluffy.
They will deflate slightly when they sit because we are using egg whites. To cook the sides; I place a deep baking dish over the top so they get thoroughly cooked and don’t have gooey sides.
I love these on their own, or with a blueberry compote (RECIPE HERE). They tastes like fluffy and delicious blueberry pancakes! My kids love these with classic maple syrup, so they really go well with whatever topping you desire.
What you need to make fluffy Japanese pancakes:
serves 4
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- 4 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Optional – lemon zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Mix milk and vinegar together and set aside.
- Add flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest together and stir well.
- Add egg yolk and melted butter to the milk and vinegar mixture and stir.
- In a mixer or in a bowl with an electric whisk attachment. Add egg whites, lemon juice and begin beating the egg whites while slowly adding in the sugar. Whisk egg white mixture until stiff peaks form.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir together.
- Spoon in a little bit of the egg white mixture so the batter loosens up slightly.
- Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites but don’t over mix. You want the air from the egg whites in the batter.
- Using a measuring cup or scoop of some sort, spoon the batter gently into a slightly greased non-stick pan. Cook until one side a golden and has a good enough skin on it to flip over.
- Flip over. Place a baking dish or pan over the pancake to trap in the heat so the sides cook.
- The pancake may still look giggly. However, once the sides are set and top and bottoms are golden these are done. You may have to check a few to make sure they are cook thoroughly and adjust you heat slightly.
- Enjoy!
Fluffy Japanese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 tablespoon White vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon Melted Butter
- 4 Egg whites
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1 lemon - zested optional
Instructions
- Mix milk and vinegar together and set aside.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt together and stir well.
- Add egg yolk and melted butter to the milk and vinegar mixture and stir.
- In a mixer or in a bowl with an electric whisk attachment, add egg whites, lemon juice and begin beating the egg whites while slowly adding in the sugar, whisk egg white mixture until stiff peaks form.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir together.
- Spoon in a little bit of the egg white mixture so the batter loosens up slightly.
- Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites but don't over mix. You want the air from the egg whites in the batter.
- Using a measuring cup or scoop of some sort, spoon the batter gently into a slightly greased non-stick pan. Cook until one side a golden and has a good enough skin on it to flip over.
- Flip over and place a baking dish, pan or bowl over the pancake to trap in the heat so the sides cook.
- The pancake may still look giggly but once the sides are set and top and bottoms are golden these are done. You may have to check a few to make sure they are cook thoroughly and adjust you heat slightly.
- Enjoy!