Welcome, breakfast lovers who don’t want to share! Here you will learn the secrets of making pancakes for one. Namely, yourself.
This no egg pancake recipe is scalable and you can make it to feed a crowd. The nice thing about this recipe is that the proportions are easy to remember and you can also vary it in many ways.
As written, this recipe makes 3, the perfect serving for one. So if you ever wondered how to make just 3, here’s your answer!
Do make these pancakes made with self-rising flour. Vary them however you like by adding citrus zest, spices, blueberries, etc.
And one time, make them just for yourself, because we don’t always want to share!
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Making pancakes using self-rising flour
Why use self-rising flour in this pancake recipe?
If you happen to have self-rising flour, it makes it really easy to whip up these guys quickly.
Self-rising flour, sometimes called self-raising flour, already contains leavening and salt, so you only need to measure 1 ingredient rather than 3.
And the self-rising flour already has the perfect amount of leavening in it so you don’t have to guess. Sweet!
You can and should make only one serving!
We interrupt your regular programming to bring you the following Public Service Announcement:
Oh, sorry. Did I hurt your ears? But, it’s true. You are this close to homemade pancakes.
Yes, even if you live alone or all your family is out at the movies.
What you need to make them
Barring a box of mix or a frozen brick of pancakes from the big box store in your freezer, here’s what you’ll need. You probably own most of this stuff already.
Ingredients you’ll need
- self-rising flour (if you don’t have self-rising flour, substitute with a mixture of all purpose flour, baking powder and salt at this ratio: for each cup of self-rising flour, use 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt)
- sugar (granulated sugar, brown sugar, or even a sugar substitute like monkfruit + erithrytol)
- milk (you can use non-dairy milk)
- vegetable oil (neutral such as canola, safflower, corn, etc)
- butter
- real maple syrup (yes, it is worth it)
Can you make them without eggs?
Yes!
In fact, sometimes using eggs can make your pancakes almost rubbery.
Making pancakes without eggs and mixing just until the ingredients come together yields fluffy, tender pancakes.
It’s my preferred way to make pancakes. No eggs, thanks very much.
You may now consider this your go-to no egg pancake recipe!
Equipment you’ll need
- a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or griddle (an electric fry pan works here too)
- a timer
- a stove (only if not using an electric fry pan!)
- one bowl
- one whisk
- one spoon (a regular teaspoon will do)
- a half-cup measure
- a pancake turner or other thin spatula-type Item
How to make these small batch pancakes
Here’s how it’s done. Follow these steps To The Letter, and you, too, can be enjoying fresh, a solitary and delicious meal of pancakes without eggs in about 20 minutes.
Note that pancake batter is best made using The Muffin Method.
- Heat your griddle or skillet. You want you pan to be nice and hot, so go ahead and give it a head start on medium-high heat while you mix your ingredients. (If you make a lot of pancakes, having an electric griddle or an electric skillet is a nice luxury that will help them cook evenly.)
- Whisk together dry ingredients. In this case, dry ingredients include self-rising flour and a little sugar. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can still make these. See the recipe notes. You can also whisk in some spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom if you’d like.
- Whisk wet ingredients together. You’ll need milk (I like whole milk, but you can make these dairy-free by using your favorite nut milk.)
- Whisk in some neutral vegetable oil and any extract. If you’re using citrus zest, you can whisk it in with your milk and oil.
- Mix wet into dry. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until it just comes together. A few lumps are just fine.
- Cook. Add a bit of butter to your pan and cook your pancakes, 1/3 of the batter at a time. Once you pour the batter into the pan, that’s when you can add fruit or chocolate chips. Let them cook until set and dry around the edges. Flip and cook an additional couple of minutes.
- Plate and Enjoy. I like to put butter on my plate, add a pancake, add more butter, add a pancake, add butter, then top with a pancake. But I like butter! You can just add a pat of butter on top, douse in syrup, and enjoy.
Other pancake recipes to enjoy
If you’re a fan of this pancake recipe, here are a couple more from my site and from some of my friends. Enjoy!
- German Pancakes (made with mashed potatoes)
- Yeast-Raised Chocolate Chip Pancakes (not too sweet. Really good!)
- Vegan Vanilla Chai Pancakes (no eggs, no dairy)
- Gluten-Free Buckwheat Pancakes with Pears (hearty and satisfying)
- Bubula (Matzo Meal Pancakes) (like your grandma used to make)
- Banana Chocolate Chip Whole Wheat Pancakes ( if you’re looking for a dessert pancake!)
Questions?
If you have any other questions about this recipe or any other, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
You can leave a comment here, and I will be back in touch in about 24 hours.
If your question in more urgent, you can email me and I answer within about 4 hours.
Either way, I promise to help!
Let’s get to it
I really hope you love this recipe, you guys!
If you make it, please share a photo with me before you devour them, either in the Pastry Chef Online Facebook Group or on instagram by tagging @onlinepastrychef and using hashtag #pcorecipe.
I’d also love to have you join my PCO newsletter, The Inbox Pastry Chef!
Thanks, and enjoy!
Pancakes for One
When you want an indulgent breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner on those days you're home alone, turn to this easy recipe for pancakes for one. No egg recipe for tender pancakes. You're going to love them!
Ingredients
For the Pancakes
- 1/2 cup self rising flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk, about 1/4" shy of the top of the half cup measure
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, I use avocado oil
- a sprinkle of cinnamon or other pancake-y type spice, optional
- splash of vanilla/citrus zest/chocolate chips--whatever, optional
For Serving
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- Real maple syrup
Instructions
The Procedure
- Preheat the skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Set the timer for five minutes.
- In your bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients, including zest, if using. Do not mix in any "chunky" mixins here--only spices or zest
- Stir oil into milk, and add vanilla, if you're using it.
- Pour over dry ingredients and whisk slowly until just incorporated.
- Let the batter sit until the timer goes off.
- Rub a little butter onto your skillet.
- Pour 1/3 of your pancake batter into the skillet.
- While your pancake cooks, heat up the maple syrup so it's ready to go.
- Let pancake cook until the bubbles around the edges pop but don't fill back in with batter, about 3-4 minutes. If using blueberries, cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, etc, sprinkle on a few evenly over the top of the pancake before flipping.
- Flip pancake and cook about 2 minutes.
- While the second side of the pancake cooks, put a wee pat of butter on your plate.
- Place this pancake onto plate on top of butter.
- Make 2 more pancakes the same way you made the first.
- Put a wee pat of butter on top of your first pancake.
- Pile on the other 2 pancakes as they finish cooking, adding a small pat of butter in between each pancake.
- Turn off stove.
- Pour syrup on top of pancakes.
- Eat.
Notes
Rather than plating each pancake before plating the next, you can keep the cooked pancakes warm in a toaster oven and then plate everything all at once.
As a special treat, rather than using plain maple syrup, try some of the Bourbon barrel-aged maple syrups that are out now. Very good! It's pricey, but these are pancakes for one, and that means you're not sharing with your kids or your husband. Indulge!
Nutritionals calculated without the butter (or syrup) for serving. Just so you know.
I made my pancakes for one with lemon zest in the batter and fresh blueberries sprinkled on top of each pancake as it cooked.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 1 Serving Size 3 pancakesAmount Per Serving Calories 442Saturated Fat 13gCholesterol 8mgSodium 36mgCarbohydrates 61gFiber 1gSugar 16gProtein 10g
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Thank you for spending some time here today. Enjoy your pancakes that you don’t have to share with anyone! Take care, and have a lovely day.
Nathan says
Hey Jenni,
Found your site through this recipe – I searched for something easy to make during camping trips. I tried these this morning, but I think I messed up somehow. When I make the batter according to your directions (substituting 1/2 cup regular flour + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder + 1/4 teaspoon ground Kosher salt) it comes together very sticky and doughy. Also, I realized I left the sugar out, but I don’t know if that accidental omission would cause things to get super thick. Even without the sugar, though, they tasted good (a bit bland, but not bad). On the third “pour” I added a dash of water to thin the dough back to a batter consistency and then threw in some blueberries – that one was really nice. For a pre-diabetic, that would work just fine for me, without the sugar and all.
Any idea what could make the batter get so thick? I triple-checked the volumes I used (which is when I realized I left the sugar out accidentally). I’m going to try again tonight (because why not?) and see if I get different results.
Jennifer Field says
Hey, Nathan. Sugar might make a bit of a difference, but if you think the batter is too thick, it’s totally fine to add a bit more milk to it. If you are prediabetic, consider adding a bit of cinnamon to the batter as cinnamon can have some regulating affect on blood sugar levels. Leaving out the sugar can also lead to a bit of blandness since the sugar and salt together heightens flavor.
And I heartily approve of pancakes for dinner. Enjoy!
Nathan says
Sounds good! Thanks for the reply!
Jennifer Field says
No problem–I try to stay on top of things when folks have questions and/or to help troubleshoot! Enjoy your camping and your dinner pancakes. 🙂
Nathan says
Hi Jenni,
I added more milk, and remembered the sugar, added a couple of pinches of cinnamon, and yeah, they worked great! Just what I’m looking for at camp (or when I need an emergency pancake meal, of course). The family approves as well. Next trial will be car camping. Thanks again for the input! Great recipe.
Jennifer Field says
Awesome! Glad they turned out well for you! =) Try them with some lemon zest in the batter and blueberries sprinkled on them before flipping. Maybe my favorite way!
Harsha says
I manufacture and supply premixes for waffles. would love to try this recipe.
Debbie says
Hi! Would it be possible to make this using 1) gluten free pancake omitting the leveling agents since already contained, and secondly could I sub 1:1 gluten free flour? Any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate as I’ve not been able to make a decent GF single serving pancake. Thank you in advance
Jennifer Field says
Hi, Debbie. I wish I could tell you for sure, but I’m not gluten free and have very limited experience with all the different gf flours and flour blends. My only advice would be to try it. If it doesn’t work out, at least you’re only out a small amount of ingredients. I have heard that you can make an oat flour pancake that is really good. I’m going to refer you to my friend Sandi who is an amazing gluten free baker. She may be able to better help. https://fearlessdining.com
Lizzie says
These pancakes came out a bit sticky and a bit bland…would not make again.
Jennifer Field says
Oh, man, that has never happened to me before. I wonder if your self-rising flour was a little bit old? That can happen in a fairly short amount of time, and if the leavener is a little kaput, they may not rise as well and therefore get a bit sticky on the surface. And I have to ask, did you use self-rising flour? I normally always add salt to everything to fight against blandness, but self-rising flour already has enough salt in it to make things taste good. So if you subbed in regular flour for self-rising, you’d be down both leavening and salt, possibly resulting in sticky, bland pancakes.
Sorry you weren’t a fan, but I appreciate your stopping in and commenting!
Mollie says
Can I use all purpose flour instead of self rising? Sorry, I couldn’t find the notes.
Jennifer Field says
You can, but if you make that substitution, you will have to add leavening and salt. The ratio is generally 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt per cup of all purpose flour to equal self rising. Hope that helps. I’ll add that to the notes. Enjoy, and stay well.