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Use your favorite flavor of classic yogurt (non-Greek) to make these incredible pancakes for breakfast!
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Can You Replace Milk with Yogurt in Pancakes?
Using yogurt is a great way to replace milk in pancake recipes. It gives the batter flavor and yields fluffy pancakes. It’s definitely better than using water to make pancakes without milk. Using yogurt also adds protein to the batter.
Yogurt Pancake Ingredients
You’ll find the amounts in the recipe card below. But before you make swaps to the recipe, check out this list of ingredients:
- All-purpose flour: regular or 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Baking soda: reacts with the acidity in yogurt and helps these pancakes have great texture and fluff.
- Baking powder: needed to make these pancakes fluffy soda gives it a boost but alone can’t.
- Salt: a necessary flavor enhancer for this batter.
- Yogurt: this recipe uses regular yogurt, plain or flavored, not Greek-yogurt (more on this below).
- Eggs: binds the ingredients together. You can use an egg substitute for pancakes but the texture will definitely change.
- Vanilla: adds a nice flavor to the pancakes, you can omit if you use flavored yogurt.
- Butter: adds moisture and a soft texture plus a delicious flavor to the batter.
Which Yogurt to Use in Pancakes
While technically you can use any type of yogurt to make pancakes, this recipe uses regular yogurt. Full-fat yogurt is thicker so the pancake batter will be thicker than with non-fat yogurt.
The acid in the yogurt reacts with the baking powder and baking soda to give the pancakes extra fluff that builds the perfect stack!
Using flavored yogurt allows you to change up the taste of the batter without having to use too many toppings or pancake add-ins.
Greek Yogurt Pancakes
Using Greek yogurt yields a thicker pancake batter, much thicker than regular, so you’ll need to add a bit of milk to it to thin it out. Or, you can make fluffy Greek yogurt pancakes with this recipe.
Flavored Fruit Yogurt Pancakes
Any fruit-flavored yogurt will work to make these pancakes. I often use strawberry yogurt because that’s what I have on hand although my favorite is lemon yogurt and a little lemon zest. The truth is that a flavored yogurt won’t change up the flavor or your batter that much but it will definitely make it sweeter.
Make next: Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes
The Secret to Fluffy Yogurt Pancakes
The secret to fluffy yogurt pancakes is in the batter. Mixing the dry ingredients well to distribute the baking soda and baking powder is essential, as is combining the wet ingredients first before adding them to the flour bowl so you don’t end up overmixing the batter. The batter should be nice and thick because if the batter is too thin, your pancakes won’t be fluffy.
Tips for the Best Yogurt Pancake Batter
Beyond the “don’t over mix” recommendation, there are some tips that will ensure you get the best yogurt pancakes for breakfast. They include:
Combine the wet ingredients first so you don’t end up overmixing the batter. This will yield chewy pancakes.
Use baking powder and baking soda for best results. While technically you can use just baking powder (you’ll need 2 ½ teaspoons) the combination of the two works best for this recipe.
Keep the eggs when making this recipe. While you can substitute them, if you can have them I recommend you keep them.
Heat the pan first and once it’s hot, grease it. Then, immediately pour the batter. This will ensure that the first side cooks long enough for the batter not to be raw in the middle, so after you flip the pancakes, they’ll really lift up, and you’ll see the fluffiness happening right before your eyes!
How to Make Yogurt Pancakes Step-by Step
Avoid some of the common pancake mistakes with the tips I’m including in the steps to make yogurt pancakes:
- Combine the dry ingredients
Use a large bowl and mix well to ensure the baking powder is mixed throughout. - Combine the wet ingredients
Use a blender or a separate bowl to whisk the eggs and the yogurt well. If you’re careful like I am in the video, you can do it in the same bowl. - Make the batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowls. Mix until it’s just combined and no visible lumps. - Pour and Flip
Always heat the surface first. Once hot, grease it well. Immediately pour the batter and wait to flip the pancakes until you see bubbles and defined edges. The first side always takes longer to cook. - Stack and Serve
Remove the pancakes from the pan or griddle and cook the rest. This method keeps the pancakes warm.
If you’re a visual learner, watch this quick recipe video to see how they’re made. Then, you can print the recipe below to make them in your own kitchen.
How to Top Yogurt Pancakes
The sky is the limit when it comes to pancake toppings. But for this recipe, I’d have to suggest your favorite sliced fruit and maple syrup or my incredible strawberry syrup. So. Good.
Fluffy Pancakes with Regular Yogurt
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup regular yogurt, any flavor*
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, optional
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Make the pancake batter:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl or in a blender, combine the regular yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter. Pour the wet mixture into the flour bowl, and with a whisk, combine until there are no visible clumps.
Cook the pancakes:
- Heat a large non-stick pan (or griddle) over medium-high heat. Once hot, grease the surface with oil, spray, or butter. Immediately, pour ¼ cup of pancake batter onto the greased pan. Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes, until the edges begin to look defined and bubbles form. Flip the pancakes over and cook for another minute on the other side. Make sure not to press them down with the spatula. Repeat with the rest of the pancake batter.
- Serve topped with butter, maple syrup, or your favorite pancake toppings.
Notes
- If you have a single container of yogurt, which is usually 6 ounces each, empty it into a 1-cup measuring scoop and fill the rest with milk. You’ll need about 2 ounces or ¼ cup.
- If you have Greek yogurt, you’ll need to add some liquid to the batter to achieve a good pancake batter consistency.
- Use the right baking powder: Since pancake batter naturally has a mild, neutral flavor, it’s important to use aluminum-free baking powder. The metallic flavor will ruin the taste, especially in fluffy pancake recipes that call for 2 or more teaspoons. Trust me on this one.
Lina says
This was so yummy!
dayna says
so yummy
Karen says
Yummy!!!
Jackie says
These were epic!
Taylor says
These were no lie the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted.