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These pancakes without baking powder are fluffy and delicious and making them is a breeze. Here is how!

No baking powder, no problem! With this recipe, you’ll make great-tasting pancakes without baking powder, but before you omit it completely, read this post to see what to do -no special ingredients are needed.

stack of fluffy pancakes on a white plate

Can You Make Pancakes Without Baking Powder?

Baking powder is mixed with the dry ingredients when making traditional pancake batter, so when the pancakes are exposed to heat when you cook them, they “lift” and turn out fluffy.

While you can technically make pancakes without baking powder, when you cook the batter, you’ll end up with flat rounds that can still be tasty, just like my 3-ingredient pancakes.

However, if what you want is a delicious stack that resembles traditional pancakes made with classic ingredients: eggs, milk, flour… without having to separate the yolks and egg whites like you do when making soufflé pancakes, you can achieve that with this recipe.

What Happens to Pancakes Without Baking Powder

Baking powder gives traditional pancake recipes a fluffy, cake-like texture, so the result will be flat and dense pancakes when it’s omitted without changing the recipe. This is why this recipe was developed specifically without it with a slightly different method; it doesn’t just leave it out.

Ingredients

The secret to making epic pancakes without baking powder is in this short ingredient list:

Eggs: they bind the ingredients in the batter, make it flavorful, and help give these a soft texture.
Milk: dairy or non-dairy milk will work with this recipe.
Butter: a little to add flavor to the batter. It can be omitted or swapped for coconut oil.
Vanilla extract: an optional ingredient that makes pancakes taste great.
Lemon juice or vinegar: both are acids and will help develop the batter. Lemon juice is my preference, but if you use white vinegar, you should definitely add sugar.
Flour: regular, all-purpose flour is what works best here.
Sugar: a little to sweeten the batter. I recommend doubling it if you use white vinegar.
Baking soda: this will react with the acid (lemon juice or vinegar) and help give these pancakes a nice, soft texture.

The Key to Fluffy Pancakes Without Baking Powder

I explained this to my 6th grader while he was doing homework, so I’ll keep it just as simple for you. The key to getting a fluffy pancake texture without baking powder is to use an acid, like lemon juice or vinegar, and a base ingredient, like baking soda. Together, they create a chemical reaction that expands the batter when exposed to heat (cooking the pancakes), and that, my friend, is what makes them fluffy.

How to Make Pancakes Without Baking Powder

While you’d typically mix everything in one bowl, using two ensures every pancake without baking powder is consistent. Some tips in each step include:

Measure
Use a spoon to fill a measuring cup with flour so you don’t over-pack them. Mix the dry ingredients in one small bowl and set aside.
Whisk
Whisk the eggs first, and once the egg whites are no longer visible, add the milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice or vinegar into the large bowl.
Mix the batter
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients inside the large bowl, and once there are no visible lumps, stop mixing.
Cook
Heat up the non-stick surface first, then grease it once hot. Immediately, pour about ¼ cup of pancake batter and cook the pancakes for 2 minutes per side, making sure to not press down with the spatula after you flip them.
Serve
Stack them high and serve these pancakes warm with your favorite toppings.

Watch this quick video to see the whole process from start to finish.

Fluffy Pancake Success Tips With No Baking Powder

After making these pancakes for over a decade for my family, some tips that ensure the best outcome include:

Make the batter taste good by adding the melted butter, a little sugar, and some lemon zest (optional). This is especially important if you use the vinegar as the acid.

Mix the pancake batter just enough until you don’t see any more flour.

Heat the pan first, then grease it. This ensures they won’t stick and will flip easily.

pancakes without baking powder cooking on a griddle

Cook the pancakes over medium heat to allow each side enough time to cook the batter before burning it.

Avoid pressing down with the spatula after flipping. This will make the batter ooze out on the sides and compact the pancake.

More Baking Powder Substitutes for Pancakes

If you’re out of baking powder or can’t have any of the starches used in baking powder, all not is lost.

While most traditional pancake recipes use baking powder to achieve a fluffy texture and gain “lift” when cooking, there are two ways to substitute baking powder for making pancakes:

Whipped egg whites: by whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding them last into the batter, you begin the pancake cooking process with a fluffy mouse-like batter that yields extra fuffly pancakes.
Using baking soda: baking soda needs an acid to react with and give the batter that airy texture we all expect from pancakes; most of the time, baking soda is combined with buttermilk like in buttermilk pancakes. Otherwise, you can use baking soda and vinegar to do the trick, like we’re doing today. You can also make your own baking powder without corn, if needed.

Toppings & Mix-Ins

The batter is light and airy, so I recommend keeping your pancake mix-ins to a minimum, such as ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. However, when it comes to toppings, the sky is the limit! From fresh fruit, a drizzle of pancake syrup, or blueberry syrup for pancakes… anything goes!

Best Pancakes without Baking Powder

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

These pancakes without baking powder are fluffy and delicious and making them is a breeze. Here is how!

5 from 28 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 cup milk, any
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or white vinegar*
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Instructions

Make the batter:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking soda.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs. Once there are no visible whites, add the milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
Add the dry ingredients into the large bowl and mix until the flour has incorporated itself just enough. Some of the visible lumps are ok.

Cook the pancakes:

Heat a non-stick griddle or large pan over medium heat. Once hot, grease, spray, or melt butter on the hot surface. When using an electric griddle, heat it somewhere between 300 and 350F.
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. Avoid pressing down on the pancake after flipping; this will cause denser and chewy pancakes and undercooked batter as it oozes out on the sides.
Remove the pancakes from the pan onto a plate and keep them warm while you cook the rest of the batter.

Serve:

Serve the pancakes warm with your favorite toppings.

Storage:

This recipe makes 12 pancakes, so you can store leftover batter in the fridge overnight or cooked and cooled pancakes for up to 4 days. To freeze, lay banana pancakes flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave (30-60 seconds), toaster, toaster oven, or a pan over low-medium heat.

Notes

If you use white vinegar, I recommend adding 2 tablespoons of sugar to the batter to sweeten it a little. Lemon juice goes great in pancake batter; in fact, feel free to zest some of the lemon rind and add flavor!