Buckle up, because today we’re making perfectly fluffy red velvet pancakes with all the bells and whistles of the classic dessert. Each bite offers a blissful hint of cocoa and white icing in festive pancake form.

Of course, these make a festive Valentine’s Day breakfast idea, but you also have permission to make them any time of year. They are THAT good!

large stack of red velvet pancakes toped with white glaze and red raspberries

Red Velvet Pancakes at Home

Breakfast doesn’t get any better than a stack of my fluffy, red velvet pancakes! The recipe is easy enough to make on a typical weekday morning and fancy enough for a show-stopping presentation on special occasions.

While IHOP famously serves up red velvet pancakes, I wanted to test it out with my favorite pancake recipe. Add a little cocoa powder and red food coloring, and voíla! This recipe was born.

Ingredients

These pancakes may look (and taste) fancy, but the ingredients are very simple! Here’s what you’ll need:

All-purpose flour: or your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: essential for that red velvet flavor.
Baking powder: helps the pancake batter rise.
Salt: enhances the other flavors.
Sugar: makes the pancakes lightly sweet.
Milk: use regular or your favorite non-dairy milk.
Egg: binds the ingredients.
Butter: adds moisture.
Red food coloring: regular food coloring or your favorite natural food coloring.
Powdered sugar: creates a simple icing to drizzle over the pancakes.

*Scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post to see the full ingredient measurements.

How to Make Red Velvet Pancakes

Grab your ingredients, and let’s make breakfast!

Mix the dry ingredients
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
Add the wet ingredients
Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the milk, egg, and melted butter. Use a whisk to mix everything until smooth.
Color it red
Add 3 drops of food coloring, mix, and repeat with 1 drop until you reach the desired color.
Make the pancakes
Lightly grease and bring a large non-stick griddle or pan to medium-high heat. Scoop ¼ cup of batter for each pancake and wait until bubbles form to cook. Flip and cook for an additional minute.
Make the icing
While the pancakes cook, whisk the powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl until smooth.
Stack and drizzle
Place the pancakes onto a plate and drizzle with the simple icing. Grab a fork and enjoy!

Fluffy Red Velvet Pancae Secrets

The secret to fluffy pancakes is fresh baking powder!

When mixed with wet ingredients (milk, eggs, and melted butter), baking powder’s leavening capabilities are activated, giving rise to whatever batter it’s used.

However, baking powder has an expiration date; after 9 months from opening, its leavening abilities begin to decline.

large stack of red velvet pancakes topped with fruit

The Homemade Pancake Glaze

Instead of maple syrup, these Red Velvet Pancakes get a drizzle of homemade icing. It completes the red velvet flavor and takes less than a minute to whisk up with milk and powdered sugar.

How to Serve Red Velvet Pancakes

Want to top these pancakes with more than a drizzle of icing? Try some of these fun (and tasty) ideas.

Red cocoa powder- a beautiful red velvet cake topping.
Cream cheese icing
Fresh raspberries
Sprinkles
White chocolate chips
Whipped cream

Fluffy Red Velvet Pancakes with Homemade Drizzle

Print Recipe

Each bite of these red velvet pancakes offers all the bells and whistles of the classic dessert but in a fluffy pancake.

Author: Laura Fuentes
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¼ cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 drops red food coloring

For the drizzle:

¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
Make a well in the muddle and pour in the milk, egg, and butter. Mix with a whisk or fork until smooth.
Add the food coloring and stir until the batter reaches the desired shade of red. *For a darker red, add additional food coloring.
Heat a non-stick griddle or large pan over medium-high heat, I set my griddle at 300-350F.
Pour or scoop ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Wait until bubbles form to flip. Continue cooking for an additional minute to cook through and brown on the other side.
Remove from the pan or griddle and serve with a drizzle of homemade icing.
In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar with milk until smooth. Drizzle over the pancakes.