Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Make red velvet pancakes at home with this easy recipe that delivers fluffy texture, vibrant color, and just a hint of cocoa.

These red velvet pancakes feel special but are just as easy to make as your go-to pancake recipe, making them perfect for weekends and fun family breakfasts.

stack of fluffy red velvet pancakes on a plate with a light drizzle of white sugar glaze topped with raspberries

Homemade Red Velvet Pancakes

I first made these red velvet pancakes for my kids years ago after we saw them on an IHOP commercial. They're bright, fluffy, and have a light cocoa flavor without turning into full-on chocolate pancakes, making them fun yet balanced. They feel playful and a little extra, making everyone excited when they land on the plate.

Ingredients

The base for these pancakes is all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder for fluffiness, sugar to sweeten, and a pinch of salt. Then, you’ll add milk (dairy or non-dairy), an egg to bind the batter, melted butter (or a neutral oil) for moisture, and red food coloring.

How to Make Red Velvet Pancakes

This recipe is just like making homemade pancakes. Here is an overview of the steps with some tips:

Measure & mix the dry ingredients
Measure the flour and cocoa lightly, without packing the cup. For a fluffy texture, make sure that your baking powder hasn’t been opened for more than a year.
Add the wet ingredients
Move the dry ingredients to the sides of the bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour the milk and egg, then whisk the egg with a fork before mixing the batter. It will look like a light chocolate batter.
Turn the batter red by adding 4 to 6 drops of food coloring.
If using gel food coloring, you’ll need less. Add more liquid drops if needed, always mixing the batter gently with a rubber spatula.
Cook the pancakes.
Over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. Keep them warm in a 200F oven on a sheet pan or on a plate, covered, while you cook the rest.
Serve the pancakes with a simple glaze or syrup.

Knowing when Red Pancakes Are Done

While the batter is red, these pancakes turn a medium brown when cooked, especially if you use butter. After flipping them over, the middles will feel puffy. Check out the video for a visual.

stack of fluffy red velvet pancakes on a plate that's been sliced to show the rich color and texture topped with a light drizzle of white sugar glaze topped with raspberries

Using a Mix

For every 1 cup of pancake mix, add 1 ½ tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of extra liquid (water or milk, depending on the mix), and 2-3 drops of food coloring.

The Homeamde Glaze

The recipe card includes a simple powdered-sugar-and-milk glaze, or you can thin white cake frosting with milk or water until it’s pourable.

Easy Red Velvet Pancakes

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Make red velvet pancakes at home with this easy recipe that delivers fluffy texture, vibrant color, and just a hint of cocoa.

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin

Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 ¼ cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
4-6 drops red food coloring

For the drizzle:

½ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Instructions

Make the pancake batter:

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Move the dry ingredients to the sides of the bowl to make a well in the middle and pour in the milk, egg, and butter. Use a fork to whisk the egg first, then combine the wet ingredients with the dry to make a batter. Stop mixing when there's no visible dry ingredients.
Add the food coloring and stir until the batter reaches the desired shade of red. Start with 4 drops, and gently fold the color into the batter with a spatula, then add more, one drop at a time. Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid, so you'll need to use less.

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 325F. Immediately, pour ¼ cup of pancake batter onto the greased pan.
Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes, until the edges are defined and bubbles form. Flip the pancakes over and cook for another minute on the other side. They're ready when the middles are puffy. Remove them from the pan onto a plate and cook the remaining pancakes. If using butter to grease the pan, rinse or wipe down between batches to avoid burnt butter and dark brown pancakes.

Make the drizzle:

In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar with milk until smooth.

Serve:

Serve the pancakes warm and drizzle the sugary glaze lightly over the top.

Notes

Using Pancake Mix:
For every 1 cup of pancake mix, add 1 ½ tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of additional liquid (water for a complete mix or milk for traditional), and 2-3 drops of food coloring. Remember to add the other ingredients listed in the box.