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An easy recipe for sweet cream pancakes that yields the most delicious breakfast stack!

Enjoy the ultimate weekend breakfast with this sweet cream pancake recipe, plus all the tips for making them turn out great!

stack of pancakes topped with whipped cream. oranges and raspberries on the plate with the pancakes

Pancakes With Sweet Cream

Years ago, when I lived in uptown New Orleans, I loved a small diner called Blue Bird Café, within walking distance from my apartment. It was known for its famous corned beef potato hash and sweet cream pancakes.

The recipe I share with you today is a rich and delicious recreation of what I remember, made with sweet cream, which is heavy cream or half and half plus sugar. I’ve revised it over the years until it has reached stack-a-ble perfection.

It has the texture of the best fluffy pancakes, a golden exterior similar to old-fashioned pancakes, and a light sweetness built right into the pancake batter that I know you’ll love.

Ingredients

You’ll find the amounts in the recipe card below, but before you make substitutions and become disappointed with the results, here are the substitutes and notes on each ingredient I’ve already tested for you:

Flour: all-purpose flour is the base for this recipe. It can be swapped with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Baking Powder: it gives these pancakes their fluffy texture. If you’re out, make this pancake recipe without baking powder and use the cream to make great scones.
Salt: to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients.
Sugar: used in the recipe to sweeten the cream.
Cream: use heavy cream or half and half at room temperature.
Vanilla: adds a hint of delicious, cake-like flavor to the batter.
Egg: at room temperature. It binds the ingredients in the batter. I don’t recommend omitting or substituting the egg; the result is very dense pancakes.
Vegetable oil: for cooking. Butter also works; I would avoid spraying with this recipe.

The batter is thicker than regular pancake batter and will take a little longer to cook. Since butter can brown quickly, I like using vegetable oil to ensure that the middles cook through without burning the outsides.

Are Sweet Cream and Heavy Whipping Cream the Same?

Sweet cream is heavy whipping cream that has been sweetened with sugar. It can also be made using half and half plus sugar.

Can I use Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer to Make Pancakes?

You can use your favorite coffee creamer to make these sweet cream pancakes. Since the cream is already sweetened, reduce the sugar in the recipe in half, whether with sugar or artificial sweeteners.

side view of a stack of fluffy pancakes on a blue plate

How to Make Sweet Cream Pancakes

Like most pancake recipes, the secret is always in the method. These tips in each main step will help you make the best stack. They are:

Measure and mix
Measure the dry ingredients and add them to a large batter bowl, mixing them well to distribute the baking powder evenly. When you add the wet ingredients to that bowl, use a fork to break up the egg first to avoid overmixing, a common mistake that yields chewy pancakes.
Cook on the first side
Always use a non-stick pan or griddle when cooking pancakes. Heat it first over medium heat, and once hot, grease it with oil or butter. Then, pour the pancake batter immediately on the greased hot surface.
Flip
You’ll know it’s time to flip the pancakes with a spatula when bubbles form throughout and the bottoms are golden. Flip them over and cook the second side for another minute or two until the bottom is nice and golden. Remove them from the pan and keep the pancakes warm while you cook the rest.
Serve
Stack them high and enjoy topped with your favorite pancake syrups and healthy toppings for pancakes.

First time making pancakes with sweet cream? Watch this 3 minute video to see them made step by step.

Success Tips for Perfect Pancakes

Now that you’ve read the ingredient list with the notes on what can and can’t be substituted as well as the tips in the steps for these sweet cream pancakes, here are my last few tips:

Use Room Temperature Ingredients
The cream-heavy cream or half and half-must be at room temperature, or your batter will not be airy and soft, and the pancakes will be dense.

Avoid Chewy Pancakes
The batter is thick and can contain a few lumps. Use a fork to break them up, but don’t keep mixing the batter.

Avoid Undercooked Middles
Pour no more than ¼ cup of pancake batter on the hot surface. Use the back of a spoon to spread it out gently if necessary.

Test One Pancake
If you’ve made any substitutions and have doubts about the outcome, test a single pancake before referring to this post to fix common pancake mistakes.

stack of four pancakes topped with whipped cream

Toppings & Mix-Ins

This recipe will give you the perfect stack for incredible pancake toppings and pancake syrups. Since the batter is on the thicker side and the pancakes are already sweet, I only recommend adding up to ½ cup of mix-ins like diced strawberries, blueberries, or chocolate chips.

Freezing & Thawing Pancakes

Once cooled, leftover pancakes can be frozen inside a zip bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. They thaw quickly and can be toasted or heated in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the amount.

Fluffy Sweet Cream Pancakes

stack of fluffy pancakes with a forkful taken out

Servings: 12 pancakes

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

An easy recipe for sweet cream pancakes that yields the most delicious breakfast stack!

5 from 21 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ cups heavy cream or half & half, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Make the pancake batter:

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Make sure to avoid packing the cup when measuring the flour.
Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the cream, eggs, and vanilla. Use a fork to break up the eggs first, and once they're incorporated into the liquid, continue with the fork or with a whisk to mix the flour into a batter. The batter is thick but airy, similar to yellow cake batter.

Cook the pancakes:

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, grease with oil or melt the butter. If using an electric griddle, heat it somewhere around 300F.
Immediately, pour ¼ cup of pancake batter onto the greased pan. Use the back of the scoop or a spoon to gently spread the batter a little.
Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes, until bubbles form on top and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side for a little over a minute. Depending on how your pan spreads heat and the thickness of the pancake batter poured, you’ll sometimes cook the second side longer than the first. 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, topped with your favorite toppings and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Notes

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.