Most Saturday mornings I make pancakes for my family, as it’s currently one of our 1-year-old son’s favorite foods. While I am not above a store-bought mix, sometimes you want to make your own pancakes from scratch OR you have run out of the mix.
I also find sometimes I am missing a critical ingredient. We are often out or running low on milk at our house, and thus I have been perfecting my homemade pancakes without milk all this year.
If you want to make pancakes but are also out of milk, I’ve got the recipe for you.
Can I Use Water Instead of Milk in Pancakes?
Milk adds both flavor and texture to pancake batter, so if you are looking to make pancakes without milk, a simple swap to water doesn’t always do the trick. For pancakes made without milk, you’ll want to add some flavor through melted butter and vanilla extract.
But, you could also add flavor with a couple handfuls of mix-in ingredients like chocolate chips, blueberries, chopped nuts, or sliced banana.
Looking to make your own pancake mix? Try this homemade whole-grain protein pancake mix.
Pancakes Without Milk Ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated White Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Water
- Melted Butter
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
Plus, you will need both butter and oil (I like olive oil) for cooking the pancakes in.
How Thick Should Pancake Batter Be?
The batter should easily pour and spread in your pan. I usually think of it as the consistency of a hearty, thick soup or a country gravy. Pancake batter will puff and become more dense as it cooks.
How Do You Get That Crispy Edge on Pancakes?
Cooking pancakes in hot oil creates that crispy outer edge. This is personal preference, but I love the crispy outer edge on pancakes. I like to cook these pancakes without milk in both oil and butter to get that crispy edge, but deepen the flavor.
Other breakfast recipes you might like:
- How to Make the Best French Toast
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Sheet Pan Breakfast Sandwiches
- 50+ Healthy Breakfast Ideas
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
I usually serve these homemade pancakes with a little melted butter on top and whatever fresh fruit we have on hand. Plus maple syrup, always. Enjoy! -Emma
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easy homemade pancake recipe to make when you are out of milk
Prep 5 minutes mins
Cook 10 minutes mins
Total 15 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (plus more for cooking)
- 2-3 tablespoons oil (for cooking)
Instructions
In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the water, vanilla extract, egg, and 2 tablespoons melted butter.
Stir until combined.
In a non-stick pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil over medium to medium/low heat.
Once the butter has totally melted and the pan is hot, pour in the batter, ⅓ to ½ cup at a time. If your pan allows, you can cook multiple pancakes at once.
Once the edges are set and the centers are bubbling, flip the pancake and cook the other side.
Continue this method until you've cooked all the batter into pancakes.
Notes
Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, and fresh fruit.
For additional flavor, you could add in 1/2 cup chocolate chips, blueberries, or chopped nuts.
