Homemade Pancakes without Milk

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Yes, you can make fluffy homemade pancakes without milk! Instead of milk, you can swap in water and a few simple, staple ingredients to make an easy homemade pancake batter.

stack of homemade pancakes without milk with butter and syrup

Nothing says the weekend like a special breakfast! If you do have milk on hand, you can also make these extra fluffy chocolate chip pancakes. I love completing a pancake breakfast with crispy air fryer bacon and lots of fresh fruit.

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Why I love this recipe:
Ingredients:
Variations and Substitutions
Step by Step Instructions
Frequently Asked Questions
Recipe Tips
Leftovers and Freezing
Related Recipes
Recipe
Reviews

Why I love this recipe:

No Milk Needed - It's an easy recipe that swaps in water for milk.
Fluffy Pancakes - The pancakes are perfectly tender and fluffy.
Simple Ingredients - The pancake batter is made using staple ingredients that you likely have on hand.

stack of homemade pancakes without milk served with berries and maple syrup

Ingredients:

All-Purpose Flour
Baking Powder - This helps make them super fluffy!
Kosher Salt
White Granulated Sugar
Water - This serves as the liquid in the pancake batter instead of milk.
Egg
Melted Butter - Adding melted butter helps add some of the flavor and fat that the milk usually adds
Vanilla Extract - This also helps add flavor that is lost from not using milk

Variations and Substitutions

Other Liquids to Use Instead of Milk: You can also use a non dairy milk or you can use equal parts water and heavy cream (or half and half).
Chocolate Chip Pancakes - Add ~1 cup of mini or regular chocolate chips to the batter
Blueberry Pancakes - Add ~1 cup blueberries or other chopped berries
Fruity Pancakes - Try swirling in about ¼ cup of your favorite jam or jelly to the batter.

Step by Step Instructions

You can easily mix up the pancake batter without milk in one bowl then cook up in a skillet or griddle.

Mix Dry Ingredients - In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients using a fork or whisk to remove clumps.
Mix Batter - Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the remaining wet ingredients. Mix to combine until mostly smooth (some lumps are okay).
Preheat Pan - Preheat a large skillet or griddle (non stick is preferred) to medium heat. Add a little butter, oil, or cooking spray to grease.
Cook Pancakes - To the preheated, greased pan pour ⅓ cup of batter (giving a little swirl to spread out the batter slightly). Cook the pancake until bubbles form on the top and the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook until brown on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.
Enjoy - Serve immediately with your favorite toppings!

pancake in pan with bubbles on top before flipping

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use water instead of milk in pancakes?

Yes, you can use water instead of milk in pancakes but you should add a couple other ingredients to add flavor. This recipe adds melted butter, a little bit of sugar, and vanilla extract.

What can I use instead of milk in pancakes?

Instead of milk, you can swap in a non dairy milk, a mixture of half water and half heavy cream (or half and half), or you can use water with a few other simple additions like in this recipe.

Is pancake mix better with water or milk?

Many pancake mixes have powdered milk in them which is why you can use just water. But you can swap in milk to add extra richness and flavor.

Why is milk in pancakes?

Milk is the most common liquid in pancake batter and it also adds flavor and texture. If you swap in water, you need to add some melted butter, vanilla extract, and a tiny bit of sugar to add flavor.

syrup dripping down stack of pancakes made without milk

Recipe Tips

Don't Over Mix - When mixing the batter, you want to mix until just combined and mostly smooth. If you over mix the batter then the pancakes won't be as soft and fluffy.
Preheat Pan Fully - In order to get that beautiful golden brown color, make sure you fully preheat the pan to medium. If the pan is too hot they will burn, but too low of heat and they will cook before getting nice and brown.
Pancake Size - Using ⅓ cup of batter will make 6-8 pancakes that are 5-6 inches in diameter. You can use more or less batter to make different sized pancakes.
Keep Warm in the Oven - Place the cooked pancakes on a wire rack or parchment paper lined baking sheet and keep in the oven on the lowest setting to keep warm while you finish cooking the batch.
Serving Ideas - I like to set out different toppings such as fresh berries, extra butter, maple syrup, and whipped cream.

Leftovers and Freezing

Leftovers: Cooked and cooled pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or they can be flash frozen on a sheet pan and transferred to freezer bags before being frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheating – You can reheat pancakes in the microwave but for best results I recommend using the oven (350 degrees F for about 4 minutes until warmed).

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Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Yes, you can make fluffy homemade pancakes without milk! Instead of milk, you can swap in water and a few simple, staple ingredients to make an easy homemade pancake batter.

Author: Kathleen Hansen
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2-3 servings
Category: Breakfast
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups cold or lukewarm water
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Extra butter, canola oil, or cooking spray for greasing pan

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Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients - In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) using a fork or whisk to remove clumps.
Mix Batter - Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the remaining wet ingredients (water, egg, melted butter, and vanilla). Mix with a fork or whisk to combine until mostly smooth (some lumps are okay).
Preheat Pan - Preheat a large skillet or griddle (non stick is preferred) to medium heat. Add a little butter, oil, or cooking spray to grease.
Cook Pancakes - To the preheated, greased pan pour ⅓ cup of batter (giving a little swirl to spread out the batter slightly). Cook the pancake until bubbles form on the top and the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook until brown on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.
Enjoy - Serve immediately with your favorite toppings!

Notes

Pancake Size - Using ⅓ cup of batter will make about 7 5-6 inch sized pancakes

Leftovers - Cooked and cooled pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or they can be flash frozen on a sheet pan and transferred to freezer bags before being frozen for up to 3 months.

Keep Warm in the Oven - Place the cooked pancakes on a wire rack or parchment paper lined baking sheet and keep in the oven on the lowest setting to keep warm while you finish cooking the batch.