Fluffy Japanese Pancakes
Tall, airy Japanese pancakes with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, perfect for a special breakfast or brunch. These pancakes are light, fluffy, and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 large pancakes (serves 1-2) 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk (or almond milk for dairy-free)
- 3 large eggs, separated (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Unsalted butter, softened (for greasing the pan)
- Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
- Optional: fresh berries or syrup for serving
Instructions
- Separate the 3 large eggs while cold; let the whites come to room temperature (about 15 minutes). Sift ¾ cup all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder together in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and the 3 egg yolks. Whisk gently until smooth. Add the sifted flour mixture and stir until just combined; do not overmix.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then fold in the rest carefully with a rubber spatula, keeping as much air in as possible.
- Heat a non-stick pan over low heat and lightly butter it. If using ring molds, grease them well and place on the pan.
- Spoon about ¼ cup (60ml) of batter into each ring mold or directly onto the pan. Cover with a lid to trap steam and cook for about 4 minutes until bottoms are golden and bubbles appear on top edges.
- Carefully flip pancakes and cook another 3-4 minutes. For thicker pancakes, lower heat and cook longer to avoid burning.
- Serve immediately stacked, dusted with powdered sugar, and topped with fresh berries or syrup.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs for better volume when whipping whites. Cook pancakes on low heat with a lid to trap steam and help them rise tall. Be gentle when folding egg whites to keep batter airy. If pancakes aren’t rising, check egg whites for proper stiffness. Patience during cooking and flipping is key to avoid deflation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 large pancakes
- Calories: 300
- Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Protein: 8
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