These mini muffin pancakes are so fluffy! They have a beautiful light texture and have just a hint of sweetness. Since they are easy to freeze, they make a great on-the-go snack for the whole family, whether they are baked or fried.

Who doesn’t love a fluffy tiny pancake in mini muffin form? It’s the perfect breakfast or on-the-go snack.

This recipe makes the perfect light and fluffy pancake whether you choose to bake it or fry it. They are easy to freeze and defrost making them perfect for weekend meal prep and an excellent choice for a school snack. You can top them with fresh fruit before baking to add even more delicious flavour and nutrients. Unless your kids are like mine and only want them topped with chocolate chips.

Give this recipe a try and you won’t regret it. It takes very little time and effort to make the mini muffin version so I highly recommend you start with that cooking method.

Preparing Fluffy Mini Muffin Pancakes

Ingredients

Flour: I use all-purpose flour. It is a wheat flour and the most commonly used flour for baking. It is very versatile and makes anything from pizza dough to cookies and cakes. You can use whole wheat flour for this recipe to add a little bit more fibre if you’d like.

Baking powder: A leavening agent that is used in baking to create a light texture. It creates carbon dioxide when mixed with liquids and heat which expands and lifts the dough.

Eggs: Eggs are laid by many different animals but chicken eggs are what we use in this recipe. Eggs provide protein, fat and many other nutrients and therefore are a healthy part of our diet. Here they are used as a binder.

Milk: I use full fat (3.25%) or partly skimmed (2%) milk for this recipe. Adding milk and reducing the cream makes the sauce feel lighter. It also cuts the fat quite a bit if that’s something you look for.

Sugar: White or granulated sugar is refined sugar made from either cane sugar or beet sugar. It is completely freed of molasses through the refining process and ground to granules smaller than salt.

Coconut oil: Coconut oil is also one of my secret ingredients. Though the flavour is quite subtle it adds just enough to elevate the overall taste of the pancakes.

How to Make Mini Muffin Pancakes

This recipe is very simple but the key is to keep the wet and dry ingredients separate until the very last moment.

We have provided two different ways to cook the pancakes since this batter is very versatile.

If you are baking mini muffin pancakes then start by preheating the oven to 350°F.

Step 1: Mix Wet Ingredients for Pancakes

Start with combining the wet ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. I like to crack the eggs first and whisk.

Then add the sugar and whisk again until it begins to dissolve.

NOTE: The sugar is part of the wet ingredients because

it gives us the opportunity to dissolve it without overmixing the whole batter.

Finally, add the milk and whisk once more to combine all the liquid well. Set the bowl aside while you move on to the next step of making these pancakes.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients for Pancakes

Now it’s time to combine the dry ingredients. The dry ingredients are just the baking powder, salt and flour. Combine the two in a medium bowl and whisk together until the baking powder and salt are relatively evenly distributed among the flour.

Step 3: Finish the Pancake Batter

And finally, we can finish off the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three batches. Whisk gently after each batch just until all the flour is wet before adding the next batch. After the final batch, whisk just until there are no lumps.

TIP: If you prefer to add extras into the batter rather than on top, add them to the bowl now and gently fold them into the batter using a spatula.

Step 4: Baked the Mini-Muffin Pancakes

Grease or spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray or oil. Then, fill each muffin cup roughly halfway with batter.

If you would like to add any toppings you can place them on top of each mini-muffin pancake now.

TIP: You can use a toothpick to sink the topping deeper into the batter to make sure it’s secure.

Place the mini muffin tin in the oven and bake for 12 minutes

They are ready when a toothpick inserted in the center of a mini-muffin pancake comes out clean.

Let the pancakes cool for a minute or two before removing from the muffin tin.

Step 5: Panfry Pancakes

To panfry the pancakes, add a teaspoon of coconut oil to a large pan and heat it up on medium heat.

Once the pan is hot, add batter to the pan using a ¼ cup measuring cup as a scoop. You should get 12-13 pancakes using this measurement.

If you would like to add extras to your pancakes I recommend you fold them into the batter before you scoop it into the pan. You can top each mini-muffin pancake with chocolate chips, your favourite berries or sprinkles before flipping. But note that once you flip the topping of your choice may melt or fry giving it a different texture and potentially flavour.

TIP: I like to add them as soon as I pour the batter and then sink them into the batter using a toothpick or other tool to keep them intact after flipping and away from direct heat.

Once the batter begins to bubble, roughly 3 minutes, flip the pancake and cook for another 2– 3 minutes.

Repeat the process adding oil between batches as required until all the batter is cooked. I had four batches as I can only fit 3 pancakes per pan.

Substitutions

All-Purpose Flour: You can use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour however the pancakes will turn out more dense.

Milk: You can use buttermilk instead of milk and you can also use oat milk for a dairy-free version. Once again, the pancakes won’t be as fluffy and light if you use oat milk.

Serving Mini Muffin Pancakes

These mini muffin pancakes make excellent school snacks!! Two or three of these bad boys with some fresh fruit on the side make for very happy toddlers. I also like to take these mini muffin pancakes on the go when we’re out and about for an easy and quick snack.

You can also serve them with maple syrup or powdered sugar for a pretty finishing touch. These pancakes have a hint of sweetness on their own so additional sweeteners are not required, though often requested.

Frequently Asked Questions

CAN I FREEZE MINI MUFFIN PANCAKES?

Definitely! After you cook the mini muffin pancakes let them cool. Next, lay them in a single layer, or if you need multiple layers separate them with parchment paper, on a lined cookie sheet.

Place them on the cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour or until fully frozen. Then, move the pancakes to a sealable container and keep them for up to three months.