No Milk Homemade Pancakes

Name: Fluffy Homemade Pancakes Without Milk
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 2 cups flour; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 1/2 cups water; 1/4 cup butter (melted); 2 eggs; 2 tsp vanilla

⏲️ 22

Jump to Recipe

No milk? No problem! Whether you’re out of milk or just looking for milk-free pancakes, these No Milk Homemade Pancakes have you covered. These delicious pancakes are so fluffy, you won’t even notice the milk is missing!

Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot

Method: These pancakes are made in a frying pan or on a griddle.

Key Ingredients: Flour, sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, vanilla, and water.

Ease: This is such an easy pancake recipe!

Top Tip: For best results, don’t skip resting the pancake batter—it helps develop that perfect fluffy texture.

Pin this recipe for later!

A stack of six pancakes with a pat of butter and syrup poured down over them.

Jump to:

Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
How to Make Perfect Pancakes Without Milk
Tips
Variations
Storage and Reheating
Frequently Asked Questions
Try these morning favorites next!
Fluffy Homemade Pancakes Without Milk

Six pancakes on a white serving plate, there is butter and syrup in the background.

Homemade fluffy pancakes are the perfect easy breakfast for lazy weekends or busy mornings. They’re easy, quick, and require simple ingredients that most people always have on hand. My kids always felt special if I made pancakes for them, especially on school days.

Ingredients

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

Flour: I use regular all-purpose flour. You can substitute whole wheat flour, but it will make the batter thicker since it absorbs more liquid. This can result in denser pancakes with a heartier, nuttier flavor. To keep them fluffy, add an extra 1-2 tablespoons water and increase the baking powder by 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. Whole wheat pancakes will be drier, so adding a bit of oil or an extra egg yolk can help. For the best balance of texture and flavor, try using half whole wheat and half white flour.
White Sugar: It’s important to add sugar, especially since we aren’t using milk, as it helps balance the flavor. Brown sugar will provide a little more moisture and flavor.
Butter: I use melted butter to add flavor, but you can use plant-based butter to make these totally dairy-free.
Eggs: Eggs help make our pancakes rich and well-structured. To make egg-free pancakes, try substituting each egg with ½ a mashed banana or ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce.
Water: This replaces milk in the recipe. If you have lactose intolerance and prefer non-dairy milk instead of water, you can use oat milk, coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk, or cashew milk.
Baking Powder: This is essential for helping the pancakes rise.
Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and enhances the overall flavor. Without milk, vanilla helps bring a subtle sweetness and depth to the pancakes.
Salt: A little salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors. It’s especially important in this recipe to prevent the pancakes from tasting bland.

Overhead shot of a stack of six pancakes topped with butter and syrup.

How to Make Perfect Pancakes Without Milk

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl combine the eggs, butter, vanilla and water.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Let rest for about 10 minutes.
Heat a griddle to 350° or a large skillet on the stove top over medium heat.
Add a little butter or spray with cooking spray add 1/4 cup portions of batter to the hot griddle, or frying pan, and cook pancakes until the edges become dry and air bubbles form on the top, usually 3-4 minutes, flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Serve with butter and pancake syrup or pure maple syrup.

A collage of eight images showing the process of mixing the pancake batter and the pancakes being cooked on a hot griddle.

Tips

Don’t skip resting the pancake batter because it helps develop that perfect fluffy texture. I make my pancake batter and then let it rest while the griddle heats up.
Mix until the egg mixture and flour mixture are just combined, do not over-mix.
I use a 1/4 measuring cup to portion out the pancakes.
I use a quick motion to get the turner under the pancakes without them sliding too much.
I have a ceramic griddle and don’t use any butter or cooking spray when I make pancakes on it.

Variations

Chocolate chips can be added.
Fresh fruit like blueberries, chopped strawberries, banana, or peaches can be added.
Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans can be added.

Storage and Reheating

Store cooled leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.

Reheat them in the microwave for about 20-60 seconds, depending on your microwave and how many pancakes you’re reheating.

A short stack of three pancakes with syrup being poured down over them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze homemade pancakes?

Yes, I personally haven’t frozen them but The Kitchn has a great article where they tell you the best way to freeze and reheat pancakes.

Can I use milk in this recipe?

Absolutely, just swap the water for regular milk.

Try these morning favorites next!

A close up shot of half of the white oblong plate of cheese eggs.

Copycat Waffle House Cheese Eggs

So easy and delicious and only take about 5 minutes to make.

Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Start your day right with this filling breakfast that is packed with healthy whole grains.

Iced Vanilla Coffee

Now you can enjoy this delicious coffee at home with this simple recipe.

Did you make this recipe? We would love it if you’d leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!

Feature image of the side view of a stack of six pancakes with syrup running down them.

Fluffy Homemade Pancakes Without Milk

Mindy Boyd

No milk? No problem! Whether you're out of milk or just looking for milk-free pancakes, these No Milk Homemade Pancakes have you covered. These delicious pancakes are so light and fluffy, you won’t even notice the milk is missing!

No ratings yet

Print – Email Required Pin Recipe Save Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 7

Resting Time 10

Total Time 22

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Servings pancakes

Ingredients

Get Recipe Ingredients

I earn a small commission from Instacart for qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2 cups flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
In a small bowl combine eggs, butter, vanilla and water.
1 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup butter, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla
Add water mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Let rest for about 10 minutes.
Heat a griddle to 350° or a large skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Add a little butter or spray with cooking spray, add 1/4 cup portions of batter to the hot griddle, or frying pan, and cook pancakes until the edges become dry and air bubbles form on the top, usually 3-4 minutes, flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.

Notes

This recipe makes 13 pancakes that are about 4 1/2″, you can make them bigger if you like.

Don’t skip resting the pancake batter because it helps develop that perfect fluffy texture. I make my pancake batter and then let it rest while the griddle heats up.

Mix the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined, do not over-mix.

I use a 1/4 measuring cup to portion out the pancakes.

I use a quick motion to get the turner under the pancakes without them sliding too much.

I have a ceramic griddle and don’t use any butter or cooking spray when I make pancakes on it.

Did you make this recipe? We would love it if you would leave us a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!

Nutritional information is approximate.

See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above.

Bookmark this page to find it quickly when you are ready to make this recipe!