Description
Easy homemade chocolate chip pancakes that are fluffy, golden, and loaded with melty chocolate chips in every bite. This simple recipe uses basic pantry ingredients and comes together in 20 minutes for the ultimate weekend breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1¼ cups milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (plus more for cooking)
Mix-ins:
- 1 cup chocolate chips (regular or mini)
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until everything is evenly distributed. This step is important because it ensures your baking powder is spread throughout the flour, which means every pancake will be equally fluffy!
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork until the yolk and white are combined. Then mix in the milk and melted butter, stirring until smooth. Make sure your melted butter isn’t too hot or it might scramble the egg!
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, gently stir just until combined. This is crucial – DO NOT OVERMIX! You want to see small lumps in your batter. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which leads to tough, chewy pancakes instead of fluffy ones.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula, distributing them throughout the batter. Then let the batter rest for 5 minutes. I know it’s tempting to skip this, but trust me – this resting time allows the flour to fully hydrate and the baking powder to start working its magic!
While the batter rests, heat a lightly buttered skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Medium-low is key here! Too high and the outside will burn before the inside cooks through, plus the chocolate chips can scorch.
Scoop about ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto your prepared pan. Don’t crowd them – leave plenty of space between each pancake. Cook until you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look set and slightly dry, about 2-3 minutes. Those bubbles are your signal that it’s almost time to flip!
Using your spatula, gently flip each pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. The second side always cooks faster than the first, so keep an eye on them!
Transfer cooked pancakes to a plate and keep them warm in a low oven (200°F) while you cook the remaining batter. Add a little more butter to the pan as needed between batches.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter! This is the number one mistake people make. Lumps are your friend – they disappear during cooking and result in tender pancakes.
- Test your heat first. Drop a small amount of water on your griddle. If it sizzles and evaporates quickly, you’re ready to cook.
- Use mini chocolate chips for more even distribution and more chocolate in every bite. Regular chips work great too, they just create bigger pockets of melted chocolate.
- Butter between batches. The pan needs fresh butter every 2-3 pancakes to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American