The Best Pancakes on the Griddle – Favorite Blackstone Pancakes

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These pancakes on the griddle are so easy to make with a light and fluffy pancake recipe. Learn how to make easy griddle pancakes on the Blackstone, and get my best pancake cooking tips!

We’ve been on a quest to develop the best pancake recipe for the griddle. From cake flour to all-purpose flour, baking soda and apple cider vinegar versus buttermilk, we’ve made at least 8 different batches of griddle pancakes to bring you the best light and fluffy pancakes recipe.

Why? Because pancakes are one of the most popular foods to make on the griddle.

And because Blackstone pancakes are so easy to make, they’re great for griddle beginners. Even my wife can make our kids’ favorite muffin mix pancakes, and if you watch our griddle YouTube channel, you know that’s saying a lot!

Not only are pancakes inexpensive to make and difficult to mess up, they’re also fantastic for learning the hot spots on your griddle. And if you need to make a few batches to get some extra practice using your new flat top grill, then you can always freeze the leftovers. Pancakes freeze and reheat really well for quick breakfasts!

So in this post, we’re sharing everything that we know about cooking pancakes on the griddle, including what griddle temp is best for pancakes, how to make your pancakes even fluffier, and if there really is such thing as too much butter on the griddle surface… Spoiler Alert – Yes, there is!

And of course we’ll share our favorite griddle pancakes recipe with you too!

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What ingredients do I need for the best griddle pancakes?

It may seem like this light and fluffy pancake recipe includes a lot of different ingredients, but most of these items are pantry staples that you probably already have on hand. The wet and dry ingredients are listed separately because they should be mixed in separate bowls and then added together at the end:

Wet Ingredients:

• eggs
• vegetable oil – When we were trying this recipe, we tested it with vegetable oil versus melted butter, and we actually preferred the texture of the pancakes with the oil.
• whole milk
• apple cider vinegar – I didn’t want to include buttermilk in my pancake recipe, because I never really have it in the fridge. Also, we preferred the texture of the pancakes with the combination of apple cider vinegar, milk, and baking soda versus using buttermilk.
• sour cream
• pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• flour – We have tested this recipe multiple times using both cake flour and all-purpose flour. Both flour varieties work well, so use whatever you already have in your pantry.
• sugar
• baking soda – Make sure that your baking soda is not expired. For the best results, I actually recommend purchasing a new container of baking soda, especially if the one in your pantry or fridge was opened more than 2 months ago.
• baking powder – Important to check the expiration date on your baking powder also!
• salt

Do I need any special griddle accessories for Blackstone pancakes?

The only griddle accessory that you need for cooking pancakes is a good griddle spatula.

I personally use and recommend these griddle spatulas, because they have a long flexible blade, the edges and corners are not beveled (which could dig into the coating on your griddle), and the angle feels the most comfortable in my hand. Also, these spatulas are light weight – that may not seem like a big deal, but when you’re standing over your griddle and cooking fried rice for 20 minutes, you might not want a super heavy-duty spatula.

If you want to read more about choosing the right spatula for you, including some design features to watch out for, then check out this post: What Griddle Spatula to Buy? I Tried 15 Spatulas to Find the Best!

What about the Blackstone pancake batter dispenser?

I actually recommend a plain and simple spoon for adding the pancake batter to the griddle. One of the keys to light and fluffy griddle pancakes is to not over-mix or overwork the batter, and I feel like the funneling effect of the Blackstone pancake dispenser actually works the batter more as it is dispensing on to the griddle.

Not to mention, a table spoon is much easier to wash afterwards!

Tips for Cooking Pancakes on the Griddle

Griddle cooking does have a bit of a learning curve. Most people are not used to such a large cooking surface and managing the griddle temperatures. But Blackstone pancakes are fantastic, and they’re an awesome breakfast food for griddle beginners to cook on the flat top grill.

Here are some of our best tips for cooking pancakes on the griddle:

Get the right griddle temp for pancakes.

We’ve tested this at least a dozen times, and the best griddle temp for pancakes is 375 degrees F. A lower temp of 325-350 degrees F resulted in thinner pancakes, probably because the moisture in the pancake batter didn’t create as much steam and help with the rising.

Too much hotter than that, and the bottom of your pancakes could get too dark and burn while they’re cooking on the first side.

Don’t over-mix the batter.

If you’re looking for light and fluffy Blackstone pancakes, then one of the most important things to remember is to NOT over-mix the batter. Use a gentle “folding” technique to combine the wet and dry ingredients, just until incorporated.

When making the batter, you should also mix the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them together. So the milk, egg, vanilla, sour cream, etc. would be whisked together in one bowl, and the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, etc. should be mixed together in a separate bowl.

For fluffy griddle pancakes, go easy on the butter.

I really like when my baking batters (like this homemade green chile and cheese cornbread) fry in a bit of butter or oil. So when we were testing this homemade griddle pancakes recipe, we added a small pad of butter to the griddle where we were going to spoon each pancake. But, the extra lubrication from the butter actually caused our pancake batter to spread out more, which resulted in pancakes that were much thinner.

Instead, I recommend that you add a very, very thin layer of butter. You can just take the stick of butter and move the end around on the hot griddle to add a small amount, just like you would butter an indoor electric griddle for pancakes.

Gently spoon the pancake batter on the griddle.

Remember, the less that you disturb your batter the lighter and more airy your pancakes will be. That’s why I prefer to simply spoon the batter on the griddle like this (notice all of the air bubbles in the batter?):

How to Make Pancakes on the Griddle

Want to make the best pancakes on the griddle? Whether you have an outdoor griddle or flat top grill like a Blackstone or you want to make pancakes on an electric griddle inside, just follow these steps for delicious griddle pancakes:

Step 1: Preheat the griddle.

Start by preheating your griddle until it reaches about 375 degrees F. For most outdoor griddles, you should turn your knobs to a low or medium-low setting and allow the griddle to heat for about 10-15 minutes.

If you don’t have an infrared thermometer like mine to gauge the surface temp of your griddle, then you can also do a simple “butter test”. Just add a pad of butter to the heated surface. If the butter starts to bubble and brown immediately, then your griddle temperature is probably too hot for pancakes. Or, if the butter seems to be melting too slowly, then the griddle is too cold.

Step 2: Mix together the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls.

You should mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl first. Then, mix all of the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. This helps you to not overwork the batter.

Also, if you have a flour sifter, then go ahead and sift your dry ingredients together. This helps to break down the larger lumps of flour, and it may also result in a pancake batter that is less dense.

Step 3: Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients for pancake batter.

After the wet and dry ingredients have been separately mixed, it’s time to incorporate them together to make your pancake batter.

I recommend using a spatula to gently fold the batter until it looks something like this:

Your batter will probably be lumpy, but that’s okay! Resist the urge to over-mix it.

Then, allow your pancake batter to rest for about 5-7 minutes so that the chemical reactions between the leavening agents and acids can take place… I’m no scientist, but after making thousands of pancakes, I’ve found that those little bubbles in your batter are a good thing.

Step 4: Cook the pancakes on the griddle.

After your pancake batter has rested, it’s time to start cooking pancakes on the griddle. When your griddle has reached the appropriate temp, lubricate the surface with a very small amount of butter. You can even use a paper towel to apply a thin, even layer of butter. *Or, if you like your pancakes with more of a crispy outside, then you can add more butter. I talk about this more in the FAQ’s down below!

*If you’re making pancakes on an electric griddle with a non-stick top, then I prefer to use cooking spray to lubricate the surface.

Then, use a large spoon to gently add the pancake batter to the flat top grill surface. The spoon that I used was double the size of a large tablespoon from a typical cutlery set, or for a more precise measurement, about 1/4 cup. We also prefer our pancakes to be on the smaller side, not like the dinner-plate sized hotcakes that you get at Waffle House or IHOP.

When you put the pancake batter on the griddle, make sure that you leave enough space in between each one to get your spatula underneath to flip them.

Allow the pancakes to cook on the griddle on the first side for about 4-5 minutes, depending on the griddle temp of your surface. When the outer edges of the pancakes appear to be set up and when bubbles form and pop on the surface of the batter, then you’re ready to flip.

You can also slide your spatula underneath a few of the pancakes and lift them slightly to check the bottoms for a nice golden brown color.

Continue to cook on the second side (probably another 2-3 minutes) just until the batter is cooked through. Then, transfer the pancakes to a plate and they’re ready to serve with your favorite syrup or pancake toppings.

Or, if you ask my wife, these pancakes are so good and flavorful that you can serve them plain… she was sneaking bites of the plain pancakes immediately after I took them off the griddle.

FAQ’s about Cooking Pancakes on the Griddle

How much butter should I put on the griddle for pancakes?

This is really based on personal preference.

If you like light and fluffy pancakes that are a nice, even color on the top, then less butter is best. To get these perfect griddle pancakes, I actually buttered the griddle surface and then rubbed a paper towel over it to remove the excess, leaving only a very thin layer that wasn’t even visible:

For this batch (with the same exact batter), I added a very thin pad of butter to each area that I would be cooking a pancake. Of course, the griddle is hot so the butter melts immediately, leaving you with a little pool of butter goodness that your pancake fries in. This technique gives you pancakes with a crispy, buttery outside and a soft inside. But, it also makes your pancakes flatter because they spread more on the lubricated surface and the tops of your pancakes are more uneven in color like this:

So how much butter to use on the griddle surface is really a matter of how you like your pancakes.

Why are my pancakes sticking to the griddle?

If you find that your pancakes, or food in general, is sticking to the griddle surface, then you may need to work on the seasoning. Try applying a few coats of your favorite seasoning oil using this griddle seasoning method.

If your pancakes are still sticking, then you may be trying to flip them too early, or your griddle temp may be too cold.

How do I know when it’s time to flip my pancakes?

When bubbles start to form and pop on the top and edges of the pancakes, and when the bottoms are a nice golden brown, it’s time to flip! This will probably take about 4-5 minutes, depending on the temperature of your griddle.

How do you reheat pancakes?

The great thing about making a large batch of pancakes on the griddle is that you can freeze the leftovers for easy breakfasts during the week. We often do this with our kids’ favorite muffin mix pancakes also. Just allow the pancakes to cool completely, and then store them in a gallon sized Ziploc bag in the freezer.

When you’re ready to eat them, just place a few of the leftover pancakes in the toaster oven and toast until warmed through. Or if you don’t have a toaster oven, you can reheat pancakes in the microwave.

Can I use cooking oil spray when making pancakes?

If you’re cooking pancakes on an electric griddle, then go for it. In fact, I prefer to use cooking spray on my tabletop electric griddle. But, I don’t recommend using cooking spray on an outdoor griddle. Outdoor griddles and flat top grills usually get much hotter than tabletop electric griddles, and most cooking sprays are not suitable for high heat.

I’ve also found that cooking sprays leave a fine residue on the griddle that I’m not a fan of… this is probably due to some of the ingredients found in sprays, like the anti-foaming agents and the propellants that help with the mist/aerosol quality.

Any other griddle breakfast recipes to serve with pancakes?

Yes! Here are some awesome breakfast recipes to make alongside your pancakes for a hearty flat top grill breakfast:

• Hash Brown Casserole Griddle Cakes on the Flat Top Grill
• How to Make Perfect Griddle Scrambled Eggs Every Time
• How to Cook Bacon on the Griddle – My Best Griddle Bacon Tips!

The Best Griddle Pancakes Recipe

When a member of our griddle Facebook group posted a question asking “What is your favorite pancake recipe to make on the griddle?”, we decided to throw our hat in the rink. After testing and tweaking and making almost a dozen different batches of pancakes on the griddle, we came up with this homemade pancake recipe.

Hope you enjoy it!