Blueberry Pancakes

With this simple recipe for Blueberry Pancakes, you can easily bring a naturally fruity flavor to a breakfast classic in 30 minutes or less! Flour, honey, eggs, milk, blueberries, and just a touch of vanilla combine to make a fluffy, delicately sweet treat that will never disappoint. Whether made for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner, this recipe is guaranteed to outshine even the best store-bought mix. 

Recently, I went on a quest to create the BEST Gluten-Free Pancakes recipe.

After much trial and error, I finally found success, and immediately knew what had to happen next… Blueberry Pancakes!

No matter what form they take – whether Blueberry Muffins, Blueberry Cookies, or Blueberry Waffles – faintly tart blueberries and sweet, carby treats are like a match made in heaven. 

And thankfully, just like any normal pancake recipe, these are super quick and easy to make. So much so, you’re likely to end up tossing out that box of pancake mix in your pantry!

Once you get a taste of their light and fluffy texture, it’ll be tempting to make them in bulk. Luckily, these pancakes are every bit as delicious frozen as leftovers during the weekdays as they are cooked up fresh for family or friends on a weekend brunch!

Ingredients

The simple ingredients you need to make this Blueberry Pancakes recipe include:

• Flour. All-purpose flour is recommended for these pancakes, but a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend can also be used as an alternative. Opting for a 1-to-1 baking blend as a substitute will get the most consistent results among gluten-free options.
• Blueberries. Fresh blueberries are the best, ideally in a small size that will scatter throughout the batter more easily (like mini chocolate chips in cookies!). Frozen blueberries will work too, but be sure they’re fully thawed and dried off before adding them in, or else too much moisture will be introduced to the mix. Frozen blueberries also bleed more, so they may turn the batter more blue than when using fresh.
• Leavening agents. These are the secret ingredients to getting perfectly fluffy blueberry pancakes. A mixture of both baking powder and baking soda should be used, to create the acidic chemical reaction for fluffing them up without using buttermilk. Don’t skip either one.
• Honey. Using this in lieu of refined sugar makes the pancakes a bit healthier, but regular sugar or pure maple syrup will also work as a sweetener.
• Milk. Either regular milk or a plant-based alternative will do, but a full-fat option will give the batter the right texture. Oat milk was used in this recipe, but buttermilk can also be subbed for more richness and tanginess. 
• Eggs. Free-range or organic eggs are the healthiest and usually taste better, but any kind of large egg will work. These should already be whisked in a small bowl before being added to the batter.
• Vanilla. Go very light with the vanilla extract, using less than two teaspoons, as it can easily overwhelm the pancakes and make them taste like vanilla cake instead.
• Butter. Rather than being added to the batter, butter is used to cook the pancakes, adding lots of extra flavor and color. A vegan butter alternative or neutral cooking spray/oil can also be substituted as a dairy-free option.

How to Make Blueberry Pancakes

The basic steps for making Blueberry Pancakes are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

Mix the Dry

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, and whisk until they’re fully incorporated. 

Using a sifter or a small, fine-meshed sieve to sift the ingredients is recommended, to introduce more air to the batter and give the pancakes a lighter texture. This also helps to evenly distribute the baking soda and powder, and to avoid any unbroken lumps of flour without having to vigorously whisk it. 

Incorporate the Wet

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. 

Add the eggs, honey, milk, and vanilla into the flour mixture, and gently mix until just barely combined. A little bit of lumpiness in the batter is alright, but try to pop any large bubbles of dry ingredients that remain. 

Don’t over-mix too much, as this will cause the batter to lose any air incorporated into it, and make the pancakes tough and chewy. Stirring it gently will allow it to stay light, making for a fluffier texture. 

Toss in Blueberries

Before adding the blueberries, make sure they’re completely thawed (if using frozen) and dried off, as excess moisture could interfere with the texture of the pancakes. Keep in mind that frozen blueberries may “bleed” more, and lead to a slight blue coloring. 

When the batter is mixed, carefully fold in the blueberries. Try to disperse them fairly evenly throughout without breaking them.

Grease and Measure

Over medium heat, warm a non-stick pan for a couple of minutes. It should be fully hot throughout, so the pancakes will cook quickly and evenly without getting overdone. 

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan as it heats, and spread it evenly over the surface before adding the batter.

It’s important to measure out the same amount of batter for each pancake, so they’ll cook evenly and turn out about the same size. Using a measuring cup instead of a spoon or free-pour method makes this much easier. 

To get a perfectly round circle, keep the measuring cup centered in the middle of the pancake while pouring.

Depending on the size of your pan, pour out 2-3 pancakes of even size, leaving enough room to keep them from touching.

Cook and Flip

The pancakes will be ready to flip when they have bubbles forming and popping at the surface, and when they’re solid enough to check beneath one of the crispy edges, after about 2-3 minutes. Once the color beneath is an even golden-brown, flip them and cook another 2 minutes. 

If the undersides cook faster than the middle, try lowering the heat a little. 

Warm and Serve

While cooking the pancakes, transfer the finished ones to an oven-safe plate inside a 170°F oven, to keep them warm while making the rest. A sheet of aluminum foil on top will also help keep them warm and moist, though some crispiness may be lost.

The recipe should yield about 12 pancakes, roughly 4 inches in size. Pull the plate of warmed pancakes from the oven, and serve immediately with syrup, butter, and any other toppings of choice!

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Prep-Ahead: The dry mix may be whisked together ahead of time, but wait to prepare the batter until ready to cook the pancakes. 
• To Store: Cooked pancakes can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or Ziploc bag, for up to three days.
• To Freeze: Store leftover pancakes in a freezer-safe, airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 2-3 months. Layer sheets of parchment or wax paper between individual pancakes, to make for easier separation once frozen. 
• To Reheat: Warm leftovers from thawed or frozen in the microwave, skillet, or in a toaster oven set to low heat, until just heated through. To reheat a large batch, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with foil layered on top. Warm them in a 350°F oven, and serve immediately.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already vegetarian as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

• Gluten-Free: Swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking blend.
• Dairy-Free: Substitute the milk for a non-dairy alternative, such as oat or cashew milk.
• Vegan: Use a non-dairy milk alternative, and a vegan egg replacement like aquafaba or a flax egg. For more fruity flavor, mashed bananas or applesauce are also common egg replacements in pancakes.
• Low-Carb/Keto: Use a low-carb flour alternative such as almond flour or coconut flour, or a mix of the two.
• Paleo: Use grain-free flours, a non-dairy milk alternative, natural or low-carb sweeteners like monk fruit extract or stevia, and ghee for butter.
• Refined Sugar-Free: Instead of regular sugar, use raw honey or pure maple syrup.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Get a sifter. Investing in a sifter or a small sieve for flour can be very helpful when making pancakes and other baked goods, as it helps prevent any lumpiness among the dry ingredients.
• Prep the berries. If using frozen blueberries, be sure to give them time to thaw in the fridge and release their excess juices, then dry them off before adding them to the batter.
• Clean the pan. Occasionally wipe the residue off the griddle or skillet, and then add more fresh butter. Otherwise it will burn, discoloring the pancakes and giving them a charred flavor.
• Get a little zesty. Add a little finely-grated lemon zest or juice to the batter, to brighten up the sweet richness of the blueberry pancakes.
• Wait for the bubble. Don’t flip the pancakes until bubbles are rising to the surface of the batter and popping on their own – this indicates that the lower half of the pancake is fully cooked.

What to Serve with Pancakes?

Round out these sweet, carb-heavy blueberry pancakes with some saltier sources of protein for a well-balanced meal:

• Hard-Boiled Eggs, Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs, or Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Oven-Baked Bacon or Air-Fryer Bacon
• Breakfast Egg Muffins
• Spinach Egg Muffins with Tomatoes
• Egg White Bites

More Breakfast Recipes

You can enjoy breakfast at any time of the day or night with even more of these incredibly delicious, simple recipes:

• Dutch Baby Pancake
• Blueberry Pancakes
• Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Banana Pancakes
• Mini Quiche
• Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
• Savory Waffles
• Crustless Spinach Quiche with Artichoke
• Breakfast Potato Hash with Eggs
• Easy Mexican Breakfast Casserole