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–+ servings

Fluffy & Thick Diner Pancakes

These thick and fluffy pancakes are a copycat of the viral ones from Middle Child in Philly, where the secret is yeast, giving them that perfectly airy texture you can’t get from regular pancakes. They’re blowing up on TikTok, but if you’ve ever tried to get them at either Middle Child or Golden Diner in NYC, you know the lines are insane. Forget the wait and the flight over — these golden, melt-in-your-mouth pancakes can be made right at home, anytime, and they might just be better!
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Yields3 large pancakes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings3 large pancakes

Ingredients

BATTER - PROOF:

  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

BATTER - DRY:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

BATTER - WET:

  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

HONEY BUTTER MAPLE SAUCE

  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • pinch of salt

OTHER

  • cubes of butter, to add on top

Instructions 

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk, buttermilk, flour, instant yeast, and sugar. Let it bloom in a warm place for 1 hour until bubbly and airy.
  2. While the yeast is blooming, make the honey butter maple sauce: over medium-low heat, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Then stir in the honey, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
  4. Once the batter has bloomed, add the whisked wet ingredients to it and mix until combined.
  5. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt.
  6. Add the dry mix to the batter and whisk gently just until no more dry bits remain. Do not overmix—the batter should be thick and a little lumpy.
  7. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Onee preheated, add your skillet inside and let it preheat for 5 minutes.
  8. Carefully remove the hot skillet, grease it with a bit of oil, then pour in about 1¼ to 1½ cups of batter.
  9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pancake is puffed up and golden on top.
  10. Flip over on a plate, add a slice of butter, and drizzle with the warm honey butter maple sauce to cover the entire surface. Enjoy warm.

Notes

  • for even more a cake texture/crumb, add an extra 1/4 cup of whole milk to the proof mixture

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!