11 Tips From Celebrity Chefs For Making Perfect Pancakes
There's nothing quite like waking up to the smell of fresh pancakes — and some evidence suggests that our ancestors largely agreed. Made by combining simple ingredients like butter, eggs, and flour, these delicious breakfast treats have long offered humans the chance to start the day off on the right foot. Some scientists believe that humans fried batter over prehistoric griddles as far back as 30,000 years ago. While those early pancakes probably weren't anything to write home about, it appears that the Ancient Greeks loved them. After all, in the year 500 B.C., the Athenian poet Cratinus composed a beautiful description of this delightful morning snack, writing, "And a pancake hot and shedding morning dew," as evidenced in the book "Foodie Facts."
These days, there is no shortage of people who enjoy a pancake breakfast. A survey by National Today that found that 59% of people in the United States love the dish, while 34% like it. In other words, a whopping 93% of Americans could be considered pro-pancake.
Because of the long-time popularity of this breakfast, it's important for casual cooks to ace the recipe. The good news is that celebrity chefs are full of handy tips and tricks to help you elevate your pancakes. From Clodagh McKenna's three-ingredient batter to Emeril Lagasse's savory flapjacks, these are the best pancake ideas from some of the world's greatest culinary professionals.
1. Clodagh McKenna: Use just three ingredients
Clodagh McKenna may be a celebrity chef, but that doesn't mean that her pancake recipe is complicated. Au contraire — the star of ITV's "This Morning" has a simple solution to making the perfect pancake breakfast, and her batter recipe only contains three ingredients: flour, eggs, and milk. As McKenna explains in an interview with Newstalk, "It's 120 grams of all-purpose flour — that's plain flour. Then two eggs and then 250mls of milk, and then you just whisk all that together. That should make about eight pancakes."
While plenty of chefs add a bit of oil or butter to the batter, McKenna prefers to keep her grease on the grill. She only uses a tiny bit of oil in her recipe, for the sole purpose of frying the pancakes. The celebrity chef describes her frying process: "I'd say drop a little bit of batter into the pan once you've put the oil on it and just use that one to season the pan."
As for toppings, McKenna opts for a combination of flavors that will make your pancakes taste both sweet and sour. The TV personality recommends combining citrus with a bit of sugar to prepare crêpes Suzette. To make the concoction, McKenna says to mix together caster sugar, orange juice, and zest over the stove. Finally, before serving she advises that home cooks add extra butter.
2. Ravneet Gill: Add double cream
For pastry chef Ravneet Gill, pancakes are serious business. The "Junior Bake Off" judge kicked off her 2023 Pancake Day by sharing not one, but two, major pancake tips in an Instagram post. According to Gill, one of the best things you can do while making pancakes is to add plenty of cream to the batter.
The reason that double cream works so well in pancakes pertains to its composition. Thanks to a fat content of almost 50%, this special ingredient will add richness to your pancakes, as well as provide a heavier texture. If you are on a diet, however, there's no need to fret. You can easily substitute cream with low-fat Greek yogurt for a similar effect.
The celebrity chef also suggests giving your batter some time to sit before you actually make your flapjacks. In her Pancake Day social media post, Gill wrote that leaving the batter to sit for about one hour before cooking gives the wet ingredients time to absorb the dry ones. Ultimately, it prevents your pancakes from coming out tough or overly chewy.
3. Raymond Blanc: Cook your pancakes on medium heat
Raymond Blanc is the long-time holder of two Michelin stars as well as the star of a cooking show that was named after him. Nonetheless, the celebrity chef has not always felt that pancakes were his forte — and with good reason. Back when he was learning how to cook, he had a major pancake accident. As he divulges in an interview with Delicious Magazine, "The first recipe I made was a total disaster. [...] I made the wafer-thin pancakes which were perfect. [...] I put the pancakes in a pyrex dish, added the syrup and got ready to flambé but the pyrex dish exploded!"
Luckily, Blanc has learned a lot about pancakes in the years following this failed attempt, and some of his biggest advice is to cook your pancakes on medium heat. As the celebrity chef explains in a video for Brasserie Blanc (via YouTube), this step is critical. He warns that you'll quickly burn the pancakes if it's too high, whereas if the heat is too low they have no chance to become nice and golden. He also advises home cooks against serving their pancakes in a tower: "Never stack them up upon each other because [your pancakes will] stick."
4. Jamie Oliver: Add maple syrup to the skillet
If you are hoping to make classic North American pancakes with a healthy dash of maple syrup, British chef Jamie Oliver has some tips to elevate your recipe. In an Instagram reel, the TV personality reveals his trick for giving flapjacks the perfect level of sticky sweetness: Add maple syrup directly to the skillet right after your pancakes finish cooking. He explains that it produces a glaze so that you can skip out on adding more sugar when you are ready to dig in.
When it comes time to add some toppings to your flapjacks, Oliver suggests halving fresh berries and sprinkling them over your creation. However, before serving the berry-topped pancakes, the celebrity chef suggests using a secret ingredient. "If you want to make the kids love fruit even more, a little squeeze of lemon or orange juice just kind of brings it together," he shared. To follow Oliver's advice, go ahead and add a bit of fresh citrus to your berries before arranging them over your homemade pancakes.
5. Ina Garten: Mix lemon zest into the batter
Ina Garten knows that not everyone enjoys loading their pancakes with an excessive number of toppings. After all, too much chocolate or maple syrup can drown out the flavor of the pancakes themselves — a pitfall that can certainly decrease the overall experience of your meal. Thankfully, the Barefoot Contessa has dreamed up a pancake recipe so rich in flavor that it doesn't require any extras. As Garten shares on her Food Network show (via YouTube), "All the flavors of these pancakes are in the pancakes."
To achieve a delicious final result, Garten relies heavily on citrus-based ingredients. In fact, she adds two different sources of lemon flavoring to her pancake batter: grated lemon zest and freshly-squeezed lemon juice. This combination of citrus ingredients has a big impact on the final result. In the show, Garten emphasizes that the pancakes are decidedly lemon-flavored.
Interestingly, lemon isn't the only ingredient that Garten uses to elevate her pancakes. The celebrity chef also uses buttermilk to add richness, a thicker texture, and a tart tangy taste to her creation. She advises home cooks to properly shake buttermilk before using it since it tends to settle.
6. Gordon Ramsay: Flip your pancakes with care
Flipping a pancake might seem impossible, but Gordon Ramsay has a strategy that makes it easier. In 2021, the "Hell's Kitchen" star took to his social media to break down the mechanics of the perfect flapjack flip. In a video posted on his Facebook page, Ramsay demonstrates that the first step to flipping a pancake is to start by greasing a hot pan. While this step might seem simple, it will make it easier for you to dislodge the pancake from the pan later on.
Once the pancake is ready to flip, Ramsay suggests gently bumping the pan against the stove to help free it from its position in the skillet. Afterward, in preparation for the big toss, Ramsay says to make sure that you are able to line your pancake up into the right pre-flipping position. "Bring the pancake to the end [of the pan]," he says.
When it's time for the moment of truth, the celebrity chef recommends using a two-step process to actually throw the flapjack into the air. First, Ramsay advises pushing the skillet away from you. Then, he says, to "flip [your pancake] back over the wrist" and catch it in the skillet below. It might take you a few shots but that just means you'll get to enjoy more pancakes.
7. Yotam Ottolenghi: Add herbs for color
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi doesn't want you to make pancakes that only taste good — he wants them to look good, too. The seven-time New York Times bestselling cookbook author explains that to prepare excellent pancakes, you should add ingredients for color, as well as for flavor. In an interview with The Guardian, Ottolenghi reveals that you can add herbs to your flapjacks in order to give them a bit of extra flair. "[...] add some color by making a herb butter with finely chopped chives and parsley. Then add paprika and put this on top of the pancakes," he shares. Overall, Ottolenghi believes that these ingredients will allow your pancakes to appeal to more of your senses, other than just taste. "It will smell great and look great too," the celebrity chef notes.
Compellingly, Ottolenghi might just have a method to his madness. According to the renowned cooking school Le Cordon Bleu, people generally believe that beautiful food tastes better — and science backs up this theory. One 2014 study asked participants to rate the quality of a meal with an artistic visual versus the exact same meal with a less appealing aesthetic. Ultimately, the more attractive meal received a score that was 18% percent higher than its counterpart. Therefore, if you want to enhance your pancake experience, take a page out of Ottolenghi's book and add some herbs for flair.
8. Julia Child: Mix crepe ingredients in a blender
Since Julia Child popularized many a French food in the U.S., it should come as no surprise that she had a penchant for crepes — or "French pancakes," as she calls them on her show "The French Chef" (via YouTube). For Child, the main difference between North American pancakes and their French equivalent is the consistency of the batter. As she explains to the viewers of her cooking show, French pancakes are very similar to standard pancakes except that they are much thinner.
To properly mix the liquidy batter, Child suggests relying on your kitchen tools. According to the celebrity chef, an electric blender will easily accomplish the task. As such, the French cooking expert recommends adding the crepe ingredients directly to the blender and immediately running the machine. This strategy works well since the blender does such a great job of ensuring that the thinner batter actually mixes all the way through.
If, however, you do not have a blender at home, it is still possible to create the perfect crepe recipe by hand, although it is much more labor-intensive to do so the old-fashioned way. Child describes the process and advises to add in the liquids a bit at a time while beating. She also notes that straining the batter is a good way to ensure there are no lumps.
9. Paul Hollywood: Use a squeeze bottle
At first, the concept of making pancakes with a squeeze bottle might seem odd. However, when it comes to making Paul Hollywood's lacy pancake recipe, this tool is key. The host of "The Great British Bake Off" makes gorgeous pancakes that look like they're made of delicate lace. And while it might seem impossible to pull this recipe off, even Hollywood himself admits that having the proper kitchen equipment makes all the difference. As the celebrity chef writes on "The Great British Bake Off" blog, "Don't be put off by the appearance of this pancake recipe, it's deceptively easy. All you need is a squeezy bottle and a steady hand to make your pancakes extra pretty."
To make lacy pancakes, start by preparing your batter and letting it sit. Afterward, transfer the batter to a squeeze bottle, grease a skillet, and set your stovetop to medium heat. When it comes time to actually draw a lace pattern on the griddle, just be creative. As per Hollywood's blog post, don't overthink making the design. "Tilt the squeezy bottle and pour the batter into the pan, creating a freehand lace pattern," he advises.
10. Giada De Laurentiis: Make gluten-free pancakes using quinoa
These days, it seems like more people than ever are following a gluten-free diet, but according to Giada De Laurentiis, that doesn't mean anyone has to give up pancakes. In a video for the Food Network (via Facebook), the celebrity chef reveals how to make gluten-free pancakes using healthy ingredients like quinoa. Unfortunately, since quinoa is not an adequate substitute for wheat flour on its own, De Laurentiis recommends adding another type of gluten-free flour to this recipe. She opts for rice flour and combines it with baking powder and soda, salt, water, eggs, vanilla, quinoa, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup.
Because the components of these pancakes are so drastically different than traditional recipes, many of the strategies used to cook gluten-filled flapjacks don't necessarily apply here. For example, it's usually time to flip standard pancakes when the batter starts to form bubbles. However, this isn't the case for quinoa pancakes. As De Laurentiis notes in her video, you will only be able to turn your quinoa cakes over in the pan when they begin to change color. "You know that they're ready to flip when the sides are a little bit darker," the celebrity chef describes.
11. Emeril Lagasse: Try savory pancakes
Although pancakes are certainly popular, not everyone has sampled them paired with savory ingredients. Thankfully, Emeril Lagasse is hoping to change that. In an old video clip posted to his YouTube channel, Lagasse adds country ham to pancake batter in front of a live audience — whose members immediately groan in response to his unconventional idea. Nevertheless, the celebrity chef persists, explaining that the ham needed to be "folded in" to the pancake batter for the best results. He then continues to push forward, suggesting that home cooks consider adding more savory ingredients, like onions or even hot peppers, to their pancake recipes.
When serving savory pancakes, Lagasse recommends using other breakfast items as toppings. For example, he plates his country ham flapjacks with two eggs, some cheese, and plenty of syrup. "For me, it's kind of like this. One nice pancake in the center. My nice egg over to the sides. Just a little bit of cheese [...] and then, you take the buttery Steen's syrup. [...] A few little chives. Hey, that's a breakfast for champions right there," Lagasse says.