The best guide for how to make Japanese Pancakes, aka souffle pancakes! Fluffy pancakes with an airy texture and melt in your mouth flavor!
If you are a pancake lover, there’s no better weekend Breakfast than fresh, hot griddle cakes smothered in melted butter and maple syrup. And with options like Buttermilk Pancakes to Banana Pancakes to these fluffy Japanese souffle pancakes, you never have to be bored with your favorite breakfast dish.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Japanese Pancakes Recipe
You don’t need to go to a fancy cafe to try Japanese Pancakes for breakfast- they are actually quite simple to make! The key is in separating the egg whites and yolks and whipping up an egg white meringue before folding them into the egg yolk batter. This creates air pockets in the batter, for extra-fluffy, super-tall pancakes.
My Japanese Pancake recipe itself only requires a few basic ingredients you already use to make regular pancakes! Some kitchen tools like ring molds, an electric hand mixer, and a flat electric griddle help make the perfectly round fluffy pancakes. Master Japanese soufflé pancakes with my handy step by step photo instructions and tips!
What are Japanese Pancakes?
Japanese Pancakes, or souffle pancake, have a light, airy texture and are puffier than normal pancakes. They get their signature height and texture by whipping the egg whites into a meringue before folding into the rest of the batter and allowing it time to rest. These delicious pancakes might look fancy but they are made with the same ingredients as American pancakes and go great with all your favorite pancake toppings.
Ingredients
- Eggs: The separation of egg whites and yolks is crucial in creating the light, fluffy texture of Japanese pancakes. The whipped egg whites meringue creates air pockets and structure in the batter, making the pancakes souffle-like. The rich egg yolk batter keeps them moist as they cook for a longer time.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk gives the pancakes a tangy flavor and tender, melt in your mouth texture. The acid in the milk works to quickly activate the baking powder and baking soda so they rise into extra fluffy pancakes.
- Flour: You might think you make these pancakes with cake flour, but actually the higher gluten in all-purpose flour helps them hold their shape better for the fluffiest pancakes. Sift the flour twice to get all the lumps out so it mixes easier into the egg yolk mixture.
- Baking powder and soda: There is both baking powder and baking soda in the batter mixture for an extra fluffy pancake recipe.
- Sugar: A couple tablespoons of plain sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to balance out the rich eggy flavor for the perfect pancake. You can use granulated sugar or for a smoother, lighter batter use powdered sugar.
- Butter: Melted butter is added to the batter for some more moisture and gives the pancakes a rich, melt in your mouth, buttery flavor. They are cooked in bit of butter for extra buttery goodness.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Ring Mold: Use a 3 ½ or 3 inch baking ring mold to shape the pancakes and help them rise evenly without spreading. Crumpet baking rings are the perfect size or use a cookie cutter with tall sides. Grease them with nonstick cooking spray so the pancakes slide out easily.
- Electric Griddle: It’s best to use a large flat electric griddle or electric skillet to make these pancakes. The flat top and wide surface make it easier to slide your spatula under the rings to flip them and you can control the heat better with an electric skillet or griddle.
How to Make
Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Whip the Egg Whites
In a large mixing bowl whip the egg whites with an electric hand mixer until they are a stiff peak meringue. Stiff peaks are when the eggs whites are smooth, moist and slightly shiny. When you pull the egg beaters straight up, the tips should stand up. If they droop, that is soft peaks, and you whip the eggs whites more.
- Sift the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar a couple of times to remove all the clumps.
- Make the Egg Yolk Batter
In yet another medium separate mixing bowl, whisk the buttermilk, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture until just combined.
- Combine and Rest
Gently fold the egg white meringue into the egg yolk batter with a rubber spatula, stirring a couple times until they are just combined. Rest the batter for 5 minutes.
- Prep for Cooking Process
Heat a flat electric griddle or large nonstick skillet to low heat. Grease the inside of your 3-inch baking rings with nonstick spray.
- Cook the Pancakes
Add your greased rings on a lightly buttered griddle (or skillet) and add a ⅓ cup scoop of batter to each ring. Cook the pancakes until they rise and bubbles form, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes in the mold and cook another 2-3 minutes. The total cooking time should be about 7-8 minutes.
- Serve the Pancakes
Gently remove the pancakes from the molds. They should slip out but if not, gently push them out with a flat spatula. Serve with a pat of butter and your favorite pancake toppings.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs , separated
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add egg whites to a mixing bowl and using a hand mixer beat them to stiff peaks
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar twice into a large second mixing bowl.
- In a medium bowl whisk together buttermilk, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add in flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
- Fold in the egg whites gently with a spatula until combined.
- Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Scoop ⅓ cup batter into 3 1/2" ring molds onto lightly buttered griddle on low heat and cook until bubbles form, about 3-4 minutes.
- Flip and cook for 3 minutes.
Nutrition
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Can these pancakes be made ahead of time?
You can make the batter ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. However, do not whisk the egg whites until you are ready to cook the pancakes. This ensures that the egg whites retain their stiffness and you don’t get flat pancakes. When you’re ready to make the pancakes, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold them into the pre-made batter.
Nutritional Facts
Japanese Pancakes Tips & Tricks
Don’t Over-Mix the Batter
If your Japanese pancake deflated, it may be because you overmixed the batter or didn’t cook it long enough. Overmixing the batter can cause the air bubbles created by whipping the egg whites to deflate, resulting in flat pancakes. You also want to make sure you cook them all the way, undercooked pancakes will deflate when you take them off the heat.
Use Cream of Tartar
If you are new to making egg white meringue or souffle, you can add a bit of cream of tartar to the whites to help keep them stable and fluffy. Use ⅛ of a teaspoon of cream of tartar with the egg whites as you beat them.
How to Store
- Store: You can store Japanese pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Place parchment paper or wax paper between them if stacking so they don’t stick together.
- Reheat: To reheat, wrap leftover pancakes loosely in a damp paper towel and microwave in 15-20 second bursts until warm. You could also warm them up on a baking sheet in an oven at 200 degrees.
- Freeze: It’s not recommended to freeze this souffle pancake recipe because the texture changes once they have been frozen and thawed. They are a bit of work, but they are just much better fresh.
Topping Ideas for Japanese Pancakes
Japanese Pancakes are best served warm with your choice of favorite toppings. Here are a few ideas:
- Classic: Stick to the classics with a pat of butter and a generous pour of maple syrup.
- Berries and Cream: Add a dollop of Whipped Cream and top with seasonal fresh berries and fresh fruit. For an extra special treat, try my Chocolate Whipped Cream!
- Lemon Icing: Whisk powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice until a thin icing forms and drizzle over the pancakes. Try this with fresh blueberries!
- Nutella: Spread some warm Nutella and pile on banana slices or strawberries. You could also use Chocolate Ganache or peanut butter.
- Honey Almond: Use honey instead of syrup and sprinkle the top with sliced almonds for some crunch. For more almond flavor, use almond extract instead of vanilla.
- Chocolate: Add some mini chocolate chips with the butter and syrup. If you are a chocolate pancakes lover, replace ¼ of flour with ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and sift with the rest of the dry ingredients.
Frequent Questions
I wouldn’t recommend using pancakes mix to make Japanese Souffle Pancakes because you’ll get the wrong pancake batter consistency and less fluffy pancakes. But you can give pancake mix pancakes and extra fluffy texture by using the egg white method. They just won’t be true Japanese Pancakes.
The main difference between Japanese pancakes and regular pancakes is the texture. Japanese pancakes are much lighter and fluffier than regular pancakes. The light texture comes from whipping the egg whites separately then cooking the pancakes in ring molds over low heat so they puff up like a souffle.
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