Making pancakes in the air fryer is a total game-changer! Make fluffy air fryer pancakes with minimal effort using this simple recipe. Add some maple syrup, fresh fruit, or chocolate chips for a delicious, family favorite that can be breakfast or breakfast for dinner!
Who doesn’t love pancakes? They’re a classic and everyone’s favorite breakfast food. And now, with the help of an air fryer, you can enjoy the fluffiest, most golden pancakes.
There is no need to watch the stove and flip them over. Just stick them in the air fryer, and you end up with golden brown, perfect pancakes every time. You can cook the pancakes in the air fryer without sacrificing taste or texture, whether you make homemade batter or use a boxed mix
In this blog post, you will learn how to pick the best pans for air fryer pancakes, how to cook pancakes in the air fryer, pancake topping ideas, how to freeze air fryer pancakes, and how to air fry frozen pancakes.
I also include my family’s favorite recipe for homemade buttermilk pancakes! So get ready to whip up a delicious stack of air fryer pancakes!
Looking for more air fryer breakfast ideas? Try air fryer bacon, air fryer breakfast potatoes, or air fryer eggs!
🍳Baking Pans for Air Fryer Pancakes
Aluminum pans are the best pans for making pancakes in the air fryer. There are two primary considerations:
- It has to fit in your air fryer.
- It cannot have a nonstick finish. Pans with a nonstick finish will not make flat pancakes. The batter will rise up in the center.
I have tried two options, and I include photos from both in this article.
- A large 6-inch aluminum pan that makes one pancake at a time. The blueberry pancakes pictured were made in this pan.
- Smaller 4-inch pans that make 3-4 pancakes at a time. The chocolate chip pancakes pictured were made with these pans.
Foil baking pans also work if you want a simple solution without buying special pans.
It is much easier to make pancakes in the smaller pans. In addition, 3 smaller ones are an excellent one-person serving size, while the large pancake can be too much or too little, depending. So now I only use the smaller pans for my air fryer pancakes!
🥞How to Make Air Fryer Pancakes
- Make Batter – Make homemade pancake batter or use a store-bought mix and follow the package directions.
- Preheat – Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while you preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F.
- Fill Pans – Spray your chosen baking pans with cooking spray. Then add 1/4 cup of pancake batter to smaller pans or 1/2 cup to larger pans. Use a rubber spatula to spread the batter to the edges of the pan.
- Air Fry Pancakes – Put the pan(s) in the preheated air fryer. Cook them at 370 F for 6-7 minutes until the tops are golden brown and crispy. No flipping is necessary.
- Remove Pancakes – Carefully take the pancake pans out, using oven mitts. Flip the pans over, and the fluffy pancakes should fall right out.
- Make Another Batch – Respray the pans and make another batch if you have batter left. My homemade pancake recipe makes 5 large ones or 12 smaller ones, so it will take 4-5 batches to cook them all.
🍴Serving Ideas and Pancake Toppings
Serve your air fryer pancakes with all your favorite toppings. Of course, most people like lots of maple syrup, but you can also use strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce instead of syrup.
Other delicious pancake toppings:
- Butter
- Whipped cream
- Honey
- Peanut butter or almond butter
- Chocolate sauce
- Fresh fruit like strawberries and bananas
💭How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can microwave them to reheat or put them back in the air fryer for about 3 minutes at 330 F. Leftover pancakes can go directly in the air fryer without needing a pan. Just keep them in a single layer.
🥘Ingredients for Buttermilk Pancakes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
You can use your favorite store-bought mix to make air fryer pancakes. But if you want homemade buttermilk pancakes, here are the ingredients you need.
- Flour
- Sugar
- Buttermilk – Or add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to regular milk or almond milk as a buttermilk substitute.
- Egg
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Oil
🥣How to Make Homemade Buttermilk Pancake Batter
- Mix Dry Ingredients – Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir to mix.
- Mix Wet Ingredients – Combine the buttermilk, egg, and oil and stir to mix.
- Combine – Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until most lumps are gone, but don’t overmix.
- Add Extras – Fold in blueberries, chocolate chips, or anything else you like to add to pancakes.
🧊Can I Freeze Air Fryer Pancakes?
Yes, these air fryer pancakes freeze well. Let them cool completely. Then package them in a zippered bag, using parchment paper in between so you can easily remove one at a time.
Reheat them in a toaster if they fit, cook them in the air fryer, or microwave them for about 1 minute.
🥞Cooking Frozen Pancakes in the Air Fryer
It is easy to use the air fryer to cook frozen pancakes. You can freeze a batch after making them or buy some already made and frozen.
To cook frozen pancakes, preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the pancakes in a single layer and air fry at 350 for 4-5 minutes.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- An aluminum pan that doesn’t have a nonstick coating is essential to get perfect pancakes.
- Spread the batter to the edges of the pan with a spatula.
- Pancakes made with buttermilk, or a buttermilk mix will be fluffier. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to regular milk. You can also do this using almond milk or another milk substitute. The combination of sour milk and baking soda makes them rise better.
- Add half a cup of your favorite pancake mix-ins, like blueberries or mini chocolate chips. Funfetti sprinkles are a fun add-in for a birthday breakfast.
- Using the smaller 4-inch pans is easier than a larger 6-inch one.
- Air fryers vary, so check on your pancakes after 6 minutes. They are done when they are golden brown on top.
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Homemade Air Fryer Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk *see note
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon oil
Optional Extra Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup blueberries or other fruit
Instructions
Store Bought Mix
You can also make these with your favorite boxed pancake mix. Make it as directed on the package and skip to step #4.
Equipment Notes
Make the pancakes in an aluminum pan that DOES NOT have a nonstick finish. You will not get flat pancakes if you use a pan with a nonstick finish. Instead, they will be domed in the center. Use a 6-inch pan for large pancakes or 4-inch pans for smaller ones. Foil baking pans work fine.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir to mix.1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, and oil. Stir to mix and break up the egg yolk.1 1/3 cups buttermilk, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon oil
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until most lumps are gone. If you are adding something, like blueberries, chocolate chips, or sprinkles, stir them in now.1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup blueberries
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. Use this time to preheat the air fryer at 370 degrees F for 3-5 minutes.
- Spray your pan(s) with a little cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup batter to 4-inch pans and 1/2 cup to 6-inch pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter out to the edges of the pan.
- Air fry at 370 degrees F for 6-7 minutes until they are golden brown on top. They will cook on both sides, so there is no need for flipping.
- Use oven mitts to remove the pans from the air fryer. Dump them over onto a cooling rack, and the they should fall out. Then make another batch.
- Serve them immediately or put them in a preheated 200-degree F oven to keep warm until they are all done.
Notes
- Pancakes made with buttermilk, or a buttermilk mix will be fluffier. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to regular milk. You can also do this using almond milk or another milk substitute. The combination of sour milk with baking soda makes them rise better.
- An aluminum pan that doesn’t have a nonstick coating is the best pan to get perfectly cooked pancakes.
- Add half a cup of your favorite mix-ins, like blueberries, sprinkles, or chocolate chips.
- Using the smaller 4-inch pans is much easier than a larger 6-inch one.
- Air fryer cooking times vary, so check on your pancakes after 6 minutes. They are done when they are golden brown on top.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
