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  1. Meals & Cooking
  2. Delish Unlimited Member Exclusives
  3. Copycat IHOP Pancakes

Copycat IHOP Pancakes

By Justin SullivanUpdated: May 25, 2021
VerifiedApproved by the Delish Test Kitchen
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5
1 Rating
preview for Copycat Kitchen – IHOP Pancakes
Yields:
4 - 6
Prep Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
5 mins
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There is no place on the planet that pumps out consistently hot, delicious, and visually stunning pancakes like IHOP. Sure they're seasonal flavors are incredible but we believe that their classic buttermilk, homestyle pancakes are truly some of the world's greatest. We set out to recreate out our own version and we think we got very close thanks in large part to the tips and tricks provided by IHOP’s VP of Culinary, Scott Randolph. We thought we'd pass these crucial nuggets of pancake wisdom onto you so you can keep them in mind as you try recreating these unbelievably fluffy pancakes:

The batter:
"While it’s always nice to prepare ahead in the kitchen, buttermilk pancake batter is best made as close to the cooking time as possible,” Randolph says. The leaveners are activated by buttermilk and will lose their lift over time, leaving you with flat flapjacks.

The liquid ingredients:
This tip goes against everything you’ve heard about baking, but keep them frosty to avoid heating up the gluten too early. “Super-cold eggs are key,” Randolph says.

The fat:
IHOP doesn’t use butter or oil on its griddles, as that can create a brown, webbed look instead of a uniform golden hue. Use a nonstick surface, or rub a little Crisco on ahead of cooking.

The mix-ins:
Wetter ingredients like bananas or Nutella can affect the moisture content, so use less than you think. And “ingredients like chocolate should be added once the pancake is already on the griddle, to help balance the flavor throughout the pancakes,” Randolph says.

Serving:

The longer pancakes sit (even warming in the oven), the more air is released and the tougher they get. If you’re adding sides like bacon, cook the pancakes last.

Used these pancake tips? Let us know how they worked out in the comments below!

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Ingredients

Whipped Butter

  • 1/2 cup

    (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 

  • 2 Tbsp.

    whole milk

Pancakes

  • 2 cups

    (24g0 g.) all-purpose flour

  • 2 Tbsp.

    plus 1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 tsp.

    baking powder

  • 1 1/2 tsp.

    baking soda

  • 1 tsp.

    kosher salt

  • 2 cups

    buttermilk

  • 2

    large eggs

  • 3 Tbsp.

    unsalted butter, melted

  • Maple syrup, for serving

Directions

  • Whipped Butter

    In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and milk until fluffy and scoopable, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

  • Pancakes

    1. Step 1Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 200º. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and pour in buttermilk. Crack eggs over buttermilk and whisk until combined, then fold in butter until just combined. (Clumps are okay!)
    2. Step 2Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until hot but not scorching, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a measuring cup, ladle 1/2 cup batter into the center of the skillet. Using the bottom of the measuring cup, smooth batter into a uniform circle about 5 1/2" wide.
    3. Step 3Cook until sides start to lift from the pan and bubbles start to form on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, then cook until other side is golden brown, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve. Repeat with remaining batter.
    4. Step 4Top pancakes with a scoop of whipped butter. Drizzle with maple syrup.
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