Small Batch Pancakes

Start your morning off right with a stack of Small Batch Pancakes! They’re fluffy chocolate chip pancakes for two made from scratch (no Bisquick!) and with a secret ingredient that makes them taste even better.

As much I love breakfast foods, I rarely eat a big breakfast during the week, usually some fruit or oatmeal.

The weekends are reserved for an actual sit-down breakfast, which usually consists of hash brown bowls, biscuits and gravy for two, or (my favorite) Small Batch Pancakes.

I love chocolate chip pancakes so when I discovered cinnamon and clove actually brings out the chocolate flavor even more (similar to how vanilla makes my chocolate pancakes taste even better), I was hooked.

You’ll never go back to plain, boring pancakes again!

The thing about making pancakes for two though is I don’t want to stand at the hot stove and make millions of pancakes one at a time in my skillet when I want to eat breakfast now and not later.

And I’m certainly not going to buy a griddle just so I can make multiple pancakes at once. Nobody has room for that!

That’s why my small batch pancake recipe makes 6 pancakes. Less time cooking, more time eating.

One serving is roughly 3 pancakes per person. Now I’m certainly not going to tell you that you can’t eat the whole stack. One stack is basically one serving anyway, right?

And because I am not a morning person, these chocolate chip pancakes are as easy as you can make them.

When I first learned how to make chocolate chip pancakes (like, YEARS and years ago), I noticed most recipes called for whipping the egg white then folding into the batter.

Listen, that will never happen in my kitchen before noon. Whipping egg whites is reserved for angel food cake, not small batch pancakes.

I also found a recipe to make pancakes for one, but it called for 1/4 of an egg.

Did you catch that? You literally measure out 1/4 of an egg. Raise your hand if you want to do that.

Yea, I didn’t think so. My pancakes for two calls for 1 whole egg. I made sure to balance it out with enough flour so the batter isn’t too thin.

And if you’re making pancakes for one, you can easily freeze the extras for another morning. Your future self will thank you.

Ingredients For Small Batch Pancakes

These pancakes for two are made from scratch. No baking mixes or Bisquick needed! You just need the following basic pantry ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: Helps thicken your batter.
• Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness to your batter.
• Baking powder: The key to making fluffy homemade pancakes. It may seem like a lot, but trust the recipe.
• Cinnamon and clove: My secret ingredients that makes chocolate chips taste even more chocolatey.
• Salt: Makes sure your pancakes aren’t bland.
• Egg: Uses 1 whole egg despite being small batch pancakes so you’re not messing with yolks or whites.
• Milk: Whole milk is best because the extra fat ensures the pancakes stay moist.
• Vegetable oil: Fat needed in the recipe. Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola as olive oil may add an unwanted savory flavor. You can also substitute melted butter.
• Chocolate chips: My go-to mix in for small batch pancakes is chocolate chips, but you can easily add anything you’d like, including blueberries.

More Breakfast For Two

Not in the mood for pancakes? Check out my French toast for two, French Toast Casserole For Two which can be prepped the night before, Waffles For Two for traditional buttermilk waffles, Chocolate Waffles for a sweet morning, and Ham and Cheese Waffles for a savory twist.

How To Make Small Batch Pancakes

To make chocolate chip pancakes from scratch without Bisquick or boxed mix:

Whisk together your flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, clove, and salt.

Beat together your egg, milk, oil/butter, and vanilla in a measuring cup or another bowl.

Add wet ingredients to dry then gently whisk until everything is moistened then stir in chocolate chips. Do not overmix! Lumps are ok but there should be no pockets of flour.

Rest batter for 5 minutes to allow the gluten to relax so the pancakes don’t toughen up while cooking.

The batter will also thicken a little more because the flour absorbs the liquid. If you let it rest longer and the batter is too thick, whisk in a little more milk to loosen it.

Heat your skillet until hot. Ideally you want a non-stick pan so you don’t need to add butter. However, you can lightly grease it with cooking spray if necessary.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan then cook until edges are set and bubbles form on top. Flip then cook until second side is brown.

The heat will fluctuate while cooking. If your pancakes are getting too brown, turn the heat down. If your pancakes are taking too long to cook, turn the heat up.

How To Store Leftover Pancakes

Store any leftover pancakes in a freezer-safe plastic bag with a piece of parchment in between so they don’t stick. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

How To Serve Chocolate Chip Pancakes

In addition to butter and maple syrup, serve your pancakes with homemade strawberry sauce, homemade whipped cream, strawberry whipped cream, or maple whipped cream.

How To Rewarm Pancakes

Even though you’re only making small batch pancakes, they get cold quickly if you don’t serve them straight from the skillet.

If you’re making all six and waiting until the end to eat, preheat your oven to 200F. Once you’re done cooking, stick the pancakes in the oven for about 5 minutes or until warm.

Don’t feel like turning your oven on (or you forgot)? You can reheat them in the microwave in 15 second increments.

If you’re reheating leftover pancakes, microwave them about 30-60 seconds or until no longer cold in the middle.

Homemade Pancake Tips And Tricks

Not happy with how your chocolate chip pancakes turned out? Here are some troubleshooting tips to keep in mind:

• If your pancakes are thin and didn’t rise: Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the batter; you need heat to react to the baking powder. If the pan is too cold, there is no heat. If there is no heat, the baking powder won’t rise properly.
• If your pancakes are too doughy and/or raw in the middle: They are too thick. Make sure they aren’t more than 1/4 inch thick in the skillet.
• If your pancakes aren’t fluffy: You overmixed your batter. The more you stir your flour, the more the gluten develops. And overdeveloped gluten will result in chewy pancakes rather than fluffy. It’s ok if your batter is a little lumpy, as long as there are no dry spots of flour left.

More Pancakes For Two Recipes

Enjoyed this recipe? Here are more recipes for pancakes:

• Coconut Milk Pancakes – This recipe is dairy free thanks to the coconut milk.
• Apple Pancakes With Sausage – A more savory way to eat pancakes for breakfast.
• Can’t eat flour? Check out this Gluten Free Pancake recipe from Fearless Dining then add gluten-free chocolate chips to the batter.

First published December 24, 2012