Did you know you can have fluffy kefir pancakes ready to eat in less than 30 minutes?! They're perfect for busy mornings or lazy weekends when you want a special breakfast without the fuss!
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The secret ingredient here is kefir, a fermented milk drink that adds a slight tang and helps create an incredibly tender texture. It's what sets these pancakes apart from your average stack! I also make my strawberry Nutella crepes with it so they're super soft & easy to work with!
Just like my lemon zucchini muffins and cherry loaf cake recipes, this one is sponsored by my friends at Lifeway. Their kefir is my favorite to drink, add to fruit protein smoothies, and bake with!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You only need 7 pantry staples to make these pancakes.
- These pancakes can be whipped up in under 30 minutes.
- The recipe is easily customizable with your favorite toppings or mix-ins.
- Kefir pancakes have an incredibly tender crumb and delicious flavor!
Cinnamon Honey Pancakes
If you're a fan of unique pancake flavors, you might also want to check out my Cinnamon Honey Pancakes!
Recipe Ingredients
Let's break down the 7 simple ingredients that make these pancakes so special!
Ingredient Notes:
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of our pancakes. For best results, use a kitchen scale. If using cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off to avoid over-packing.
- Baking soda: Reacts quickly with the kefir for an immediate rise. Ensure it's fresh for best results!
- Baking powder: Provides a secondary rise as the pancakes cook. Don't skip this - it's essential for that perfect, fluffy texture!
- Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the flavors, balancing sweetness and bringing out the kefir's tang.
- Lifeway's Plain Lowfat Kefir: This adds moisture and a subtle tang. Its acidity reacts with the leaveners for extra fluffiness.
- Egg: Use a large, room-temperature egg to bind ingredients and add structure. To quickly bring it to room temperature, place it in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes!
- Maple syrup: Instead of sugar, just a tablespoon of maple syrup is used to lightly sweeten the batter.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for added fiber. Or for a gluten-free version, try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
- Fold in fresh berries, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts for extra flavor and texture. You can't go wrong with blueberry kefir pancakes on a summer weekend!
- Can't find plain 1% kefir? You can use full-fat or any flavored kefir for this recipe. Or, substitute it completely with buttermilk.
- For extra flavor, add a splash of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Sourdough Discard Pancakes
If you're a fan of sourdough, try my Sourdough Discard Pancakes for another delicious breakfast option!
How to Make Kefir Pancakes
Quick Recipe Video
Step by Step Instructions
Dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, mix the egg, kefir, and maple syrup together really well.
Combine
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Lumpy batter is okay here!
Cook
Warm a skillet or griddle to medium-low heat and lightly grease it with butter. Pour ¼ cup of batter (per pancake) onto your pre-heated surface and cook until bubbles form on the surface (a few minutes).
Cooking Tip
If you're only cooking a few pancakes at a time, keep them warm in a low heat oven until they're all ready to serve.
Flip
Flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the pancakes are golden brown on each side.
Enjoy!
Serve your fluffy kefir pancakes with your favorite toppings - maybe butter, maple syrup, fruit compote, or chocolate chips!
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't overmix! Stir the batter until just combined. Lumps are okay! Overmixing can lead to tough, chewy pancakes.
- Let the batter rest. For extra fluffy pancakes, let the batter sit for a few minutes while your pan preheats. This allows the flour to absorb the liquid and the leavening agents to activate. (This tip works wonders for my Fluffy Belgian Waffles too!)
- Do a pancake test. We won't be throwing out any pancakes like Rory Gilmore suggests, but the first pancake is usually less perfect than the others because it tests the pan's temperature. If your first pancake burns easily, turn the heat down; if it takes too long to brown, turn the heat up!
- Only flip once! Resist the urge to flip multiple times. One flip is all you need for perfect pancakes!
Common Questions
While milk can be used, kefir adds a unique tangy flavor and fluffy texture. If substituting, use buttermilk for the closest result.
Yes! Place the cooled pancakes in a freezer bag with parchment paper between them. Freeze for up to 2 months and reheat in the oven or microwave.
While kefir is rich in probiotics, the high heat used to cook the pancakes will likely eliminate the live probiotic bacteria.
It's sold in many grocery and convenience stores across the U.S.! Check lifewaykefir.com to see where it's available near you.
Storage
Refrigerator
Let the pancakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions
Stack the cooled pancakes with parchment paper between each one, then place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating Instructions
Reheat the pancakes in a 350°F oven or microwave until warm. You can also reheat frozen pancakes in a toaster.
More Breakfast Recipes You'll Love
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Thank you!
-Kayla
📖 Recipe
Fluffy Kefir Pancakes
Equipment
- Skillet or griddle lightly greased
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ¾ cup (180 g) Lifeway Plain Lowfat Kefir
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, kefir, and maple syrup really well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined (lumps are okay).
- Preheat a skillet or griddle to medium-low heat. Lightly grease the surface with butter.
- Pour ¼ cup of batter (per pancake) onto your preheated pan. When the batter starts to bubble (after about 2 minutes), flip the pancake and let it cook for another minute or so. Both sides should be golden brown (adjust the pan's heat as needed).
- Tip: store cooked pancakes in a warm oven until they're all ready to serve.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
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Hello! 😋 I made your pancakes and was quite delighted with them. I had nine pancakes out of the recipe. I added one thing that you did not. I like them a little bit spicy and I added perhaps a quarter teaspoon a little bit more of chai spice. What I would like to know that is important to my control of diabetes is the serving size. If you could pass that information to me online that would be absolutely fantastic! And by the way, it's pretty cool making your own kefir, which I do. And I use the kefir milk to add to this recipe! I love it! Thank you so much! 😉
Hi Marybeth! I'm so happy you enjoyed the pancakes, and that's so cool you make your own kefir!! There's nutrition information under the Notes in the recipe card, but please keep in mind that they are just estimates for 1 pancake (assuming 6 pancakes are made).
I love making these pancakes with kefir for weekend brunch!