Adding pancake batter (and any toppings you want!) to a muffin pan is a quick and easy way to deliver all of the goodness of homemade pancakes and so much less fuss. This method for Pancake Muffins, which are sometimes called Pancake Bites, is versatile, easy to reheat, and so yummy.

pancake muffins on plate

Pancake Muffins

My family loves pancakes and would eat them multiple times a week…if I had the stamina to make them that often. Thankfully, this method for baking pancake batter in a muffin tin helps me pull it off—and even easily make a batch ahead of time for easy weekday breakfasts.

You can make these with store-bought pancake mix or you can stir together a quick homemade option. And really anything goes as far as the flavors go, though I’m going to share our favorite 6 options.

These are an easy baby breakfast (we love the fruit options for littles), a fun toddler meal, and an easy option to share with the whole family.

They warm up in about 15-30 seconds from the freezer or fridge and are easy to adapt for allergies.

(You may also like my Banana Yogurt Muffins, Yogurt Pancakes, and Silver Dollar Pancakes.)

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Ingredients You Need

To make this recipe for Pancake Muffins, you need the following ingredients from the refrigerator and pantry.

ingredients in pancake muffins
  • Flour: You can do all purpose or whole wheat flour in these.
  • Sugar: There’s just a little in this to add flavor to the mix, though you can skip it if you prefer.
  • Baking powder: This helps to ensure that they are fluffy.
  • Salt: A tiny bit of salt helps round out the flavor.
  • Milk: I use whole milk, but any nondairy or lower fat milk will work similarly.
  • Unsalted butter: You’ll want to melt this and let it cool for a few minutes so it’s not super hot when mixed with the raw eggs.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Mix-ins: Such as blueberries, diced strawberries, diced bananas, chopped walnuts, or chocolate chips.

Step-by-Step Process

Here’s a look at how to make this pancake muffin recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.

how to make pancake muffins step by step
  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients so the leavening is evenly incorporated throughout.
  2. Add in the wet ingredients and gently whisk to combine into a smooth, lump-free batter.
  3. Add to a greased muffin pan, dividing the batter evenly.
  4. Add in desired toppings on top and bake until golden brown around the edges and just firm to the touch.
pancake muffins on countertop

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make these with pancake mix?

Yes, you can use your favorite pancake mix and make it according to the package directions. Then add the toppings you want and bake as directed in my recipe below.

How would you make cinnamon sugar pancake muffins?

Sure, just sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on the top of each one and they’ll bake up with a nice coating.

Can I do them as standard or mini muffins?

You can do them either way, you’ll just adjust the amount of batter you use and the length of the baking time. The rest of the recipe is the same.

pancake muffins on pink plate

How to Store

Let the pancake bites cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days for an easy grab-and-go breakfast idea to have on hand. Or in the freezer in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months.

Warm in 15 second increments in the microwave until just warm and serve with maple syrup, fruit puree, nut butter, yogurt, or any other preferred dip.

pancake muffins on yellow plate

Best Tips for Success

  • Use a mini muffin tin or a standard size one and adjust the baking time accordingly.
  • Sprinkle a few pieces of the toppings over each muffin before adding to the oven.
  • Egg-free: Omit the eggs and add ½ cup milk and ½ teaspoon baking soda to the batter.
  • Dairy-free: Use vegetable oil for the butter (or vegan butter) and nondairy milk.
  • Mini Pancake Muffins: Use 1 tablespoon batter in each muffin cup and bake for 12-14 minutes. (A perfect size for little kids.)
  • Standard Muffins: Use just under ¼ cup batter in each muffin and bake for 16-18 minutes.
  • All-purpose flour and whole wheat flour work similarly in this recipe. If using whole-wheat, check for doneness on the lower end of the baking time.
  • Grease the muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray to ensure that the mixture, when baked, doesn’t stick to the pan. This works better than muffin liners.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment below to share!

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pancake-muffins-on-yellow-plate-with-syrup

Easy Pancake Muffins (Favorite Pancake Bites)

Baking pancake mix in the oven is an easy way to streamline breakfast and to reduce the amount of time you have to stand at the stove cooking. You can add any topping you like to these and bake them as mini muffins or regular sized ones.
5 from 39 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Breakfast
Calories 123kcal
Servings 8 -12 (makes 24 mini muffins or 10 standard muffins)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour (or all purpose)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mix-ins (such as blueberries, diced strawberries, diced bananas, chopped walnuts, or chocolate chips; if using chocolate chips, use 1/4-⅓ cup)
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Gently whisk in the eggs, vanilla, milk, and butter. Fold in the desired mix-in.
  • Divide batter among the prepared muffin pan. Mini Muffins: Use 1 tablespoon batter in each muffin cup and bake for 12-14 minutes.Standard Muffins: Use just under ¼ cup batter in each muffin and bake for 16-18 minutes. Check for doneness with a cake tester or toothpick. When inserted into the center, it should come out cleanly.
  • Serve with a dip such as applesauce, nut butter, yogurt, or maple syrup.

Video

Notes

  • Whisk gently but thoroughly.
  • Use a mini muffin pan or a standard size one and adjust the baking time accordingly.
  • Stir in the mix-ins to the batter or sprinkle a few piece of the toppings over each muffin before adding to the oven. If you sprinkle, rather than stir in, you may have fewer overall muffins.
  • Egg-free: Omit the eggs and add ½ cup milk and ½ teaspoon baking soda to the batter.
  • Dairy-free: Use vegetable oil for the butter (or vegan butter) and nondairy milk.
  • Mini Muffins: Use 1 tablespoon batter in each muffin cup and bake for 12-14 minutes.
  • Standard Muffins: Use just under ¼ cup batter in each muffin and bake for 16-18 minutes.
  • All-purpose and whole wheat flour work similarly in this recipe. If using whole-wheat, check for doneness on the lower end of the baking time.
  • To make these with pancake mix, use 1 ¼ cups mix, ¾ cup milk, and 1 egg. Proceed with the recipe. The volume may be slightly lower. You may want to check for doneness at 10 minutes. (I tested this method with the Kodiak Cake mix and it worked well. It may vary slightly with other brands of mix.)

Nutrition

Serving: 2mini muffins or 1 standard muffin, Calories: 123kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 129mg, Potassium: 102mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 185IU, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

This recipe was first published January 2021.

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5 from 39 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve made this twice already with boxed pancake mix and love how easy they come together. I’ve made them with both frozen blueberries and frozen strawberries. My daughter wanted pancakes for her birthday party and I did that one other time but was at the stove the whole time and missed her opening presents. So these pancake muffins solved all my problems. She got pancakes and I got to be present at her party.

  2. Hi Amy,

    Your recipes typically note if there is a gluten-free option, and I noticed there isn’t one listed here. Do you think a GF cup-for-cup flour would work for this recipe? Or did you test one and it just didn’t quite work? Thanks!

      1. No worries at all! I just wanted to confirm before we try the recipe. Friday is “National Blueberry Pancake” Day, and we will be adding these muffins to our menu. Thanks for your quick response!

      2. 5 stars
        We made these with the dairy free and egg free substitutes. My littles loved them! They were moist and delicious. The whole family enjoyed for dinner.
        It was so nice to find a recipe that works for these allergens! Greatly appreciate all the recipes that you do that have these substitutions.

  3. I made 24 mini muffins using the Kodiak Flapjacks and Pancake mix and the rest of the ingredients in this recipe because I have been looking for a Pancakes Bite recipe. I am trying to manage weight and I thought this would add some variety into my diet. Pancakes are one of my favorite breakfast choices. I learned that 12 minutes was to long in my oven, muffins were dry. They were moist when eaten hot and when baked for 10 minutes.

  4. 5 stars
    How would you go about storing these and how long will they last? What about freezing? Just made them for my toddler and they are delicious!

    1. 5 stars
      Let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or in the freezer in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Warm in 15 second increments in the microwave until just warm.

  5. 5 stars
    Just made these with a sodium free baking powder and they came out great! I might eat them all myself before my daughter wakes up from her nap…

    1. I would bake on the lower end of the baking time and dice up. If there’s any trouble with the moistness, you can always spread a little applesauce on—but they should be okay if you use one of the fruit mix-ins I think.

  6. 5 stars
    Good. Not as sweet as store-bought muffins but then, if you’re making them for your toddler then low sugar is probably the way to go. Will be making them again!

    1. Hi- You can totally use frozen fruit. Just use kitchen scissors to cut up any pieces that are large (like you’d have with frozen strawberry slices) and drop a few on the tops of each muffin before baking.

  7. 5 stars
    Delicious and easy for 3 year old to help make! Probably didn’t need the full cup of chocolate chips for the mix-in!

    1. I always put the egg-free and dairy-free variations in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe. That information is there for you if you’d like to use it. (By offering variations, I aim to be as inclusive as I can. I apologize if you simply didn’t know where to find that option.)

  8. I made this yesterday and they came out okay but a bit dry. This was my fist time making muffins so maybe I need some practice. Adding some syrup or honey helped. Not sure if my picky daughter is going to eat them this morning but my wife likes them. Thanks!

      1. 5 stars
        Yes, I added strawberries, blueberries, bananas, and cranberries (not all together). But after writing my review I tasted the ones from the second batch which were in the oven for a minute less than the first batch and towards the bottom of the oven and they came out great. So I think as I experiment and tweak it we’ll get them perfect. Thanks so much, been exploring your website and got lots of ideas for our picky soon-to-be 3 year old!