Fluffy, light, and easy-to-make, Cornmeal Pancakes are a tasty twist on classic pancakes. | One Bowl Recipe. No buttermilk. No need to whip egg whites!
Pancakes don’t have a season, of course. But I find myself making cornmeal pancakes more often in the winter than at any other time of year.
What’s a Cornmeal Pancake? Is It a Johnnycake?
Maybe. It depends on how you define a johnnycake.
When I think of a johnnycake, I think of something akin to cornbread. (It’s thought that the original johnnycake was basically unleavened cornbread.) Some folks, however, think of cornmeal pancakes when they hear the term johnnycake.
But! If you think of johnnycakes as a thin pancake, these won’t fit the bill either. Because these pancakes are fluffy. Really fluffy. If that’s your thing, these are for you.
How to Make Fluffy Cornmeal Pancakes: Keys to Success
- Start with finely ground cornmeal. There are a lot of different cornmeals on the market. And while I love coarse cornmeal for polenta, I prefer finely ground cornmeal in my pancakes. Quaker cornmeal is actually perfect for this recipe. If you want a cornmeal with a more pronounced corn flavor, use Bob’s Red Mill cornflour. The name is confusing, but it’s basically a finely ground cornmeal.
- Use flour. These pancakes aren’t 100% cornmeal — they’re 50% flour and 50% cornmeal. The split keeps them soft and fluffy.
- Use sugar. A little sugar in the batter brings out the flavor of the corn without making the pancakes too sweet.
- Skip whipped egg whites. Instead of relying on whipped egg whites to make these pancakes fluffy, the recipe uses baking powder.
- Cook on a hot griddle. The temperature of your griddle matters. You want it hot but not screaming-hot. Look for the batter to sizzle gently when it hits the pan. If it sounds like a steak searing, it’s too hot; if it makes no sound at all, it’s too cool.
Cornmeal Pancake FAQs
Are these sweet or savory?
These are definitely breakfast-style pancakes. While I think anything would go great with my Instant Pot chili, I’d probably recommend a pan of cornbread over these pancakes for a side dish.
Can I make these in advance?
Yes! Heat your oven to 200 degrees F. Place the pancakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Keep the pancakes in the warm oven until you’re ready to serve. (For up to one hour.)
Can I freeze pancakes?
Yes! Cool the pancakes. Stack with a piece of parchment or wax paper between each pancake and place into a freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or at low heat in the microwave.
Fluffy Cornmeal Pancakes
Fluffy, light, and easy-to-make, Cornmeal Pancakes are a tasty twist on classic pancakes. | One Bowl Recipe. No buttermilk. No need to whip egg whites!
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely ground cornmeal (5 ounces cornmeal; 142 grams)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (4 ½ ounces; 127 grams)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 ⅓ ounces 38 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (out of shell: about 4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 1 cup milk (8 ounces; 226 grams)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil for greasing the griddle
For Serving
- Butter
- Maple syrup
Instructions
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Make the Batter. Whisk cornmeal, flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the eggs, milk, and vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth.
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Heat the Griddle. Lightly oil a nonstick griddle. Heat griddle over medium-high heat. P
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Cook the Pancakes. Pour batter, approximately ¼ cup, onto griddle. Batter should sizzle when it hits the pan. Cook for approximately 3 minutes. Flip pancakes when bubbles appear all over the surface of the pancake and begin to pop. The pancake should begin to look almost dry. Flip and cook another 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
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Serve. Serve with butter and syrup, if desired.
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Keep Pancakes Warm: To keep warm, preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place cooked pancakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
jar says
Needs to be sweeter.
Elizabeth says
If you prefer sweeter pancakes, you can increase the sugar to a 1/4 cup (that’s a tablespoon additional sugar).
louise trujillo says
Great balance…I used pure maple syrup not sugar and all other items were organic…avocado oil for batter but olive oil for frying…perfect!!
Linda DeAndrea says
Delicious! Liked by everyone in the family. Made them with gluten free flour and used melted butter instead of oil.
Kalli S Wycoff says
SO LIGHT AND FLUFFY!!! I added a dash of vanilla.Everyone loved them. Even my picky 93 year old MIL. ?
Sandra Strothman says
Great use for cornmeal! Happy with them.
Maxwell Contranegra says
They taste great with AJ syrup, I added a teaspoon of vanilla.
They also freeze well, sized them for Ziploc bags, heat them in the toaster.
Bob says
Verified?
Deborah Teal says
Delish. I added vanilla, and used butter on griddle to cook. Served with mixed berry jam and softened butter.
Dar Rhodes says
Excellent cornmeal pancakes!! Whole family loved these. Fluffy yet still cornmeal – the perfect balance!
Susan Lappin says
I’m not good at pancakes and these came out great! I even messed up and didn’t whisk the dry ingredients first, just dumped all the ingredients in the mixing bowl, they still came out perfect!
Gwen says
Making these for my husband this morning for Fathers Day.
Zach Varwig says
Made these for breakfast today, reduced sugar from 3 to 2 tablespoons, and they had the right level of sweetness imo, since we typically add lots of syrup around our house. Also didn’t have fine ground cornmeal, used medium ground, and actually liked the added texture. Will definetly make these again.
Pete Mack says
I replaced powder with ½t soda and 2T lemon juice, and added a bunch of chopped strawberries. Really tasty.
Diane says
For a savory substitute for cornbread, I make these and add sliced green onion and shredded cheddar. Whenever possible I use bacon grease instead of oil. Tastes just like Grandma made!
Janet says
Delicious… but the batter was super thick. I made patties and then put on griddle. Only substitute was gluten free flour (cup for cup) due to food allergies. No idea what went wrong with batter consistency. Triple checked all the ingredient amounts.
Elizabeth says
It was the gluten-free flour. Depending on the flour blend, it probably contained an ingredient like xanthan/guar gum, a starch, or coconut flour. These ingredients absorb liquids very differently from wheat flour.
LindaMc says
Actually, I just made them with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour and they came out perfectly. Delicious!
Jessy T says
Same here. Made them with Bob’s red mill stone ground cornmeal and gluten free flour. Used a splash of vanilla to sweeten them. Threw in some mini chocolate chips for my little ones. Used avocado oil for the griddle. And it came out amazing!
Francisco says
Delicious texture, fluffy as hell! We added strawberries to some of the pancakes and it gave a pinch of sweet n sour that matched perfectly with the pancakes. We’ve had them with bacon and eggs as well, mindblowing. This recipe is a keeper that will be passed on to our future generations!
Avery says
Halved the recipe and still whipped my egg whites (old habits) had to add a bit more molk but these were really amazing!
Bill Miller says
Very tasty. A little dry, but devoured. Maybe because I just scooped instead of spoon and level. I used “makki atta”, fine ground cornmeal from India. What is easiest to get here in Thailand. Served with wild honey.?
LindaMc says
I forgot to mention in my earlier post. I shredded some cheddar cheese and added it to the batter. Beyond delicious!!!
Chris Nelson says
We love these pancakes. So easy to make and they are so delicious and fluffy. The recipe is a keeper.
Mary Fiore says
Great recipe—turned out perfectly. Thanks
AJ says
First time I ever had cornmeal pancakes. They were delicious!
Laislee says
Going to try with green onions and shredded cheddar to pair with sausage and eggs, French toast and home fries. Sounds like a great alternative to biscuits!
Matt says
Good recipe. I warmed the milk and added the cornmeal and let it soak for half an hour before mixing in the rest of the ingredients. Came out great!
Mark says
I cut the recipe in half and the batter consistency was perfect. I made this recipe twice with no issues. I wouldn’t exactly say they are fluffy, but they worked well for my taste. Thanks for sharing.
Jon B. says
Thank you for pointing out that the eggs need to be out of shell. I’ve tried making them with the shells, but they were a bit too crunchy for my taste.
Elizabeth says
Ha! That’s listed for folks who want to weigh their eggs. But thanks for the laugh. ?
Kaytlin C says
Great pancakes! I added vanilla extract to the recipe and it definitely made them even better!
NANCY HAMER says
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Sallie says
I used a self rising flour instead of regular flour and eliminated the salt and baking powder. Eliminated the sugar too—don’t like sweetness in pancakes. Perfect pancakes with the corn taste and texture we love!
Monica says
Super delish breakfast! We honestly are not fans of cornbread, so using up a free bag of cornmeal has been tough but I hate for it to go to waste. These pancakes were amazing! We loved them and would make these over cornbread/corn muffins ANY DAY. Didn’t change the recipe at all, plant based milk worked out perfectly fine if anyone wants to know.
Eĺle says
I have a 5 year old and an autistic 2 year old so I wanted to up the nutrition a bit more for breakfast. I like using Quinoa flour with white flour but was out so tried cornmeal . I mixed my cornmeal and white flour in the ninja blender to make it more fine. Then added 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar instead of the 3 white sugar . I had some almond milk to use up so popped that in. I reduced the baking powder a bit and I used and an extra half cup of milk because I wanted it to be a flatter pancake for the kids. I warmed frozen mixed berries in a sauce pan for my topping with a drizzle of maple syrup and mixed nuts at the table. We all liked this recipe. Next time I’ll try soaking the flours and adding vanilla or cinnamon and see how it is.
Elle says
I used coconut oil and olive oil for my butter and in the pan.
Jan says
I know I’ve made cornmeal pancakes before but this recipe is so much better. I used almond milk and stevia instead of sugar. Threw on frozen blueberries in the pan and they were fabulous!
Glenna says
Thanks soooo much for sharing that you added blueberries to this heavier type of batter – I was hesitant. Now I look forward to breakfast celebration – first week of 2024.
Michelle says
I just made these cornmeal pancakes and they turned out great! I ate them with some sliced banana, butter, a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice and some maple syrup.
Madhuri Land says
These comments have helpful information for gluten free and sugar free diets. Someday you might add some tips in a “Notes” section for various diets. We have a hard time finding good recipes that don’t violate our diets. Thank you for a great recipe!!
Kai says
Agreed
Also for dairy free diets
hbl says
Sprinkle some blueberries on top of the uncooked pancakes on the
griddle. They’re delicious.
Robbie says
Lemon zest really brightened things up.
Great recipe.
Thanks!
Mars Hotel says
Added the extra tablespoon of sugar (per Elizabeth’s comment). I used whole milk and butter. I put this in my cast iron waffle iron and it worked well. The timing is an issue but I use an induction top (hob) which has a thermostatic setting and a stop watch on my phone so the last ones came out perfectly timed. The recipe is quite good. Thank you.
Dan Luben says
This sounds like a great recipe, but it would be one that I would follow, except for the need to look up all the measurements from ounces to cups, ect. For that reason, I have decided not to follow this recipe, but to find another that is easier for me to prepare.
Elizabeth says
Everything you need is provided for you. If you want to use cups, use cups. If you want to weigh your recipe in ounces, use ounces. If you’d like to weigh the ingredients in grams, use grams.
There is nothing for you to look up.
Cali says
Do it! This recipe is excellent. Used gluten-free flour (bob’s redmill 1:1) and coconut milk. The batter was thick due to the flour – so I added more milk to make it pourable. We didn’t have fine cornmeal, but the texture was great as the other review mentioned (and makes pancakes feel more substantial). Thank you for this great recipe!
Hali Berry says
Fluffy and absolutely delectable. I’m looking forward to making these a regular part of my Saturday. Thank you for another well-tested and delicious recipe, Elizabeth! 💚
JO says
Great! Used Namaste GF flour instead and doubled the milk.
Cynthia M says
Such an easy and delicious recipe! I found the batter too thick so I added more milk after mixing the batter. Next time I make them I’m going to add some pumpkin spice. Great for a fall breakfast. Thanks for sharing!
Rema says
Very good! It tastes like fried cornbread. I added in some cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. I used 1/4 cup of applesauce instead of oil in the batter. I also used 1 egg and 1 flaxseed egg (1T flaxseed meal + 3T water) instead of two eggs.
Sarah C says
Excellent recipe! Quick and easy. Kids loved these golden, tall and fluffy pancakes and they got very full! (I guess it’s because of the fiber in the cornmeal) I like that there r 2 eggs so the cakes r not just carbs and fat.
Terri says
I really liked these! Added lemon zest and frozen blueberries, hubby made ’em vanish
Rita says
I made these today the only changes I made was to use nondairy milk (pea protein) and I used 1/4 cup of almond flour and 3/4 all purpose flour to get a little extra protein. They turned out delicious and looked lovely. I served them with fresh blueberries, butter & maple syrup. Also, I cooked them in an iron skillet since I do not have a griddle. This is a keeper recipe.
Ann L says
This is a great recipe, thank you for sharing it. This did result in delicious fluffy pancakes. I made it as written, but using avocado oil, as that’s what I had. I’ve made quite a few cornmeal pancake recipes but so far this one’s been the best. Also it’s good that these aren’t too sweet, especially when maple syrup is on the side. I added some freeze-dried blueberries to the syrup and found the flavor combination with the corn was so good. Next time I make these, will probably eat them with fresh blueberries on the side.
Norah says
Nice flavour. Reminds me alot of cornbread in pancake form. They were quite fluffy, but rather dry for my taste. Even with lots of butter and syrup they still seemed dry. Next time I would decrease the cornmeal a bit I think.
HELEN says
QUICK QUESTION? CAN THESE BE MADE AND FROZEN AND REHEATED?
Elizabeth says
They sure can! Just let them cool before you freeze them. Enjoy!
Michael Wiercinski says
Elizabeth,
It’s always funny to read recipe comments, how people love to tell the author about how they changed the recipe/how they think they make the recipe better. But these particular comments are over the top! Lol particularly Dan Luben’s comments above about having to “look up all the measurements.” I’m thinking he means he uses metric, but whatever….it’s freaking hilarious the stuff people write, other than “Thank you for your wonderful recipe, Elizabeth.” Anyway, thank you Elizabeth! I had the most wonderful pancakes last summer at Rosie’s Restaurant in Middlebury, VT and have been dying to find the recipe. Your’s is even better! So, Thank You, Elizabeth! Mike W.
Flora says
Crispy and pillowy! I added browned butter and vanilla. 😍
Elizabeth says
Yum! Love those additions!
Jo says
Yummy! Sugar level is just fine! Thanks!
PJJ says
Made today and they turned out great – nice and fluffy with the perfect cornmeal flavor and crunch. Will save to my favorites.
Donna says
I haven’t tried the recipe yet but I want to because my local restaurant serves black beans sautéed with onion and green pepper under corn pancakes for breakfast. Since I don’t like eggs, this is perfect. Ready to make at homd
J.D. says
I have been home sick with the flu this week with a very limited appetite. Pancakes are always my go to, but I’ve been into everything corn lately. I Googled “corn pancakes” and this was the first site that came up. This recipe had it all, so I made a batch yesterday. Between 3 of us,12 corn cakes were gone like magic. I just made another batch for dinner tonight. Excellent recipe!
TJ says
Really delicious and easy to make. I’ve tried a lot of Johnny Cake recipes, and this is the best one, by far. These are more moist and fluffier than other recipes I’ve tried, which is my preference. The flavor is balanced and not too sweet or salty. I used a pat of Irish butter and a light drizzle of real maple syrup and they were perfect.
This recipe will not be my new go-to for cornmeal pancakes.
Thank you for the recipe!
Trista says
I halfed the recipe since I couldn’t convince anyone else to try them and I always use brown sugar in pancakes and they turned out perfectly! I decided to do them up tex mex style with pico de gallo and chipotle creama instead of syrup. Yeah it’s a win for sure would like to try it sweet when I have enough syrup in the house. I will absolutely be making these again!!
Elizabeth says
Yay! And that sounds delicious!