These from-scratch strawberry pancakes are light, airy and bursting with delicious fresh strawberry flavor. Top them with our easy homemade strawberry compote for the perfect summer breakfast!
Jump to Recipe
Print Recipe
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email below, and we'll send it to your inbox. Plus get great recipes from us every week! Unsubscribe anytime.
There’s something extra special about biting into a fluffy homemade pancake and getting sweet pieces of fresh strawberry in every bite. These strawberry pancakes are soft, light, and filled with diced strawberries throughout, giving them plenty of flavor without feeling overly heavy or complicated.
We love serving these from-scratch pancakes with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, or a spoonful of our easy 15-minute strawberry compote when we want to make breakfast feel a little more special. They’re easy enough for a regular morning but pretty enough for brunch or a slow weekend breakfast at home.
If you love soft, fluffy pancakes, be sure to check out our sweet cream pancakes too. They’re another favorite in our house.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients at a Glance
- All-purpose flour. All-purpose flour gives these pancakes structure while still keeping them soft and tender.
- Baking powder + baking soda. This combination helps create light, fluffy pancakes with plenty of lift. Double-acting baking powder works best here.
- Salt. Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness of the strawberries.
- Buttermilk. Adds a subtle tangy flavor while helping create a soft, airy texture. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 2 cups of milk and letting it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Eggs. Help bind the batter together and contribute to the fluffy texture. Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter.
- Unsalted butter. Adds richness and flavor to the pancakes. Let it cool slightly before mixing it into the wet ingredients so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
- Vanilla extract. Adds warm flavor and helps round out the sweetness of the strawberries without overpowering them.
- Granulated sugar. Adds just enough sweetness without overpowering the fresh strawberry flavor.
- Strawberries. Diced strawberries are carefully incorporated into the pancakes for bursts of fresh strawberry flavor in every bite. Fresh strawberries work best, but thawed frozen strawberries work well too when strawberries aren’t in season.
How to Make Them (Photo Tutorial)
Step 4. Meanwhile, spray a griddle or large flat-bottomed skillet with cooking spray or add about 1 tablespoon of butter. Heat over medium heat.
Step 5. Pour ¼ cup batter onto a greased griddle or skillet heated over medium heat.
Step 7. Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, or strawberry compote.
Our Best Tips for This Recipe
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. A few lumps are perfectly fine and help keep the pancakes light and fluffy.
- Let the batter rest before cooking. Resting the batter for 5–10 minutes gives the flour time to hydrate and helps create softer, fluffier pancakes.
- Dice the strawberries fairly small. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the pancakes and make them easier to flip.
- Pat the strawberries dry if needed. If the strawberries are especially juicy or if you’re using thawed frozen strawberries, gently pat them dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture in the pancakes.
- Add the strawberries directly to each pancake on the griddle. Instead of stirring the strawberries into the batter bowl, scattering them over each pancake helps keep the strawberry pieces intact and evenly distributed throughout the pancakes.
- Cook over medium heat. Heat that’s too high can brown the pancakes too quickly before the centers finish cooking and may scorch exposed strawberry pieces.
- Keep the pancakes moderately sized. Pancakes that are about 4½ to 5 inches wide are much easier to flip once the strawberries are added.
- Use a wide spatula for flipping. A wide spatula gives better support and makes it easier to flip the pancakes cleanly in one quick motion.
Ways to Serve These Strawberry Pancakes
These pancakes are delicious with classic maple syrup, but they also pair beautifully with fresh fruit toppings, whipped cream, and homemade berry syrups if you want to make breakfast feel a little extra special.
- Strawberry Compote. Adds even more fresh strawberry flavor and makes these pancakes feel perfect for brunch.
- Mixed Berry Syrup. A sweet berry syrup that pairs beautifully with the diced strawberries in the pancakes.
- Blueberry Syrup. Blueberry and strawberry are always a delicious combination.
- Fresh Whipped Cream. A dollop of whipped cream makes these pancakes feel bakery-worthy with very little extra effort.
- Fresh Strawberries. Add sliced strawberries on top for extra fresh berry flavor and texture.
- Powdered Sugar. A light dusting gives the pancakes a simple but pretty finishing touch.
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt. Adds a cool, creamy contrast that pairs really well with the sweet strawberries.
- Toasted Almonds or Pecans. A little crunch adds great texture and makes the pancakes feel extra special.
- Maple Syrup. Warm maple syrup is always a classic choice with soft, fluffy pancakes.
- Bacon or Breakfast Sausage. The salty, savory contrast pairs surprisingly well with the sweet strawberry flavor.
For drinks, these pancakes pair wonderfully with hot coffee or a homemade chai tea latte for an easy brunch at home.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover strawberry pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, freeze the pancakes with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between each pancake to prevent sticking. Place the stack in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
To Reheat
- Microwave: Heat individual pancakes for 20–30 seconds until warmed through. This method keeps them soft.
- Toaster: Toast the pancakes on a low setting for lightly crisp edges and a softer center.
- Skillet: Warm the pancakes in a lightly buttered skillet over low heat for a few minutes per side.
If reheating from frozen, there’s no need to thaw first. Just add a little extra reheating time.
Suggested Variations
- Banana Strawberry Pancakes. Add 1 mashed ripe banana to the wet ingredients for extra sweetness and soft banana flavor. If you love this flavor combination, don’t forget to try this strawberry banana French toast.
- Chocolate Chip Strawberry Pancakes. Sprinkle semisweet chocolate chips over the pancakes along with the diced strawberries before flipping.
- Lemon Strawberry Pancakes. Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest to the batter for a bright citrus flavor that pairs beautifully with the strawberries.
- Mixed Berry Pancakes. Replace part of the strawberries with blueberries or raspberries for a mixed berry variation.
More Pancake Recipes to Try
Soft, fluffy pancakes with a rich buttery flavor and tender texture.
Light and fluffy pancakes bursting with fresh blueberry flavor and bright lemon zest.
Soft, fluffy pancakes filled with sweet banana flavor and melty chocolate chips in every bite.
Light, fluffy pancakes packed with fresh mango flavor and perfect with maple syrup or mango compote.
See more pancake recipes →
Looking for more information about making pancakes? Visit our complete guide for making homemade pancakes from scratch, including detailed ingredient information, step-by-step instructions and more!
I hope you enjoy these homemade strawberry pancakes as much as we do. They’re soft, fluffy, and filled with sweet strawberry pieces in every bite! If you try them, please let us know what you think in the comments below!
Strawberry Pancakes
These from-scratch strawberry pancakes are light, airy and bursting with delicious fresh strawberry flavor. Top them with our easy homemade strawberry compote for the perfect summer breakfast!
Print Recipe
Save
Rate
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder Double acting (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups buttermilk (Note 2)
- 2 large eggs Room temperature.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Melted and cooled.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup strawberries Diced. You can use fresh or frozen. Thaw them first if using frozen. (Note 3)
- butter or cooking spray for the griddle
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the 2 cups buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine. Do not overmix or the pancakes can become dense (Note 4).Allow the batter to rest for 5–10 minutes (Note 5).
- Lightly grease a griddle or large nonstick skillet with butter or cooking spray and heat over medium heat.The pan is ready when a small drop of water sizzles gently on contact.
- Pour about ¼ cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Keep the pancakes around 4½ to 5 inches wide so they’re easier to flip (Note 6).Immediately scatter diced strawberries evenly over the uncooked side of each pancake. Adding the strawberries to the batter this way helps distribute them evenly while keeping the strawberry pieces intact (Note 7).
- Cook until bubbles form and begin popping on the surface and the edges look slightly set, about 3–4 minutes.Use a non-stick wide spatula, or spray spatula with cooking spray and swiftly turn pancakes over. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.Remove pancakes to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, or strawberry compote.
Notes
- Double-acting baking powder helps create a lighter, fluffier pancake texture.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar to 2 cups milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using.
- Fresh strawberries give the best texture and flavor, but thawed frozen strawberries work well too. Drain and pat them dry before adding them to the pancakes. Dice them fairly small so they settle into the batter easily and cook evenly.
- Overmixing develops gluten and can make pancakes tough instead of light and fluffy.
- Resting the batter allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps the pancakes rise better while cooking.
- Larger pancakes are more difficult to flip once the strawberries are added.
- Adding the strawberries directly to each pancake instead of stirring them into the bowl helps distribute them more evenly and prevents the strawberries from getting crushed into the batter.
Nutrition
Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 9 pancakes
Calories: 191kcal
Glad I tried this recipe. The way the strawberries are mixed in really makes these pancakes taste great.
Thank you for sharing this one.
I will make it again.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the pancakes. 🙂