Make these sweet cream pancakes if you want to up your breakfast game and wow your brunch guests! They're slightly denser than regular pancakes thanks to the heavy cream. Yet they're still fluffy, thanks to the eggs and baking powder. They're sweet, flavorful, and freeze very well.

Stack of sweet cream pancakes topped with whipped cream, maple syrup, fresh blueberries, and chopped pecans on a white plate.

We have several pancake recipes on this site. We couldn’t call ourselves a breakfast recipe site if we didn’t, right? I was super excited about developing the recipe for these pancakes because even the name – sweet cream pancakes – sounds like something I would look forward to eating in the morning. These pancakes have even made it to our dinner table. Breakfast for dinner is always great in my book.

It took a few tries to get these pancakes right. They needed to have a rich, decadent quality to live up to their name, yet they also needed to be fluffy to live up the name of pancakes. I truly think we have achieved that with these pancakes. The heavy cream gives them the richness they need, but the milk tones that down.

I would put these in the same category as these butterscotch pancakes or these bananas Foster pancakes. They have that dessert pancake quality about them. So good!!

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Easy to Make. The recipe is straightforward, with simple ingredients and minimal steps. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a beginner, you’ll find this recipe easy to follow and quick to prepare.
Crowd-Pleaser. Pancakes are a classic comfort food that everyone loves. This recipe yields a good amount, making it ideal for feeding a group or saving leftovers for another day.
Customizable. You can easily adapt this recipe to your tastes. Add blueberries, chocolate chips, or nuts to the batter for variety, or switch up the extracts (like almond or lemon) for different flavor profiles.
Homemade Goodness. Making pancakes from scratch always feels more rewarding than using a mix, and the taste difference is noticeable. You get the satisfaction of serving something homemade and delicious.
Fluffy and Tender Pancakes. The combination of heavy cream and milk ensures these pancakes are rich, tender, and fluffy. The cream adds a velvety texture, making each bite a luxurious experience.
Balanced Sweetness. With just ¼ cup of sugar, these pancakes are sweet but not overly so. This makes them perfect for pairing with syrup or fruit without becoming too sugary.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour. You can substitute gluten-free or self-rising flour. If substituting self-rising flour, omit the salt and baking powder.
Baking powder. Used as a leavening agent. This is what makes the pancakes rise and makes them fluffy.
Granulated sugar. Adds sweetness. For a richer flavor, substitute brown sugar. Adjust this to your taste. Some like their pancakes very sweet, some do not. For a sugar-free version, substitute Swerve products for the sugar used in this recipe: Swerve granulated sugar. (affiliate link).
Salt. Enhances flavor.
Eggs. Used as a binding and leavening agent. For an egg-free version, you can substitute 1/2 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt.
Heavy cream. Adds richness and helps make the pancakes more tender.
Whole milk. Adds flavor.
Vanilla extract. Adds flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Dry ingredients in a fine mesh strainer over a white ceramic bowl — In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Wet ingredients in a blender. — In a blender or medium bowl, blend or whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla.

Wet ingredients being poured into dry ingredients in a white ceramic bowl. — Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.

Pancake batter in a white ceramic bowl. — Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Pancake batter being ladled onto a griddle with an ice cream scoop. — Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spray with canola or butter-flavored cooking spray. Add about ¼ cup batter to the hot surface. Repeat until there is no more room on the cooking surface.

Pancakes cooking on a griddle. — Cook until lightly browned on the bottom and the top is bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep pancakes warm. Repeat until batter is gone, spraying pan or griddle as necessary.

Tools you’ll need

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Large bowl. Used to mix the dry ingredients and the batter.
Silicone whisk. Used to mix the wet ingredients if not using a blender.
Blender. Used to blend the wet ingredients. Since we keep our blender on the kitchen counter (it’s the most used small appliance in our kitchen), I found it convenient to use the blender for this purpose. If you don’t want to use a blender, you can use a medium bowl and a whisk instead.
Griddle. We use and love our Chefman electric griddle. You can use a large non-stick skillet instead.
Medium bowl. Used to mix the wet ingredients if you don’t want to use a blender.
Large skillet. You can use this instead of a griddle.
Wide non-stick spatula. Used to flip the pancakes. If you don’t have a non-stick spatula, you can spray the spatula with cooking spray.

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!

Substitutions

Gluten Free – Substitute Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-Balking flour for the all-purpose flour in this recipe.
Sugar Free – Substitute Swerve products for the sugar used in this recipe: Swerve granulated sugar. (affiliate link).
Self-Rising flour – As mentioned above, you can substitute self-rising flour for the all-purpose flour. If using self-rising flour, omit the baking powder and salt.
Milk – This recipe works best with whole milk, but if you want a more reduced fat version, you can substitute 1 or 2 percent or skim milk.
Egg Free – Replace the eggs with 1/2 cup of yogurt, plain or vanilla. If this makes the batter too thick, stir in more milk, a splash at a time.

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Storage

Refrigeration

Cool Completely. Allow the pancakes to cool completely on a wire rack to prevent them from becoming soggy when stored.
Stack with Parchment Paper. Place a sheet of parchment paper between each pancake to prevent them from sticking together.
Airtight Container. Store the stacked pancakes in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag.
Refrigerate: Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing

Cool Completely. As with refrigeration, make sure that the pancakes are completely cooled before freezing.
Flash Freeze. Place the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about 1-2 hours. This prevents them from sticking together.
Transfer to a Freezer Bag. Once frozen, transfer the pancakes to a resealable freezer bag or airtight container. Label with the date.
Freeze. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheating

Microwave. For refrigerated pancakes, microwave them on a microwave-safe plate for about 20-30 seconds per pancake, or until heated through. Frozen pancakes may take 30-60 seconds.
Oven. Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). Place pancakes on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake for 10 minutes if refrigerated, or 15-20 minutes if frozen.
Toaster. You can also reheat pancakes in a toaster, especially if you like a slightly crisp edge. Toast them on a low setting until warm.

Tips:

Avoid reheating pancakes multiple times as they can dry out. Only reheat what you plan to eat.
If freezing, pancakes can be stored in individual portions for quick and easy reheating.

Close up of a stack of sweet cream pancakes topped with whipped cream, maple syrup, fresh blueberries, and chopped pecans on a white plate. on top of a grey napkin.

Top Tips

Use Fresh Ingredients. Make sure your baking powder is fresh. Old baking powder can result in flat, dense pancakes. Fresh eggs, milk, and cream also contribute to better flavor and texture.
Measure Carefully. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup designed for dry ingredients and then level off with a butter knife. Do not measure out the flour by dipping the measuring cup into the flour bag. You will end up with too much flour and the pancake batter will be too thick.
Don’t Overmix. Do not overmix the batter. Just give it a few good stirs to get rid of any flour streaks. It’s okay if a few lumps remain.
Allow Resting Time. Allow the batter to rest for at least 5 minutes before cooking. This step causes the gluten in the batter to relax a bit and helps to achieve a more light, fluffy, and tender pancake.
Adjust Sweetness. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste. Some people like the pancakes to be sweeter, some do not.
Preheat the Griddle or Pan. Make sure your griddle or skillet is fully heated before adding the batter. A properly heated cooking surface ensures even cooking and a nice golden-brown color.
Don’t Flip Too Early. Wait until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes and the edges start to look set before flipping. Flipping too early can result in uneven cooking.
Use a Light Touch When Flipping. Flip the pancakes gently to avoid deflating them. A spatula that’s too thin or sharp can also tear the pancakes, so use one that’s sturdy and broad.
Adjust for Different Cooking Vessels. We cooked ours on our Chefman electric griddle. If you are cooking yours on the stovetop in a skillet, you may need to adjust your cooking time and temperature depending on whether or not your stove is gas or electric.

Related Recipes

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Prep Time:5

Cook Time:30

Resting Time:5

Total Time:40

Equipment

Wide non-stick spatula

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
In a blender or medium bowl, blend or whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
2 large eggs, 1¼ cup heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spray with canola or butter-flavored cooking spray. Add about ¼ cup batter to the hot surface. Repeat until there is no more room on the cooking surface.
Cook until lightly browned on the bottom and the top is bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep pancakes warm. Repeat until batter is gone, spraying pan or griddle as necessary.
Serve hot with butter and syrup.