Bity
These freezer pancakes start life as golden little blocks of batter, and honestly they have changed school mornings in our house. I pour the batter into a jumbo silicone tray on a Sunday, dot the tops with berries or chocolate chips, and freeze the lot. Then on a busy weekday I drop a cube into a warm pan and watch it melt into a proper, fluffy pancake.
I first tried it because I was tired of reheated pancakes that went rubbery in the microwave. Freezing the raw batter instead means every pancake is cooked fresh, with crisp, lacy edges and a soft middle. No mixing bowl, no whisk and no flour on the worktop before eight o’clock.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love These Freezer Pancakes
- Freshly cooked, not reheated. Because you freeze the batter, each pancake gets its golden crust in the pan on the day you eat it.
- One cube, one pancake. Instead of thawing a whole stack of freezer pancakes, you cook exactly what you need, so nothing goes to waste.
- Toppings are already on. Raspberries, blueberries and chocolate chips set into the top of each cube, so the kids can pick their favourite from the bag.
- Fifteen minutes of prep. In fact, the batter is the simplest one I make: eight ingredients and two bowls.
- Keeps for two months. As a result, one Sunday batch covers a lot of rushed mornings.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour. One and a half cups (190 g). Plain flour gives a tender crumb; spoon it into the cup rather than scooping so the batter does not turn stiff.
- Sugar. One and a half tablespoons (20 g). Just enough to help the outside caramelise.
- Baking powder. One and a half teaspoons (6 g). Most supermarket baking powder is double acting, so it gives a small lift when mixed and a second, bigger lift from the heat of the pan. That second burst is exactly why frozen batter still rises. Old powder will let you down, so King Arthur Baking shows a quick fizz test for baking powder freshness that takes thirty seconds.
- Salt. Half a teaspoon (3 g). It sharpens the flavour, so do not skip it.
- Milk. One and a quarter cups (300 ml). Whole milk gives the richest result, but semi skimmed works too.
- Eggs. Two large eggs, which hold the batter together as it melts in the pan.
- Vanilla extract. One teaspoon (5 ml) for that warm, bakery smell.
- Melted butter. Three tablespoons (42 g). Let it cool slightly first so it does not scramble the eggs.
- Toppings. Raspberries, blueberries and chocolate chips. Use as many or as few as you like.
Can You Freeze Pancake Batter?
Yes, and that is the whole idea behind these freezer pancakes. It works far better than most people expect, and the trick is portioning it before it freezes. A big tub of frozen batter has to thaw overnight and then sits in the fridge losing its lift. Small cubes, on the other hand, go straight from the freezer into the pan, so the baking powder still has plenty of power left for the second rise.
I use a jumbo silicone cube tray, the kind with eight large cavities. Silicone matters here, because you can flex it and pop each cube out cleanly. A rigid plastic tray tends to crack, and the batter clings to it.
Batter Cubes vs Freezing Cooked Pancakes
Plenty of people ask how to freeze pancakes that are already cooked, and that works too. Still, the two methods give quite different breakfasts:
| Method | Texture | Morning effort |
|---|---|---|
| Raw batter cubes (this recipe) | Fresh, crisp edges and a fluffy middle | About 10 minutes in a pan with a lid |
| Cooked pancakes, frozen flat | Softer, a little drier after reheating | 1 to 2 minutes in the toaster or microwave |
So if speed is everything, cooked pancakes win. However, if you want breakfast to taste freshly made, the cubes win easily.
How To Make Freezer Pancakes
1. Whisk the dry ingredients. First, put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk them together so the raising agent is spread evenly.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients. Next, in a second bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter until smooth.
3. Combine gently. Then pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing makes the pancakes tough.
4. Fill the tray. After that, divide the batter evenly between the 8 jumbo silicone cube cavities. A jug makes this tidy.
5. Add the toppings. Now top some cubes with raspberries, some with blueberries and the rest with chocolate chips. Press them in very lightly.
6. Freeze until solid. Freeze the tray flat for about 4 hours, or until the cubes are completely solid. Then pop them out and bag them.
7. Cook from frozen. Finally, place a frozen cube in a lightly greased non-stick frying pan, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 4 to 6 minutes. The cube slowly melts and spreads into a round. Flip it carefully and cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
Why Is the Middle Still Raw?
- The heat was too high. The outside browns before the centre has even thawed. Keep it low and be patient; turn it down further if the base darkens quickly.
- There was no lid. The lid traps steam, which thaws and cooks the middle. Without it the top stays cold.
- It was flipped too soon. Wait until the edges look set and the cube has spread out before turning it.
- The pan was crowded. Two or three cubes in a large pan is plenty, since they spread as they melt.
Tips for the Best Freezer Pancakes
- Freeze the tray on a flat shelf so the cubes set level and cook evenly.
- Once solid, move them into a labelled freezer bag. That way the tray is free for the next batch.
- Use a non-stick pan and only a smear of butter. Too much fat makes the edges greasy rather than crisp.
- For thinner, lacier pancakes, press the softened cube gently with a spatula after the first couple of minutes.
- Honestly, the chocolate chip freezer pancakes disappear first in our house, so I always make at least two of those.
Storage and Reheating
- Freezer. Freeze the cubes completely before removing them from the tray, then keep them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
- No thawing. Cook freezer pancakes straight from frozen. A thawed cube turns into a puddle and loses some of its rise.
- Leftover cooked pancakes. Keep them in the fridge for a day or two and warm them in a dry pan for a minute on each side.
- Labelling. Write the date and the topping on the bag, because frozen blueberries and chocolate chips look surprisingly alike.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different fruit. Small pieces of strawberry or banana work well. Berries are a lovely choice anyway; Harvard’s school of public health notes that frozen berries keep the same benefits as fresh, so a bag from the freezer aisle is perfectly fine.
- Cinnamon. Add half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a cosy autumn version.
- Dairy free. Swap in oat milk and melted coconut oil.
- Feeding a crowd. If you would rather bake one big tray, my sheet pan pancakes make 15 squares with no flipping at all.
- Sourdough. Got discard to use up? Try my sourdough discard pancakes, which have a gentle tang.
What to Serve With Freezer Pancakes
Maple syrup and a few fresh berries are all they really need. For a more filling breakfast, I add a spoonful of thick homemade Instant Pot yogurt and a drizzle of honey.
If you are stocking the freezer for the whole week, my freezer breakfast sandwiches are the savoury partner to these. Of course, a pat of butter melting on top, like in the photo below, is hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Freezing and Batter
Do I need to thaw the cubes before cooking?
No. They go straight from the freezer into the pan. The lid and low heat do the thawing for you.
What size tray do I need?
I use a jumbo silicone cube tray with 8 large cavities. Smaller trays work too, although the pancakes will be smaller and cook a little faster.
Will the batter still rise after freezing?
Yes. Double acting baking powder reacts again with heat, so the pancakes still puff up in the pan.
How long do freezer pancakes keep?
Up to 2 months in a sealed freezer bag. After that they are still safe, but the flavour starts to fade.
Cooking and Swaps
Can I cook them in the microwave?
Not from raw batter, unfortunately. They need a pan so the outside can brown and the middle can set.
How many cubes make a serving?
One cube makes one generous pancake. Most children are happy with one or two, while adults usually want two or three.
Can I use frozen berries as toppings?
Yes. Simply press them onto the batter straight from the bag before the tray goes into the freezer.
Can I make them gluten free?
I have not tested it myself, but a one to one gluten free flour blend should work. Those blends usually thicken the batter, so add a splash more milk if it looks stiff.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 190 g
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar 20 g
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6 g
- 1/2 tsp salt 3 g
- 1 1/4 cups milk 300 ml
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 ml
- 3 tbsp melted butter 42 g
- raspberries for topping
- blueberries for topping
- chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between 8 jumbo silicone cube cavities.
- Top some cubes with raspberries.
- Top some cubes with blueberries.
- Top some cubes with chocolate chips.
- Freeze until solid, about 4 hours. Pop the cubes out and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
- To cook, place a frozen cube in a lightly greased non-stick skillet. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Flip carefully and cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
