Sour Cream Pancakes

4 days ago 19

A stack of fluffy sour cream pancakes topped with whipped cream and syrup on a white plate, with a gold fork on the side and a syrup pitcher and more pancakes in the background.

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These sour cream pancakes are soft, fluffy, and easy to make with simple ingredients. Perfect for a quick breakfast everyone will love.

Know Before You Scroll

Servings: 4 servings

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sour cream, milk, egg, vegetable oil, butter, vanilla extract

Lightly sweet, buttery, with a subtle tang

Mixing bowls, whisk, skillet or griddle

Don’t overmix the batter, lumps mean tender pancakes

Keep pancakes warm in the oven while cooking batches

Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream if needed

A stack of five sour cream pancakes topped with a pat of butter, with syrup being poured over them, on a white plate against a white background.

In The Test Kitchen

This Sour Cream Pancakes recipe was first published back in 2015 and has been shared on social media over 10,000 times, earning consistent five-star reviews from readers who love how soft and fluffy they turn out. I’m updating the post to make it even more helpful, including re-shooting all the photos so you can clearly see every step and exactly how the pancakes should look as they cook. The results are just as tender, light, and beautifully golden as ever, and the best part is the recipe itself hasn’t changed one bit.

A stack of sour cream pancakes with a pat of melting butter and maple syrup drizzling down, served on a white plate. A wedge has been cut out, revealing the fluffy texture inside.

Ingredient Notes

A variety of baking ingredients on a white countertop, including eggs, flour, sugar, salt, butter, oil, milk, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and a bowl of yogurt or sour cream—perfect for making delicious Sour Cream Pancakes.

All-purpose flour for a soft, tender texture

You can use a 1:1 gluten-free blend if needed

Vanilla extract for warmth and depth

Almond extract can be used for a different flavor profile

Full-fat sour cream for richness and moisture

Plain Greek yogurt works well as a substitute

Sour cream is in the refrigerated dairy section

Butter for cooking adds flavor and golden edges

Use neutral oil if preferred

You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.

Step By Step Instructions

Make the Batter

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until evenly combined. The mixture should look light and evenly speckled with spices.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, milk, egg, oil, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. The batter should look thick and slightly lumpy. If it’s completely smooth, it’s been overmixed.

a whisk in a bowl of liquid ingredients, a bowl of dry ingredients, dry added to wet, and a whisk mixing the combined smooth batter.

Cook the Pancakes

Heat a buttered skillet over medium heat. Pour the batter into the pan and cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set. Flip and cook until golden on the other side.

a silicone brush spreading butter in a pan, sour cream pancakes batter forming bubbles while cooking, and a golden-brown pancake in the pan.

Keep Warm

Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a low oven while finishing the remaining batter.

Six golden-brown sour cream pancakes arranged in two rows of three on a dark baking tray, viewed from above on a white background.

Serve

Stack the pancakes and serve warm with syrup and an extra dollop of sour cream if desired.

A stack of fluffy sour cream pancakes topped with whipped cream and syrup sits on a white plate with a gold fork. A small pitcher of syrup and another plate of pancakes can be seen in the background.

A stack of fluffy sour cream pancakes topped with whipped cream and syrup on a white plate, with a gold fork on the side and a syrup pitcher and more pancakes in the background.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4 servings

▢ 1 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 3 teaspoons sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
▢ 1 pinch ground nutmeg
▢ ½ cup sour cream (full fat) (plus extra for serving)
▢ ½ cup milk
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
▢ 1 tablespoons butter (melted, plus additional for cooking pancakes)
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200°F
Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, egg, oil, melted butter, and the vanilla extract then whisk into the flour mixture until the flour is just moistened. Lumps are fine.
Brush a large skillet with melted butter and heat over medium heat until hot.
Working in batches, using an ice cream scoop or quarter cup measurein cup, pour the batter into skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook the other side for about a minute or until golden.
Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Lightly butter skillet between batches.
As the batches are done, add them to an oven-safe dish and keep in the oven until ready to serve.
Serve pancakes with warm syrup & topped with a dollop of sour cream if desired

Erren’s Top Tips

Stir gently by hand to combine until ingredients are just moistened. Be careful not to over-mix. The gluten in the flour starts to develop as soon as the liquid touches it. The more you mix, the tougher it becomes. Don’t worry about lumps; lumps are fine; they’ll cook out in the pan.
Let the batter stand after mixing. This will allow the flour to puff up and the gluten to rest after mixing. Let stand for 5-10 minutes at room temperature or chilled for up to 3 hours (but allow to come back to room temperature before cooking).
Don’t leave mixed pancake batter overnight. It will exhaust the baking soda, and your pancakes won’t rise as they should.
Don’t skip the melted butter in the batter – it interferes with the gluten in the flour that causes toughness.
Be careful not to overheat the pan. A good test is to heat the pan over medium heat until a drop of water jumps across the surface.
Make a small test pancake to check the pan temperature. Adjust the heat if your pancake is overcooked on the outside and raw on the inside.
Try greasing the pan with clarified butter or vegetable oil to avoid burning butter.
After flipping, the second side will cook quicker than the first.
If making pancakes to freeze, add a half teaspoon of vinegar to the batter. It will help stop them from getting rubbery.

Variations & Add-Ins

Blueberry Pancakes: Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter just before cooking.
Chocolate Chip: Add a handful of chocolate chips for a sweeter version.
Lemon Twist: Add lemon zest to the batter for a bright flavor.
Banana: Mash ripe banana into the wet ingredients for extra moisture and sweetness.