How to make a pancake in a mug ~ imagine a warm fluffy pancake topped with butter and maple syrup, made in your favorite mug in 60 seconds ~ right in the microwave!
This was a huge aha moment for me. This easy pancake takes 60 seconds in the microwave and the result? Absolute pancake perfection. The mug is a genius way to enjoy a pancake…it stays nice and hot, it’s moist, and the depth gives you the same effect as digging down through a stack of pancakes on a plate. Not to mention you can make yourself, or someone you love, pancakes in a jiffy without hauling out the skillet. Nothing to wash up but the mug itself. This is good, people!
what you’ll need for a pancake in a mug
You’ve got everything you need right in your kitchen, so nothing stands between you and your pancake in a mug (except 60 seconds in the microwave!)
- flour
- sugar
- milk
- oil
- baking powder
- vanilla extract
- salt
- butter and syrup for serving
the right mug for a mug pancake
This is the only tricky part of the whole idea. You may need to try a couple of different mugs to come up with the one that works best for you.
- Your mug should have a capacity of 10-12 ounces for this recipe.
- It has to be microwave safe, but most stoneware, porcelain, and glass mugs are. Avoid antique mugs and cups, or anything with metal accents.
- A mug with a wide mouth is ideal because it’s easier to eat out of, and allows you to add toppings to your pancake. A wider surface allows the pancake to bake evenly. A taller narrower mug will also work but you’ll get the best results with a mug like the one pictured.
how do you know if a mug is microwave safe?
Check the bottom of your mug for information. There may be text or a microwave symbol. If not, you can do a self test. According to Today: “To make sure your coffee cup or mug won’t overheat in the microwave, put a half cup of water in the cup and microwave it for 30 seconds. If the cup is hotter than the water it contains, don’t microwave it.” Glass, stoneware, and porcelain are generally microwave safe.
how to make a pancake in a mug
These instructions are simple but there may be a short learning curve for you to fine tune what works best for your microwave and your favorite mug.
1. whisk together the dry ingredients
The beauty of this recipe is that you can make your pancake batter right in the mug. If you have one of those tiny mini-whisks, now’s the time to use it.
2. whisk in the wet ingredients
Whisk to combine and eliminate any large lumps. The texture will be runny.
3. microwave
Microwave on high for 60 seconds.
4. dig in!
I make sure to have my butter and syrup at the ready, I want to dig in asap. I can honestly say that I would prefer this to a stack of pancakes ~ it’s soft, warm, sweet, and satisfying.
is a pancake in a mug healthy?
It’s basically not much different than your toast with jam, nutrition-wise, but so much yummier. And it’s definitely doable with different types of flours…think whole grains. And then add fresh fruit on top ~ you’ve got a good start to your day.
how to change up your pancake in a mug
- Throw in some mini chocolate chips. I wish I’d known about this when my kids were little, my youngest used to beg me for chocolate chip pancakes all the time!
- Toss in some of your favorite granola to the batter and add a few berries after it comes out of the micro.
- Top with sliced bananas.
- Top with whipped cream and sprinkles for a birthday pancake in a mug!
why doesn’t my pancake in a mug get brown on top?
You don’t have direct contact with the heat source in this recipe, like you would on a griddle, so the surface of your pancake will remain paler. But, trust me, it doesn’t make one bit of difference to the taste.
why I’m a big fan of this recipe
This recipe thrills me because I’m a pancake lover who wouldn’t dream of making herself pancakes, almost ever ~ it’s too much work, too messy, and too many potential calories. This pancake in a mug is something I can definitely see treating myself to on a regular basis, and it’s perfect for kids or grandkids. This has got holiday morning written all over it 🙂
more microwave magic
- Instant Microwave Macaroni and Cheese
- Easy Microwave Potato Chips Recipe
- How to Make Homemade Magic Shell
- Easy Microwave Citrus Curd Recipe
- Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle
Pancake in a Mug
Equipment
- 10-12 ounce microwave safe mug
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
wet ingredients
- 4 Tbsp whole milk
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 capful vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in your mug.
- Add the wet ingredients and whisk until combined, but don't over mix. Small lumps are fine.
- Microwave the mug at full power for one minute. Note: microwaves and mugs vary greatly, so you may need to play with this a bit to get the right time for your set up.
- Top with butter and maple syrup and enjoy.
Like you I love pancakes! Im going to make these with whole wheat and or almond flour. Correct me on this , will I need more liquid because of that? Cannot wait to try this over the holiday. BTW please tell me you didn’t use that artificial syrup? Yikes
Yes, you might need a little extra liquid. What I recommend, if you want to adjust the recipe, is to plan on a couple of trials to find the right combo. The amounts are so small in this individual recipe that even tiny changes make a big difference. I found a fairly thin consistency was best.
And yes, I used Mrs. Butterworth’s because I loved the homey look in the shot, and I had it on hand from a previous photo shoot where I needed a thick ‘look’ to my syrup…considering I’m a real maple syrup fanatic, it was not awful and somehow seemed right for this microwave pancake 😉
So awesome to easily make a single serving of pancakes!
Is there a typo though? Is 2 tbsp sugar correct? I used 1 tbsp and it was still WAY too sweet. My usual pancake recipe calls for 1 tbsp sugar for a 8-10 pancakes. I’ll use a half tsp next time and see how it goes. I made it with whole wheat flour too, and other than the over-sweetness, it was great (great fluffy texture)!
I finally got around to trying your pancake in a cup recipe. Especially after my granddaughter was showing me how she made brownies in a cup!
I made two as directed but split a beaten egg between the two cups and put in less sugar. It turned out a little rubbery. Do you think the egg was the cause?
And thank you for posted the wattage of your microwave. Mine is a little lower so added another 10 seconds to the cook time.
They tasted good but were bouncy! Lol! I’d make them again for fun.
Definitely try without the egg, I’m still eating them regularly ~ all summer I’ve been adding fresh berries 🙂
We loved this – made one for hubs and myself and will be making this many more times in the days to come. A light fluffy pancake and barely any cleanup or wasted time! I used whole wheat pastry flour (not whole wheat) and cut the sugar to 1T. It was perfect -just a genius idea – thanks Sue, you’ve done it again!
Whole wheat pastry flour and white whole wheat flours are the best kept secret, I bet your pancake was delish 🙂
I was a little skeptical about making pancakes in a cup and without eggs. What a delicious surprise, the pancake is light, fluffy and tasted really good. I used a gluten free one to one flour cut back on the sugar to 1 and 1/4 tablespoon sugar. What a fast and easy way to enjoypancakes.
Who knew??
We are pancake lovers in this house too! But like you, I don’t look forward to standing at the stove. I can’t wait to try this!
Hope you love it as much as I did Cindy. It’s definitely worth tweaking until you get that perfect result, and then memorize it 🙂
Can I use self rising flour instead of mixing baking powder and plain flour?
I’m sure you could.
Can I use 1% milk?
Yes. Low fat, skim, buttermilk, almond milk, etc, should all work.
I just used gluten free flour to make it. I think it needed a little more milk in the mixture nextxt time. Thank you though. I am going to play with it. Gluten free flour is always a challenge.
I’m glad you tried it Alene. The beauty of this is that you can tweak it and not be wasting lots of time or ingredients 🙂
Hi Sue! How many watts was the mic you used for this recipe? I have one on the (undoubtedly) lower end of the spectrum, so need to know so I can calculate the correct cooking time in mine.
Thanks, from a cool, -10°F Alberta, Canada ?? morning!
Uh…I really DO live in Canada. The?? are because I tried to add the Canada flag emoji. Some sites accept them – but others obviously don’t.
Have a blessed Wednesday!
Great question, I’ll add to the post: 1200 watts.