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Brown Sugar Pancakes

ByRestauFeed

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: If you love the caramel-like flavor of brown sugar, these brown sugar pancakes are going to be a new favorite! They’re light, fluffy, and a sweet twist on classic pancake recipes.

How long it takes: 10 minutes to make the batter, 5 minutes per batch to fry
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, skillet or griddle
Servings: makes 10 pancakes

Two pancakes topped with brown sugar and syrup on a dotted plate, accompanied by banana slices.

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Do you love brown sugar? I mean really love brown sugar? When you’re making chocolate chip cookies, do you steal a pinch of sugar for yourself? Do you pack your measuring cups as tightly as possible just to make sure you get maximum brown sugar flavor in all of your baking? Well, this brown sugar pancake recipe is for you! Brown sugar isn’t a supporting player here. It’s the star of the show!

Brown Sugar Pancakes

Dark brown sugar. These easy, fluffy pancakes are made with dark brown sugar, which, as all brown sugar aficionados know, is the best brown sugar. (The darker the sugar, the higher the molasses content!)

Richly flavored pancakes. The brown sugar in this recipe brings a rich, caramel-like flavor to the table, along with a more pronounced sweetness than you’ll find in a basic buttermilk pancake recipe. Brown sugar pancakes are beautifully browned and slightly caramelized, due to the extra sugar.

Perfect for pairing with toppings. Whether you enjoy these pancakes on their own, topped with butter and warm caramel sauce, paired with fresh fruit or decadent toppings, there’s no better way to start your day than with a hot stack of brown sugar pancakes (and maybe an iced pumpkin latte or a cinnamon dolce latte!).

A stack of five golden-brown pancakes topped with crumbled brown sugar and syrup on a white plate.

What is Brown Sugar?

Brown sugar is actually just white sugar with molasses added to it! This means if you’re ever out of brown sugar, you can make it at home if you have sugar and molasses on hand.

Ingredient Notes

  • Wet ingredients: You’ll need normal pancake ingredients like egg, milk, oil or melted butter, and pure vanilla extract.
  • Dark brown sugar: While light brown sugar will work in a pinch, if you really want that deep, caramel-y brown sugar flavor in these pancakes, use dark brown sugar. It has nearly double the molasses content!
  • Dry ingredients: Again, these are normal pancake ingredients. Use all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Ingredients arranged on a white surface, including milk, an egg, brown sugar, vanilla extract, flour, oil, salt, and baking soda in various bowls and measuring tools.

How to Make Brown Sugar Pancakes

Mix wet ingredients with brown sugar. Whisk the egg, milk, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until the egg is beaten and the rest of the ingredients are well-combined.

A mixing bowl with milk, an egg, and vanilla on a light surface. Surrounding the bowl are flour, a whisk, sugar, and a small dish of brown sugar. A crumpled blue cloth is nearby.
A mixing bowl with liquid batter, surrounded by a whisk, flour, baking powder, a bowl with a spoon, and a napkin on a white surface.

Add dry ingredients. Measure out the flour, baking powder, and salt and add them on top of the wet ingredients. Lightly toss them together to blend, then stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Adding the dry ingredients on top of the wet ones means you have one less mixing bowl to wash!

Preheat the griddle. Set a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. If desired, grease the cooking surface with butter, oil, or nonstick cooking spray.

Fry the pancakes. Spoon the batter onto the griddle, using about two tablespoons per pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbles form in the batter, pop, and leave little holes. Flip the pancakes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the opposite side, or until they’re golden brown and cooked through.

A glass bowl with mixed cake batter on a white surface, surrounded by a whisk, egg, small bowls, and a blue cloth.
Two pancakes in a gray frying pan, surrounded by baking ingredients and utensils on a white surface.

Cooking Tip

These pancakes cook at a lower temperature than many other pancake recipes because the brown sugar makes them brown faster. Don’t be tempted to raise the heat—low and slow is the way to go!

Serve. Plate the pancakes, add desired toppings, and serve immediately. The pancakes in the photos are served with a drizzle of maple syrup, extra brown sugar sprinkled on top, and sliced bananas.

A fork holding a bite of pancakes topped with banana slices and syrup on a white plate. Brown sugar is sprinkled around.

Recipe Variations

Refrigerate/Freeze: These brown sugar pancakes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze brown sugar pancakes in an airtight storage container or a freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together.

Reheat: Heat these brown sugar pancakes in the microwave 15 to 20 seconds at a time until they’re warmed through, or place them on a sheet pan, cover it with foil, and heat them in a 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes. To reheat your pancakes from frozen, simply add a few more minutes to the cooking time.

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk egg, milk, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined.

    1 large egg, ⅔ cup milk, 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • On top of wet ingredients, add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Toss together lightly before stirring into wet ingredients. Mix only until just combined, do not overmix. A few lumps are okay.

    1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt

  • Heat a griddle over medium-low heat. If desired, grease with butter, oil, or nonstick cooking spray. Add batter to griddle by about 2 tablespoon scoops.

  • Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbles appear and don’t disappear. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

  • Serve immediately with desired toppings.

  • Brown sugar: I recommend dark brown sugar because it has deeper molasses flavor than light brown sugar. If you only have light brown sugar, it can be substituted. 
  • Cooking tip: These pancakes brown fairly quickly due to the sugar content. Keep heat low and cook slowly.
  • Storage: Refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze brown sugar pancakes in an airtight storage container or a freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together.

Serving: 3pancakes, Calories: 341kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 525mg, Potassium: 167mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 178IU, Calcium: 249mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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