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Air Fryer Pancakes

Breakfast just got even better thanks to these air fryer pancakes! No flipping necessary — just cook, add your favorite toppings, and dig in!

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syrup pouring over stack of air fryer pancakes

Fluffy Pancakes in the Air Fryer

To me, pancakes are the ultimate weekend food. Something about them just seems so leisurely and indulgent. But with this recipe for air fryer pancakes, you can enjoy those weekend vibes no matter what day it is!

These fool-proof buttermilk hotcakes cook inside a 6-inch cake pan for fluffy, golden pancakes every time. You don’t even have to flip them! Oh, and did I mention there are only six ingredients in the homemade batter?

Pair these with hash browns, egg bites, breakfast potatoes, and sausage for a full breakfast!

prepared ingredients for air fryer pancakes

Ingredients for Air Fryer Pancakes

  • All purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Sugar — granulated
  • Kosher salt
  • Egg
  • Buttermilk — can use regular milk instead
  • Unsalted butter — can use salted with a little less salt in the recipe

How to Make Pancakes in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

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STEP ONE: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine, then create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

STEP TWO: In a separate bowl, beat the egg, whisk in the milk, then pour in the melted butter. 

STEP THREE: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, then gently stir the mixture until just combined. It’s okay if there are still a few lumps. Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes. 

STEP FOUR: Meanwhile, place a 6-inch cake pan inside the basket of your air fryer. Close it, then preheat to a temperature of 360 degrees F.

STEP FIVE: Open the air fryer and spray the cake pan with a generous amount of cooking spray. 

STEP SIX: Use an ice cream scoop to drop a ½ cup of batter into the cake pan, gently spreading the batter to the edges of the pan with a rubber spatula.

pour batter into 6-inch cake pan inside air fryer

STEP SEVEN: Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes until pancakes are golden brown on top. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and set them in an oven at 200 degrees F to keep warm until ready to serve.

cook until the top of pancake is golden brown

STEP EIGHT: Repeat cooking in batches until you’ve used all the remaining batter.

syrup pouring over stack of air fryer pancakes

Pancake Topping Ideas (and Add Ins!)

  • Maple syrup
  • Butter
  • Honey
  • Fresh fruit
  • Whipped cream
  • Chocolate chips
  • Peanut butter or nut butter
  • Sprinkles (great for a birthday breakfast!)

Tips to Make Fluffy Air Fryer Pancakes

  • Use a rubber spatula to spread the batter in the cake pan. This will ensure the pancakes cook evenly.
  • Add chocolate chips, sliced bananas, small berries, or even sprinkles to the batter before air frying for pancake bites that are bursting with flavor and fun!
  • Check on each pancake around the 6-minute mark. Don’t take them out of the air fryer until the top is nice and golden.
  • Make more pancakes at once with a different baking dish — you can use 4-inch silicone dishes or 4 to 6-inch small tin foil pie dishes to cook 4 pancakes at a time in a basket air fryer or air fryer oven.
fork grabbing slices of air fryer pancakes

Cooking Pancakes in the Air Fryer FAQs

Can You Make Pancakes in an Air Fryer?

Absolutely! The secret is to use a cake pan, which will prevent the batter from spreading too much or dripping through the basket.

This recipe is for a homemade buttermilk pancake batter. But if you prefer to use this air fryer method with pancake mix, go right ahead! They will still turn out fluffy and amazing.

Can You Air Fry Pancakes with Parchment Paper Stacks?

No! If you saw the viral video on TikTok claiming you can stack pancakes with parchment paper, please know that it’s completely fake. They replaced the pancakes with cooked ones and made it look like they cooked like that in the air fryer. I can promise that if you try this method, you will end up with a goopy mess.

What Kind of Pans Can be Used in the Air Fryer?

Any pans that are oven-safe can also be used in the air fryer. I love using this 6-inch cake pan for pancakes while smaller 3- or 4-inch cake pans are great for making smaller pancakes in fewer batches.

Can You Warm Up Pancakes in the Air Fryer?

Absolutely! It’s the best way to get them crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside so they taste just as good as when they were fresh. Plus, it’s so easy!

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees F.
  2. Place your leftover pancakes in the air fryer in one layer as best as possible.
  3. Cook for 2 minutes until heated all the way through.
  4. Repeat until all the pancakes have been reheated.

Can You Freeze These Pancakes?

Yes, these pancakes are freezer-friendly! 

I recommend laying them on a sheet pan and placing them in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once they’re frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freezing them individually will prevent them from sticking to one another.

stack of air fryer pancakes with syrup drizzled on top

How to Cook Frozen Pancakes in the Air Fryer

Whether you have frozen leftovers of your homemade pancakes or have a box of frozen pancakes sitting in your freezer, the air fryer is an easy way to cook either one! Just keep in mind that bigger and thicker pancakes will take longer to cook.

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees F.
  2. Place the frozen pancakes in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
  3. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
  4. Repeat until all the pancakes have been cooked.

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syrup pouring over stack of air fryer pancakes

Air Fryer Pancakes

Samantha Erb
Prepare to fall in love with air fryer pancakes! They are easier than cooking on the stove or a griddle. You don’t even need to flip them!
4.34 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 36 minutes
Total Time 41 minutes
Course Air Fryer Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 5 -6 pancakes
Calories 193 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2-3 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk or regular milk
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine, then create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the egg, whisk in the milk, then pour in the melted butter.
  • Gently stir the wet mixture into the wet mixture until just combined, leaving behind a few lumps.
  • Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place a 6-inch cake pan inside the basket of your air fryer, close it, and preheat it to 360 degrees F.
  • Open the air fryer and spray the cake pan with a generous amount of cooking spray. Use an ice cream scoop to drop a ½ cup of batter into the cake pan and use a rubber spatula to gently spread batter to the edges of the pan. 
  • Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes until pancakes are golden brown on top, no need to flip! Repeat with the remaining batter, keeping the cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in an oven set to 200 degrees F until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

HOW TO REHEAT PANCAKES IN THE AIR FRYER

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees F.
  2. Place a leftover pancakes in one layer as best as possible.
  3. Cook for 2 minutes until heated all the way through.
  4. Repeat until all the pancakes have been reheated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 6gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 304mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

3 thoughts on “Air Fryer Pancakes”

  1. How do you make more than one pancake? Wouldn’t this just create one pancake, as nothing is stacked or separated at all.

    Reply
    • Hi Daniel.
      With using the cake pan in the air fryer you would only be creating one pancake at a time. Unless you used smaller cake pans and fit multiple in the air fryer.
      Thanks 🙂

4.34 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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