My kids used to eat pancakes standing up by the door, syrup on their sleeves, and we were still late. So one Sunday I poured the batter into the muffin tin instead. Twelve little pancakes came out, no plate needed, and nobody asked for a fork again.
The idea is simple. You make a normal pancake batter, spoon it into a 12-cup nonstick tin, and drop fruit and chocolate chips on top. The oven does the rest at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.
One thing I learned the hard way: plain batter bakes up a little flat tasting. A splash of vanilla and a spoon of extra sugar fixes that, and I've written it in as an optional note below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven
Set the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and let it come up to temperature while you mix. Grease a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Do this first so the baking powder spreads evenly through the flour.
3. Add the wet ingredients
Crack in the eggs, pour in the melted butter and maple syrup, and whisk. Then add the milk and whisk until you can't see any dry flour. The batter should be thick but pourable.
4. Fill the cups
Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 cups, about three quarters of the way up each one. Top each muffin with a raspberry, a few blueberries, a banana slice and a few chocolate chips.
5. Bake
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 20. The tops should look set and lightly golden, and a toothpick in the middle should come out clean.
6. Cool and release
Leave the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift them out onto a rack. Eat them warm, or let them cool fully before you pack them for later.
Pro Tips
How to Store On-The-Go Pancake Muffins
Refrigerator
Keep cooled muffins in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze them in a single layer on a tray, then bag them. They keep for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Microwave one muffin for 20 to 30 seconds, or wrap a few in foil and warm them at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
Variations
Berry Only
Leave out the chocolate chips and double the blueberries to 1/2 cup.
Banana Chocolate
Skip the raspberries and use a full sliced banana with the chocolate chips.
Lemon Blueberry
Add the zest of one lemon to the dry ingredients and use 1/2 cup blueberries.
Mini Muffins
Use a 24-cup mini tin and start checking at 12 minutes, since smaller cups bake faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did my pancake muffins come out flat?
Usually it's old baking powder or batter that sat too long before baking. Check the date on the tin and get the batter into the oven within about 15 minutes of mixing.
Q: Can I make the batter the night before?
You can mix the dry ingredients the night before and keep them covered. Hold off on the wet ingredients, because the baking powder starts working as soon as the milk goes in and the muffins won't rise as well.
Q: How do I know when they're done?
A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs. If it comes out with wet batter, give them another 3 to 5 minutes and check again.
Q: Can I use frozen berries?
Yes, but don't thaw them first. Press them into the batter straight from the freezer, and expect a few extra minutes of baking time.
Q: Are these the same as regular muffins?
Not quite. The batter is a pancake batter, so they're softer and less sweet than a bakery muffin. Think of them as a pancake you can hold.
On-The-Go Pancake Muffins – Easy 12-Muffin Breakfast
Bake fluffy pancake batter in a muffin tin with berries, banana and chocolate chips. Twelve portable breakfast muffins, ready in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven — Set the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and let it come up to temperature while you mix. Grease a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin.
- 2Mix the dry ingredients — Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Do this first so the baking powder spreads evenly through the flour.
- 3Add the wet ingredients — Crack in the eggs, pour in the melted butter and maple syrup, and whisk. Then add the milk and whisk until you can't see any dry flour. The batter should be thick but pourable.
- 4Fill the cups — Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 cups, about three quarters of the way up each one. Top each muffin with a raspberry, a few blueberries, a banana slice and a few chocolate chips.
- 5Bake — Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 20. The tops should look set and lightly golden, and a toothpick in the middle should come out clean.
- 6Cool and release — Leave the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift them out onto a rack. Eat them warm, or let them cool fully before you pack them for later.
Questions or cooking notes?
Ask about an ingredient or share a tip that could help someone else.