Bacon Pancakes
Bacon pancakes are light and fluffy pancakes cooked with a strip of crispy, salty, smoky bacon right inside. They’re a mouthwatering combination of salty and sweet that will become an instant favorite!
Having your bacon on the side of your pancakes is so last week! (Okay, for real though, not really. We love it both ways.)
This weekend, embark on a sweet and savory adventure right at your breakfast table with this recipe for bacon pancakes. It’s a family favorite and something everyone should try once. And then follow it up by making them over and over again, because they are just so good!
About this recipe
Enjoy crispy, salty, smoky bacon cooked right into a delicious fluffy pancake, with a drizzle of maple syrup to top it off, and you may never go back to separating the two again!
Start with crisp cooked bacon, and everything else is as simple as a classic pancake recipe. Whether you’re using regular milk or buttermilk, the recipe is quite traditional. It’s the delicious bacon on the inside that’s the surprise!
Pancakes with bacon can be enjoyed on their own or as part of a bigger feast for brunch, alongside breakfast nachos, scrambled eggs, hash brown waffles, and a Bloody Maria or mimosa to wash it down!
Be prepared, because from this day forward they will be in high demand in your house. Kids and adults both love them and they’re a special treat for guests who have never tried them. It’s like having two of your favorite breakfast foods in one magnificent bite!
What you need
A detailed, printable list of ingredients is in the recipe card. Here is a summary of what you need:
- Dry Ingredients – The basics! You’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar.
- Wet Ingredients – Again, only basic staples are needed. Grab some milk, butter, egg, and vanilla extract. If you’d like, you can use buttermilk instead of regular milk. You could also use unflavored almond milk and a neutral-tasting oil if you’d like to make the pancakes dairy-free.
- Bacon – Choose whatever type of bacon you like! Since you cook it before adding it to the pancakes, you can use thick cut, regular, or even turkey bacon.
How to make them
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla until completely combined.
Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just combined (do not over mix, lumps are okay).
Cover the bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes; then stir 3-4 more times just until some of the flour pockets on the top are gone.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat; spray lightly with nonstick spray or add a thin slice of butter to the pan. Set one of the slices of bacon in the center of the pan, then pour one quarter to one third cup of the batter around the bacon to cover it.
Let it cook until you see air bubbles and then flip over to cook another 2 minutes.
Pile the pancakes on a plate and then watch them disappear!
FAQs
Yes! You’ll want to have the cooked bacon ready to go before making the pancake batter. Pancakes cook faster than bacon, so raw bacon wouldn’t be cooked safely by the time the pancakes are done.
Use a skillet for just 5 or 6 slices at a time, but if you’re cooking a bigger batch for extra on the side, the oven works wonders. Learn how to cook bacon in the oven.
How to make these bacon pancakes your own
- Substitute bananas for the bacon and make these little pancake dippers. Perfect for dipping in pancake syrup!
- Top with fried apples or a cinnamon apple compote for the ultimate fall breakfast.
- Swap regular bacon with candied bacon for a delicious flavor variation. Still salty but a little more sweet! Make sure to keep your skillet temperature low so that the sugar on the outside of the bacon doesn’t burn.
- Keep the pancakes plain and use the bacon to crumble on top or better yet, top with bacon jam!
- For an easy and convenient breakfast if you’re in a rush, use a store-bought or homemade Bisquick mix as your batter if you have some on hand.
Storage Suggestions
These pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Reheating Tips
Reheat in a 350ºF oven for 5 minutes or until heated through. You will get slightly crispier bacon that way than if you were to heat them up in the microwave (which will also work in a pinch!). You could also reheat them on a griddle or even in the air fryer (try 350ºF, should only take a minute or two!).
More recipes for bacon lovers
Get the Recipe: Bacon Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5-6 slices cooked bacon
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, butter, egg and vanilla until completely combined. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just combined (do not overmix, lumps are okay).
- Cover the bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes; then stir 3-4 more times just until some of the flour pockets on the top are gone.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, spray lightly with non-stick spray or add a thin slice of butter to the pan.
- Set one of the slices of bacon in the center of the pan then pour ¼ -⅓ cup of the batter around the bacon to cover it.
- Let it cook until the air bubbles that pop at the top of the pancake leave a small hole, about 2 minutes.
- Flip the pancake over and let it cook again on the other side for about 2 minutes.
- Repeat the process with the remaining bacon and batter, then serve with syrup if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- Reheat in a 350ºF oven for 5 minutes or until heated through. You could also reheat them on a griddle or even in the air fryer (try 350ºF, should only take a minute or two!). In a pinch, the microwave will work to reheat these, but they won’t be as crisp.