It’s never too early in the morning to start celebrating this beautiful country! These red, white, and blue patriotic pancakes are soft, tender, and a fun way to start a special day!

Stack of red, white, and blue pancakes topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

These patriotic pancakes are the best way to start your 4th of July festivities! Who says you need to wait until the BBQ picnic later in the day? A stack of beautiful colored red, white, and blue pancakes is the perfect way to start celebrating first thing in the morning! They go perfectly with a beautiful blueberry smoothie!

About this recipe

Celebrating the 4th is a longtime tradition of showing gratitude for our freedom and the brave men and women who serve to protect it. Starting the day with a stack of these beautifully colored pancakes is a treat for the heart, the eyes, and the taste buds!

It’s a basic pancake recipe using food coloring for added fun and flair. The food coloring changes the consistency of the pancakes a little bit, but they are definitely still soft and tender!

This simple recipe is an easy way to jazz up any morning, Independence Day or not! Switch up the color choices depending on what you’re celebrating or opt to have just the plain pancakes and serve with a side of red and blue fresh fruit instead. A blueberry and watermelon fruit salad would be nice! Try this patriotic fruit salad!

These versatile pancakes can be customized to just the way you like them. They are a spectacular showstopper exactly the way as described in this easy-to-follow recipe but there is definitely room for flexibility. It is a celebration so go all out!

4th of July pancakes against a gray background.

What you need

  • All-Purpose Flour – A common base ingredient for pancakes. All-purpose flour provides the structure while keeping the pancakes nice and soft.
  • Granulated Sugar – Needed for sweetness and flavor.
  • Baking Powder – Helps to give a bit of rising to these pancakes and keep them tender.
  • Salt – A flavor enhancer needed to give a depth of flavor to any pancake recipe.
  • Large Eggs – You’ll need 2 eggs for this recipe.
  • Whole Milk – Needed as the liquid component and the higher fat content keeps it moist. Other types of milk will work as well.
  • Vegetable Oil – Another form of fat needed to keep the pancakes moist and rich. Can use melted butter instead or melted coconut oil.
  • Food Coloring – Red and blue gel food coloring works best but any will work.
Overhead view of ingredients.

How to make them

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Dry ingredients in a clear glass mixing bowl.

In a medium mixing bowl or large measuring cup, beat together the eggs, milk, and vegetable oil.

Wet ingredients, light yellow in color, combined in a clear glass mixing bowl.

Then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Lumps in the batter are fine, but over-mixing is not!

Pancake batter in a clear glass mixing bowl.

Divide the batter evenly between 3 bowls or glasses. Add red food coloring to one bowl and blue food coloring to another and mix to combine. Then, let the batter rest.

It’s important to mix the color in before you rest the batter.

Three bowls of pancake batter, one blue, one white, one red.

Portion out the batter by 1/4 cupfuls, cook on a greased pan or preheated griddle over medium heat until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 additional minute.

Tip: Cooking these pancakes slower will help the colors shine. If you cook them too quickly, they’ll look more brown than red and blue.

Patriotic pancakes with no toppings, stacked on a white plate.

Serve with syrup, whipped cream, and berries.

Close up of tall stack of red white and blue pancakes with whipped cream and sprinkles.

FAQs

What is the best type of food coloring for pancakes?

The food coloring can impact the overall texture since some take more mixing than others to fully blend. The gel food coloring (over liquid) will have a bigger color impact with less overall mixing and will result in less dense pancakes.

Can I make these using buttermilk?

Absolutely. A simple swap of the whole milk for buttermilk is all it takes to make these buttermilk pancakes.

Is food coloring safe to eat?

I believe in everything in moderation. It’s a once in a while treat and not something you should consume daily. Some people may have allergic reactions to some food dyes, but overall, they are safe for most people who don’t have allergies. Talk with your doctor or dietician if you’re concerned.

Top down view of a stack of pancakes, with a bright red pancake on the top.

How to make these 4th of July pancakes your own

  • Serve with a side of red, white, and blue sauces, like strawberry sauce, blueberry sauce, and a lemon cream cheese glaze.
  • Have a garnish of fresh fruit and berries on the side as well as maple syrup for a simple topping.
  • Make a flavored whipped cream using almond or vanilla extract and confectioners sugar for added yum!
  • Who says firecrackers are only for the night? Grab some sparklers and light one on top of each stack as you present them!
  • If you’re not into food coloring, keep them all plain pancakes and top with whipped cream, strawberries, and blueberries for alternative red, white, and blue pancakes!
  • Serving a bigger crowd? Have some eggs, corn fritters, candied bacon, and mimosas at the table!

Can I make this ahead of time?

This batter is best used immediately after it has had a chance to sit for a bit. The more you mix, the denser it becomes, so mixing just to combine and using it immediately after sitting for 10 minutes is really the best way to go.

Storage Suggestions

Keep pancakes stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. These also freeze very well, if you’re needing red and blue pancakes for another occasion down the road…or just because they’re fun to eat 🙂

Reheating Tips

Using the microwave is the best way to get them soft and tender again. Heat for 20 second intervals. You can also pop them in the toaster if you like a crispier pancake.

Colorful pancakes (red, white, and blue) on a fork.
Red, white, and blue pancakes on a white plate, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Get the Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Pancakes

It’s never too early in the morning to start celebrating this beautiful country! These red, white, and blue patriotic pancakes are soft, tender, and a fun way to start a special day!
5 from 1 rating

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Red food coloring
  • Blue food coloring

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl or large measuring cup, beat together the eggs, milk, and vegetable oil.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, the batter will be a little lumpy.
  • Divide the batter evenly between 3 bowls or glasses. Add red food coloring to one bowl and blue food coloring to another and mix to combine.
  • Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
  • Portion out the batter by 1/4 cupfuls.
  • Cook on a greased pan or griddle over medium heat or 275ºF until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 additional minute.
  • Serve with syrup, whipped cream, and berries.

Notes

  • Makes about 9 pancakes.
  • These pancakes are tender but aren’t super fluffy. The food coloring can impact the overall texture since some take more mixing than others to fully blend. Gel food coloring will have a bigger color impact with less overall mixing and will result in less dense pancakes. It’s also important to mix the color in before you rest the batter.
  • Melted butter can be used in place of oil if desired.
Serving: 3pancakes, Calories: 515kcal, Carbohydrates: 74g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 121mg, Sodium: 764mg, Potassium: 286mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 350IU, Calcium: 320mg, Iron: 5mg