The BEST Thick and Fluffy Silver Dollar Pancakes

Sharing is caring!

These Thick and Fluffy Silver Dollar Pancakes are the BEST mini pancake recipe out there! It’s the crispy edges that make these little guys stand out. The size of a silver dollar, they are easy to skewer and completely bite sized!

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure here.

Silver Dollar Pancake Recipe

If you’re looking for a fun breakfast idea, get your griddles ready because these mini pancake stacks are it!! Small, the size of silver dollars, SUPER fluffy, and best of all, BITE SIZED! What more could the kid in us want?!

I make this recipe for silver dollar pancakes ALL the time at home! They are a perfect breakfast for my little ones not only because they are mini sized (like them!) but because they cook up super fast and result in crispy edges! They are so good I don’t even need maple syrup on them!!

What Are Silver Dollar Pancakes?

Silver dollar pancakes are simply SMALLER pancakes! Smaller sized pancakes can also be called hotcakes, flapjacks, griddlecakes or mini pancakes. They are often served stacked on top of one another especially in diners.

The Origin of Silver Dollar Pancakes

Silver dollar sized pancakes originated way back in the 1800’s shortly after the silver dollar was generated! They got their name because they are roughly the size of the US silver dollar which is about 1 1/2″ in diameter.

Here is an interesting article about the history of pancakes.

Silver Dollar vs. Regular Pancakes

What is the different between a “regular pancake” and a silver dollar pancake?

Silver dollar pancakes are simply made smaller in size, usually about 2″-3″ in diameter whereas, regular pancakes are at least 6″ in diameter.

How To Make Silver Dollar Pancakes From Scratch

Silver dollar pancakes are simple to make as long as you abide by these steps:

Here are my tips for making “perfect” mini pancakes:

1. Use butter and don’t be stingy!! I don’t think people understand how much butter is used for those yummy ‘diner pancakes’ we all have come to love. Butter will make your pancakes delicious period. Don’t skimp. The more fat in your pan, the CRISPIER the edges. (You can always use olive oil if you want to cut down on the fat.)
2. Start your skillet on medium low heat! High heat is never smart. The pancake will burn before the inside cooks!
3. Use a non-stick skillet to prevent your little pancakes from sticking!
4.  Be patient. Don’t mess with your small pancakes until they’re ready to flip! Wait until you see little bubbles in your pancakes. This means they are ready to flip!
5. Use a THIN METAL spatula or a little spatula. I find the big plastic spatulas to be too thick. They do not slip underneath the pancake as easily and will mess up your perfect mini pancakes!
6. Don’t overcook them. They will become dry. After you flip them, they should not take much longer to cook through. Just run a knife through the center to check if they’re done!
7. Do not over-mix your batter! When you over-mix flour based batters, you create gluten which causes chewier, tougher food, not light and airy like we want. When you add your ingredients to a bowl, mix gently with a whisk! Little lumps of flour in your batter are OKAY.
8. Measure your ingredients precisely! When it comes to batters, precision matters. Level out your flour and baking powder! Use an accurate measuring cup for your milk. It WILL make a difference. You want a thicker batter for THICK pancakes!
9. Use a mini ice cream scoop! Scooping just a tablespoon of batter will give you perfectly round and consistent cute little pancakes every time! If you don’t have this, use a TABLESPOON measure instead!
10. Do not use cooking spray! Cooking spray will only lightly coat your pan. In order to get crispy edges, you will need a nice layer of butter or oil on the bottom of your skillet. (1-2 tbsp)

How To Create Mini Pancake Skewers or Stacks

Once you have your silver dollar pancakes, you want to stack those babies! It makes for a cute presentation and easy to skewer!

How many pancakes are in a pancake stack?

Depending how thin or thick your pancakes are, I typically stack 3-5 pancakes on top of one another. Then I will skewer them to hold them in place AND for easy grabbing!

What can I use to skewer my pancakes?

To skewer your pancakes properly, I would use one of the follow items:

Mini Wooden Toothpicks

Bamboo Paddle Skewers

Bamboo Party Forks

Reusable Bamboo Appetizer Forks

Ways To Make Your Mini Pancakes Even Better!

Pancakes are SO versatile! As long as you keep the batter fairly the same, adding a few additional ingredients will help “flavorize” your mini pancakes even more bringing them to another level!

Add more:

1. vanilla extract
2. melted butter

Substitute:

1. buttermilk for your milk
2. brown sugar for white sugar

Add to your batter:

1. maple syrup
2. cinnamon
3. fresh fruit
4. chocolate chips
5. strawberries
6. blueberries
7. bananas
8. nuts

Why are my pancakes not thick and fluffy?

So pancakes need something to help them rise! If yours do not rise to turn out as thick as you want, you may want to read this tips:

There are 3 ingredients that can help to make your pancakes thicker and fluffier:

1. Baking Powder

2. Baking Soda

3. Eggs

Although these 3 will get the job done, I do have a preference…

BAKING POWDER!

WHY baking powder?

Because I have found using the other ingredients make your pancakes TASTE like those ingredients.

If you used baking soda or baking powder and your pancakes are STILL turning out thin, check the EXPIRATION DATES on both! Baking soda and baking powder can go stale after 6 months to a year so make sure they are not expired!

This video will show you how to check both!

When Is The Best Time To Serve Mini Silver Dollar Pancakes?

Breakfast!

Breakfast is the most popular time to serve your pancakes! Serve alongside these cheesy egg and chive bites plus some bacon or sausage and you’ve got yourself a diner worthy breakfast!

Brunch!

Brunch is one of my most favorite meals of the day! Pancakes for brunch is encouraged so why not serve these with some bagels, these healthy banana walnut muffins and some fresh fruit!

Bridal or Baby Showers!

These mini pancake stacks and skewers are PERFECT for baby or bridal showers. Everyone loves skewered and bite sized foods so bring on the bamboo skewers!

Serving Tip* Make these ahead of time and add them to a chafing dish or an electric food warmer and your pancakes will warm up and stay warm throughout the entire party!

Slumber Parties!

Slumber parties are so fun but can be hectic! Make these mini pancakes with the kids and keep them warm for a late night snack or serve these in the morning with some whipped cream and fruit!

How To Freeze Pancakes?

Pancakes freeze VERY well!

Freeze your pancakes in a freezer bag or Tupperware in the freezer! This way, they will last WEEKS without going bad!

Make sure to squeeze out as much air as you can to prevent from freezer burn!

What is the best way to reheat pancakes?

You can reheat your pancakes one of THREE ways:

1. microwave
2. pan
3. oven

I highly recommend using the microwave especially if your in a hurry. They come out delicious and take about 1 minute of reheating. Done and done!

Using a little butter and tossing them in a skillet is the way if you want to get back those crispy edges.

The oven is useful if your reheating them in LARGE batches and if you want to maintain those crispy edges. This is ideal if your hosting a brunch party for a crowd. Oh and don’t forget to serve with some butter, fresh fruit and/or maple syrup drizzled over the top of each pancake stacks!!

Here are some other fun breakfast bites:

Mini Banana Walnut Muffins

Puff Pastry Breakfast Cups With Honey Dijon Sauce

Mini Hash Brown Omelet Sandwiches

Moist Egg Bites (in the oven)

The BEST Thick and Fluffy Silver Dollar Pancakes

Thick and Fluffy Silver Dollar Pancakes

These Thick and Fluffy Silver Dollar Pancakes are truly the BEST pancakes I’ve ever had. They are such a fun breakfast party idea! Light, ultra fluffy and SO easy, kids will LOVE these mini bites! They are also made without eggs so no more “eggy” tasting pancakes! Yay!!

4.76 from 29 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brunch, skewers

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Calories: 270kcal

Author: Aleka Shunk

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Flour
• ¼ Cup Sugar
• 1½ Tsp. Baking Powder
• ¼ Tsp. Salt
• ¾ Cup Milk ((or substitute nut milk))
• 1¼ Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients.
• Add in 3/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp melted butter, the vanilla and using a whisk, mix until JUST combined. DO NOT OVER-MIX! Lumps are OKAY!

  **The consistency of your batter is important. If your batter is too thin, your pancakes will turn out thin and be hard to flip. If your batter is too thick, you can add 1 tbsp more of milk at a time until it thins out.
• Add 1-2 tbsp. of butter to a skillet and turn heat to medium-low. When butter is melted, pour about 1 tbsp. of batter into your skillet leaving about an inch between each pancake. (I suggest using a mini ice cream scoop for perfectly round, evenly sized pancakes).
• If you want super crispy edges, it is important that you use the handle of the pan to help move the butter AROUND the edges of each pancake! You want the perimeter of each pancake to be nicely coated in the butter! *Use more butter if your pan is larger.
• Once you start to see tiny bubbles coming through each pancake, or the edges start to brown, take a flat metal spatula (they work best) and quickly flip each pancake over and leave them alone! The time will differ depending upon your heat. It is always better to start the heat lower and adjust as needed!!
• It is also important to add another tbsp. of butter to the pan when you flip them. You do NOT want your pan to dry up. The pancakes should be able to freely move or slip around the pan when you shake it. If they do not, you need more butter.
• After you flip, they will be ready in another minute or two. You want to make sure the inside is cooked before you remove your pancakes but do not over-cook them or they will be dry.
• Enjoy as is or with desired toppings!

Recipe Notes

*Recipe Yield* About 12 Pancakes

• These freeze VERY well! Make a large batch, let them cool and throw them in a large Ziploc bag or Tupperware container and reheat for 30-60 seconds in the microwave!
• Feel free to adjust the heat on your pancakes. You do not want the heat too high or they will burn before they cook inside! It is always better to start off with lower heat.
• Use a mini ice cream scoop to help make your pancakes the same size!
• If you’re gluten-free, use GF flour!
• If you’re vegan, substitute milk with choice of nut milk and butter with coconut oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 4pancakes | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.3g | Protein: 4.8g | Fat: 10.5g | Saturated Fat: 6.4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 14.7g | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 1.6mg