Single-serve Pancake in a Mug made start to finish in just a couple of minutes with a handful of pantry staples. It's soft, fluffy, filling, and so easy!
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"It was late already.. my husband said he was hungry. The idea of a pancake in the microwave popped to my mind. I searched on Google, and based on reviews, chose your recipe, and… it did not disappoint. He was surprised when I brought it to him, because it was so quick, he didn’t even notice I was preparing something for him. So thank you! We love it! And we’ll be preparing it often." - Maria ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
Pancake in a Mug! The perfect quick breakfast recipe for when:
- You need an easy single-serve American-style fluffy pancake recipe.
- You are craving pancakes but have no time.
- The kids want to make their own breakfast and you don't want them messing with hot pans and oil.
- You need to satisfy late-night cravings!
Mix up the batter in the mug, microwave for about a minute, top with melty vegan butter, maple syrup, and any other toppings of choice, and dig in.
It's cheap, quick, super basic, thick, soft, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth delish and all you have to wash up is a mug and a spoon!
Ingredients
All you need are a handful of pantry staples to make a Pancake in a Mug:
All-purpose flour, baking powder, milk, a bit of sugar, a pinch of salt, and oil (or applesauce if you want to make it oil-free).
They are all the ingredients you would expect to find in regular pancake recipes, minus the egg of course. But even if you're not vegan it makes sense, because who wants to have to use ¼ or ½ an egg in a mug cake recipe when it can work perfectly without?
Gluten-Free? I have tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour and it works perfectly.
Let's Make A Pancake in a Mug!
It's so quick and easy to make a pancake mug cake in a microwave that you'll be wanting to make this recipe on repeat!
All you need to do is mix up the pancake batter in a 12 oz microwave-safe mug and microwave it for about one minute until puffy and just cooked through. Then top your fluffy pancake with melty vegan butter, maple syrup, and any other toppings of choice, and dig in!
See my video for full visual instruction.
Important Tip
Every microwave is different so there will be a little trial and error when you make this recipe the first time. It is better to slightly undercook the pancake than overcook it.
Remember that microwaved food continues to cook a little once you remove it from the microwave and once you've nailed it the first time you can make a note of exactly how long it takes for next time.
So just for the first time, I recommend cooking on full power for 60 seconds then finishing it off in 10-second increments. Once done it should have puffed up to fill the mug and come away from the sides. If you poke it carefully it should spring back (like testing a cake). A skewer or toothpick inserted should emerge clean and if you break the centre open a little it should look fluffy.
Flavour & Topping Ideas
Plain old life-changing Pancake in a Mug is perfect. Just add vegan butter and syrup to serve, along with your fave pancake toppings.
You can also add mix-ins like fresh berries (I love blueberries & chopped strawberries), chopped fresh fruit like banana or peach, nuts, sprinkles, lemon zest, chocolate chips, or spices to the batter.
My vegan chocolate syrup, frozen berry compote, air fryer apples, blueberry lavender sauce, and roasted strawberries all make great pancake toppings if you have some handy.
Mug Pancake Recipe FAQs
You need a 12 oz (355ml) mug to make this recipe. It will fill the mug as it cooks, often rising a little over the top so don't use a smaller one. If you make it in a bigger mug or other type of container the cook time and results will differ.
This recipe has not been tested in the oven. It is intended to be cooked in a microwave, and as it's supposed to resemble a pancake, if you don't own a microwave, you would be better off just making a regular stove top pancake recipe.
Your microwave pancake needs to be made and eaten immediately. It isn't a recipe you can prep or make in advance and reheat. It takes just a couple of minutes start to finish anyway.
Yes! Replace the oil with the same amount of applesauce. You won't get quite as soft and fluffy a texture but it's still great!
Recipe
Pancake in a Mug
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons all purpose flour , (plain flour in the UK), or 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon liquid oil , such as vegetable, light olive, sunflower, canola oil (use applesauce for oil-free)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons milk of choice
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a 12oz (355ml) microwave-safe mug, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the oil, vanilla, and the milk and mix together really well until smooth, making sure to get right into the bottom edges of the mug where dry flour can hide out. Smush any floury lumps against the side of the mug with the spoon to break them up.
- Microwave on full power. All microwaves are different. In mine it takes 80 seconds to cook. The first time you make it I recommend cooking for 60 seconds, then finishing off in 10 second increments. It is better for it to be very slightly underdone that overdone because it will continue to cook a bit once removed from the microwave.
- While cooking it will rise up over the top of the mug by about ½ an inch. That's normal. It shouldn't overflow as long as you used a 12oz mug.
- When ready the pancake will have puffed up and come away from the edges of the mug and if you poke it carefully it should spring back (like testing a cake). A skewer or toothpick inserted should emerge clean and if you break the centre open a little it should look fluffy. It is normal for it to deflate a bit once removed from the microwave.
- Serve immediately with vegan butter, maple syrup, and other toppings of choice.
- Make a note of how long it took in the microwave so you know for next time!
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. says
Didn't set and I just ate hot wet flour instead thanks !
Melanie McDonald says
If followed correctly this recipe works perfectly. There’s no way for it not to set if the listed ingredients and method are followed as written.
All of my recipes are tested throughly by both me and a team of recipe testers. I never publish a recipe unless I’m 100% confident it works well.
As well, this is a really tried and true recipe that has been published for a long time and usually gets great feedback.
I’m happy to help you trouble shoot if you give me more details but I feel like you must have misread/mismeasured something for it not to work (assuming you didn’t substitute any of the ingredients for something else).
River says
It came out really oily for me. Maybe it's the milk? Other than the grease, it was pretty good. Next time I will try less oil.
Melanie McDonald says
I feel like you've gone wrong somewhere here (either with measurements, the instructions, or by subbing an ingredient) because there is no way this should be oily or greasy. It's only got 1 tablespoon of oil and should pretty much be a no fail recipe if followed as written.
Maria says
It was late already.. my husband said he was hungry. The idea of a pancake in the microwave popped to my mind. I searched on google, and based on reviews, chose your recipe, and… it did not disappoint. He was surprised when I brought it to him, because it was so quick, he didn’t even notice I was preparing something for him. So thank you! We love it! And we’ll be preparing it often.
Summer says
Mel, this has become the Sunday treat for my fiance' and I. He doesn't like pancakes, but he loves this. We pair it with some beyond sausage. Do you think this would work with almond flour? Thanks for all you do~
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you're both enjoying it! I've only ever tried it with all purpose flour, so don't know what it would be like with almond flour. I'm thinking not great though because it has no gluten, but I might be wrong.
Tracie says
This was really yummy and scratched the pancake itch without having to make a whole batch.
May says
This makes me so happy. Pancake recipes are never for one and this is just perfect plus I don’t have to go through all the tediousness of flipping pancakes.