Soufflé Pancakes Are Your Next Obsession

Sometimes you just need a viral sensation to lift your mood - and the soufflé pancake is definitely the way to go right now. I wrote about the origins of this fluffy hot cake for the Today Show, and you can find the full article on their site. But if you just want the good ole recipe, I’ve got it here for you. So go ahead and plan a weekend with a jiggly, puffy pancake that just won’t quit.

Soufflé Pancake Recipe

There are so many ways to tackle a soufflé pancake but this is the most straightforward, without any special equipment. Have a bit of patience and you’ll end up with these delectable airy treats soon enough!

Makes 4 to 6 pancakes

Ingredients
4 large eggs 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
3 tablespoons whole milk 
7 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Place a large pan that has a lid on low heat. In two bowls, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Place the bowl with the whites in the freezer (for up to 15 minutes). In the meantime, add the vanilla and milk to the yolks and whisk until frothy to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, then add that to the yolk mixture and fully whisk together. In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and slowly add the sugar until the whites come together and form stiff peaks (the whites should be able to stand up on their own). Add a small amount of the whites into the yolk and flour mixture to begin to bring it together. Carefully fold in the remaining whites - you want everything to combine but you don’t want to lose the air in the whites completely.

Add the oil to the pan and spread it out across the pan with a paper towel, so that the whole pan is covered but the layer of oil is not thick. Be sure your pan is fully preheated and there are no hot spots. Spoon on scoops of the batter to the pan - you don’t want the pancakes to be too big or they will be hard to flip and the insides won’t cook, but you can make them larger or smaller to your preference. Spoon one more dollop on top of each pancake (aiming to go higher, not wider). Add a little bit of water to the pan in between the pancakes (to help them steam) and then cover the pan. After two minutes open the lid and scoop one more layer on top of the pancakes. Cover again and wait for another 4 minutes. Remove the cover and very gently, flip the pancakes over. Add water between the pancakes again and cover for another 4 to 5 minutes. When they are browned and ready to go, serve hot.