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One Big Pancake
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Joy Howard.

One Big Pancake

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen

Published on September 7, 2025

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Time

50 minutes

Yield

Serves 8

Ingredients

Ingredient check list

Why This Recipe Works

Pancake batter is easy to mix up, but batch-cooking the cakes for more than one or two people can be cumbersome and often results in some pancakes being served hot and fluffy and others limp and rubbery. The solution: Make one big pancake! Here the pancake batter fills an entire half sheet pan and bakes in the oven. When it’s done, you slice it for up to eight guests and serve it in squares with your preferred pancake toppings that melt and seep into the still-hot cake. Three eggs and plenty of baking powder ensure that this widescreen pancake achieves lift.

Before You Begin

If one big pancake proves a little too big for your table, leftover pancake freezes really well. After cutting the pancake into squares, you can put them in a zipper-lock bag and freeze them for up to one month; pull out individual slices as you like, and microwave them to thaw.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.
  2. Whisk 3 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, and 1½ teaspoons table salt together in large bowl. Whisk 3 large eggs and 6 tablespoons vegetable oil in second medium bowl until well combined, then whisk 2¼ cups milk and ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract into egg mixture. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir gently until just combined (batter should remain lumpy with few streaks of flour). Let batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking.
  3. Using rubber spatula, transfer batter to prepared pan and spread into even layer, being sure to spread into corners as well. Bake until pancake is spotty brown and firm to touch, about 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with salted butter and maple syrup.

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