Fluffy Pancake Cereal

My daughter came home from school talking about cereal pancakes she'd seen online, and I thought she was making it up until she showed me a picture. The concept seemed silly at first—why would anyone serve pancakes like breakfast cereal?—but the moment I made the first batch and poured cold milk over those golden, puffy mini pancakes, I got it. There's something wonderfully playful about eating pancakes with a spoon from a bowl, and somehow they taste even better when you're giggling through breakfast.

Last Sunday, my husband watched skeptically as I set down bowls of these tiny pancakes with a carton of cold milk, like we were about to have the most ridiculous breakfast ever. By the second spoonful, he was asking if I could make a double batch next time. That's when I knew this wasn't just a novelty—it was the kind of simple joy that makes ordinary mornings feel special.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (1 cup): The foundation that gives these pancakes their tender crumb; don't sift unless your flour is lumpy, as this can make them tough.
• Granulated sugar (2 tbsp): Adds subtle sweetness without overpowering the maple syrup you'll drizzle on top.
• Baking powder and baking soda (1 tsp and 1/2 tsp): The dynamic duo that creates those beautiful bubbles and keeps each mini pancake light and airy.
• Salt (1/4 tsp): Balances sweetness and deepens the vanilla flavor in ways you won't consciously taste but absolutely will miss if it's absent.
• Buttermilk (3/4 cup): Creates tanginess and tender crumbs; if you don't have it, whole milk with a squeeze of lemon juice works beautifully.
• Egg (1 large): Binds everything together and adds richness that makes these feel indulgent despite being simple.
• Melted butter (2 tbsp): Must be cooled slightly or you'll scramble the egg; adds that essential savory depth.
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp): A small amount that transforms the flavor from basic to comforting.
• Butter or oil for the pan: Greasing matters here because these little pancakes need to release cleanly and brown evenly.
• Maple syrup and cold milk for serving: The magic happens when you pour cold milk over warm pancakes—they soften slightly and create something between soup and dessert.

Instructions

Combine your dry ingredients:

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. This distributes the leavening agents evenly so every tiny pancake puffs up.

Mix your wet ingredients:

In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Temperature matters here—if your butter is too hot, the egg will scramble.

Bring it together gently:

Pour wet into dry and whisk just until combined. Those small lumps you see are your friend; overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes dense.

Transfer to your squeeze bottle:

A squeeze bottle (or piping bag, or even a teaspoon) is what transforms this into the fun part. The bottle gives you control and consistent size.

Heat your cooking surface:

Medium heat on a nonstick skillet or griddle is your sweet spot. Too hot and the bottoms burn before the tops cook; too cool and they spread flat.

Squeeze tiny pancakes:

Make dots about 1/2 inch in diameter, leaving at least an inch between them. They'll puff up slightly but won't merge if you give them space.

Watch for the bubble sign:

When you see bubbles forming on top and the edges look set (about 1-2 minutes), they're ready to flip. This is the moment that tells you they've cooked through on the bottom.

Flip and finish:

One quick flip, 30-60 seconds on the other side, and you're done. That second side barely needs color—it's more about structure than looks.

Serve in bowls with milk:

Pile them in bowls, drizzle with maple syrup, and pour cold milk over them like cereal. Eat immediately with a spoon while they're warm.

Save

There's a moment during breakfast when everyone at the table goes quiet—not because something's wrong, but because they're too focused on the spoon and the perfect ratio of syrup to milk to tiny pancake. That's when you know you've created something that's more about connection than calories.

The Squeeze Bottle Secret

The difference between making these with a squeeze bottle versus a spoon is almost comical. With a spoon, you'll get pancakes ranging from marble-sized to quarter-sized, and your wrist will hurt. With a squeeze bottle from the dollar store, you get uniform, perfect little clouds that all cook at the same rate. I keep a dedicated bottle in my kitchen now because I've made these so many times since that first batch.

Customizing Your Bowl

The base recipe is intentionally plain so you can make it your own. Some mornings I add mini chocolate chips or blueberries directly into the batter—they sink slightly and create little flavor bursts. Other times I'll dust the finished pancakes with cinnamon sugar before serving, or try different syrups like honey or berry compote. The real fun is that it's simple enough to experiment with, and there's no wrong way to do it.

Making Them Dairy-Free and Special

If you're cooking for someone with dairy restrictions, this recipe adapts beautifully. Swap regular milk for almond or oat milk (cashew milk is especially creamy), use vegan butter melted and cooled, and substitute the buttermilk with non-dairy milk mixed with lemon juice the same way you would regular milk. The pancakes come out equally fluffy, and honestly, you won't notice the difference in flavor.

• Squeeze bottles also work for non-dairy batters, so you lose nothing in the texture or fun factor.
• For maximum fluffiness with non-dairy milk, let the wet mixture sit for two minutes before mixing with dry ingredients.
• Double-check your baking powder and baking soda labels to ensure they're dairy-free certified if that's important for your kitchen.

Save

This recipe turned what could have been eye-rolling into a tradition, and that's the mark of something worth making again and again. The joy is in the simplicity and the silliness of eating pancakes from a bowl.

Cooking Questions & Answers

→ How do I make uniform mini pancakes?

Use a squeeze bottle or piping bag to pipe small, evenly sized dots of batter onto the skillet for consistent mini pancakes.

→ What type of milk works best in this dish?

Buttermilk adds a tangy richness, but whole milk with lemon juice can be used as a substitute to achieve the same effect in the batter.

→ Can I add flavor variations?

Yes, try mixing in mini chocolate chips or fresh blueberries into the batter before cooking to enhance the flavor and texture.

→ What’s the best way to serve these pancakes?

Arrange the mini pancakes in a bowl, drizzle generously with maple syrup, and pour cold milk over them for a unique cereal-style presentation.

→ How do I make a dairy-free version?

Substitute dairy-free milk and vegan butter for the buttermilk and butter to create a dairy-free variant without sacrificing taste.