Pancakes With Malted Milk Powder
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 30, 2025 
These fluffy, moist and diner-style griddle cakes are so easy to make at home — all thanks to one special ingredient. These Pancakes with Malted Milk Powder are seriously the BEST diner pancakes ever!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Why do old-school diner pancakes taste better than those floppy homemade pancake disks you make in your kitchen? We all have secretly wondered this at some point in our lives. If you’ve just gotta know the mysteries of perfect pancakes, today we’re spilling the beans batter on How to Make Homemade Pancakes from scratch that will make your family swoon.
The secret ingredient to making these perfect diner style pancakes at home? Malted Milk Powder.
I’m not exactly sure where or how this started, or even why. Yet I can tell you, malt powder makes all the difference!
Why You’ll Love These Pancakes with Malted Milk Powder
- Fluffy and moist – These delicious pancakes are light, fluffy and incredibly tender.
- Old school flavor – Every bite of these nostalgic diner-style pancakes are loaded with that classic old school flavor.
- Customizable – Add in your favorite toppings or keep these plain, as they are in my recipe!
Trust me, these malted milk powder pancakes take breakfast to the next level.
Ingredients and Tips
- All-purpose flour – You can use a gluten-free flour alternative, but note that your griddle cakes might not turn out quite as fluffy.
- Malted milk powder – Use a classic malted milk powder for that caramel-like flavor and golden brown crust.
- Salt, baking powder, and baking soda – Essential for getting the perfect fluffiness.
- Milk – I prefer whole milk, but you can use 2% or any non-dairy milk. (However, you could use buttermilk.)
- Egg – I usually use large eggs.
- Butter – Melted.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Chocolate chips – Mix some mini chocolate chips into the pancake batter for a gooey chocolate chip pancakes version of this recipe.
- Blueberries – Fold in a handful of plump blueberries to make blueberry pancakes.
- Banana – Stir in about half or an entire banana for some extra sweetness.
- Mini pancakes – Make mini versions of these amazing pancakes for kids or for a quick snack.
- Nutella – Drizzle some Nutella over the pancakes for a rich finish.
- Waffles – Cook the batter in a lightly greased waffle maker to make delicious waffles!
- Gluten-free – Use gluten-free flour and double check that the malted milk powder is gluten-free as well.
How To Make Pancakes With Malted Milk Powder
Tips for Success – Don’t over-mix the batter. It’s common to mix pancake batter too long in an effort to remove clumps. This creates tough pancakes and cakes. Mix the batter just long enough to incorporate all the ingredients, then STOP. If there’s a clump or two, they will work themselves out while baking.
Find the full Pancakes With Malted Milk Powder recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Enjoy these pancakes immediately!
- Freezing Leftovers – Place cooked pancakes one by one on parchment paper and freeze each layer in a zip loc bag for up to 4 months.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy these classic Americana pancakes. Serve them the classic way, with a dollop of butter and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
You can also enjoy these with honey and crumbled nuts.
If you want to make these savory, serve them up with a side of sizzling crispy bacon, or a sausage, and a fried egg.
Pancake Recipe With Malted Milk Powder
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup malted milk powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 extra large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Heat the griddle (or non-stick skillet) to medium-high.
- In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the milk, egg, and vanilla until frothy.
- Add the milk mixture to the dry mix and whisk until smooth. Finally, whisk in the melted butter. Allow the pancake batter to rest for 3-5 minutes to thicken.
- Start by making one pancake as a test-batch to ensure your heat is accurate. Use a 1/4- to 1/3-cup scoop to ladle the batter onto a buttered griddle.
- Cook for 1-3 minutes per side. Flip when small bubbles rise to the top of the batter. The center should dome and bounce back when touched. If the pancake turns dark too quickly, turn the heat down. Continue with the remaining batter.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
These two are not so easily exchangeable, although they can be very similar. A hotcake is usually thicker and stays in the pan longer, taking more time to cook.
If you haven’t tried malted milk powder, think of what Whoppers taste like. Yum! Essentially, malted milk powder has a slightly nutty and toasty flavor with a hint of caramel.
It’s best to cook the pancakes as soon as you prep the batter.
Best recipe ever! Exceeded my expectations tenfold, truly delicious. Very easy to make as well.