Malted Pancake Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 1, 2026 
There’s something about a stack of diner pancakes that feels extra special, and this malted pancake recipe captures that magic at home. Whenever I want a breakfast that’s fluffy, rich, and worthy of a generous pour of maple syrup, this is the recipe I make. The secret is malted milk powder, which gives the pancakes incredible flavor and a beautifully tender texture.
Why do old-school diner pancakes ALWAYS seem to taste better than those floppy homemade versions? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to recreate my favorite griddlecakes at home from scratch, only to end up disappointed. That is, until I discovered a secret and essential ingredient… malted milk powder. This ingredient has made all the difference, and finally, I can cook up crispy and fluffy pancakes that are filled with that nostalgic diner-style flavor. Although I have a fabulous make-ahead homemade pancake mix on the site, adding malted milk powder adds a subtle sweetness and depth that is absolutely divine when paired with some classic butter and maple syrup. I’m drooling just dreaming about these pancakes!
Ella – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best recipe ever! Exceeded my expectations tenfold, truly delicious. Very easy to make as well.
PS – My kids are crazy over these malted pancakes, and it’s become a weekend staple in my family, however, their second favorite breakfast is my crispy waffle recipe!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Easy Ingredients – To make these pancakes, you need your staple baking ingredients like flour, baking soda and powder, butter, eggs, and that one standout piece, the malted milk powder. You can find malted milk powder in any supermarket, and it’s usually in the baking aisle.
Old School Flavor – Every bite of these nostalgic diner-style pancakes are loaded with that classic old school flavor that takes you back in time. And being able to recreate those memories right at home is simply the best!
Customizable – Like with my buttermilk pancake mix, my kids and I love to mix into the batter pretty much anything you can imagine. We add in mini chocolate chips, bananas, blueberries, chopped nuts, apples, or even crumbled bacon bits for a savory twist on this classic.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- All-purpose flour – To make the base of these fluffy pancakes, it’s essential to use a good old all-purpose flour.
- Malted milk powder – Ta-da, meet the star of the show! I use a classic malted milk powder for that caramel-like flavor and golden brown crust. It kind of tastes like those Whoppers candies that you find at the movies.
- Baking powder and baking soda – To get that signature fluffiness, you need to add in a bit of both baking powder and soda. If you leave these out, you’ll get soggy and flat pancakes.
- Milk – I prefer to add in whole milk because it’s rich, but you can use 2% or any non-dairy milk instead.
- Egg – Eggs help to bind all of the ingredients together, and they accentuate that golden color.
- Butter – And of course, would a pancake be a pancake without butter? I use unsalted, melted butter for the batter because it makes it moist. I also always top off my stack with a slab of butter, too.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Heat up the griddle – The key to making the perfect pancake is making sure a griddle or non-stick skillet is preheated and the heat is even. So, the first thing I do is heat up my griddle to medium heat.
Mix dry ingredients – Then, I add the flour, malted milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Then I mix them all up.
Combine wet ingredients – In another bowl, I combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is frothy.
Mix wet and dry – I then combine the dry and wet ingredients together, and as a final step, I pour in the melted butter slowly. Pro Tip: It’s ok if there are a few clumps at this point… You want a pretty smooth batter, but you don’t want to overwork the batter. The little clump will disappear as they cook.
Scoop – When I’m happy with the consistency of the batter, I pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter onto a buttered griddle.
Cook and flip – I cook the pancakes for a couple of minutes per side until I see bubbles and it’s perfectly golden brown. I continue this same process with the rest of the pancakes. Pro Tip: You can adjust the heat as needed to make sure the hotcakes cook inside before the outside turns too dark. I always consider the first batch my testers.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate chips – Sometimes I fold mini chocolate chips into the batter. They melt into little pockets of chocolate and turn these pancakes into an irresistible breakfast treat.
- Blueberries – I love adding a handful of ripe blueberries to the batter for bursts of juicy sweetness in every bite. They’re a classic pancake addition for good reason!
- Banana – For natural sweetness and extra moisture, I stir in half or even a whole mashed banana. It adds wonderful flavor and makes the pancakes even more tender.
- Mini pancakes – Sometimes I make little silver dollar-sized griddlecakes instead of full-sized ones. They’re perfect for kids, brunch buffets, or whenever I want a fun, bite-sized breakfast.
- Nutella – A drizzle of Nutella over a stack of warm pancakes takes them completely over the top.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy these classic American diner-style malted pancakes. From eating them up plain, to dressing them in some rich maple syrup and more melted butter, these are delicious however you enjoy them. You can also serve these with some honey and crumbled nuts. Or make these savory, by plating them with sizzling crispy bacon, sausage, and even a fried egg on top!
Storing
Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week. I like to reheat them in the air fryer for just 1-2 minutes, to refresh the slight crisp on the outside. You can freeze these in a Ziploc bag for up to 4 months. I suggest placing a piece of parchment paper between each cake, so they are easy to separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
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, because the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) lose their lifting power over time. However, you can mix the dry ingredients together ahead of time, and add the wet ingredients right before cooking. My Pancake Casserole is another great option when you’re short on time for breakfast.
Don’t over-mix the batter. It’s common to mix pancake batter for too long in an effort to remove clumps. This creates tough pancakes. 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.
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Looking for More Pancake Recipes? You Might Like:
Malted Pancake Recipe
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.
These are the best pancakes ever! Had pancakes at a diner in Michigan and I have been trying to figure out the recipe ever since. You nailed it! Thank you so much!
I love the addition of malted milk powder! Such great flavor!
We always do pancakes on the weekends! This is seriously so easy to throw together! Love the added touch of vanilla bean paste!
This was really amazing!! So fluffy and delicious!
These are so simple to make and delicious. Next time I am definitely making a double batch and freezing one!
needed to add milk for sure and on gas burner kept burner under medium or they burned. still having a little trouble getting it exactly right (occasional raw inside) but getting better. end result is worthwhile – like the diner but better because it’s homemade and I know what i’m putting in my kid’s belly! thanks!
if i do buttermilk, is it correct to increase from 1C to 1 1/4C and increase baking soda to 1/2 tsp from 1/4 tsp?
loved the malt powder addition!
It’s my first time on your site. You appear to have many pancake recipes. Thus I think you are wonderful. Laughing here. AND I have asked myself why restaurant pancakes taste different. Not necessarily better, but consistently delicious and they are firmer. So I am going to give this a whirl.
These were so fluffy. Thanks for sharing the secret.
Pancakes are good for desserts after a having a heavy lunch specially in hot summers
I am always looking for the perfect pancake recipe. I think I just found it! I have malted milk powder in the house. A great use for it. I will try these and let you know what happens. Thanks for the inspiration.
I thought I was the only one who was thinking this? Thank you for this recipe.