Breakfast

Soufflé Pancakes

Name: Soufflé Pancakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 eggs (separated into yolks and whites); 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk; 2 tbsp (25 g) Cake flour (all-purpose flour can also be substituted); 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tbsp (5 g) cornstarch; 1/2 tsp vanilla; 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (or lemon juice); 3 tbsp (35 g) sugar; as needed Vegetable oil (neutral-flavored oil for greasing); 1–2 tbsp water (for creating steam in the pan); to taste Honey (for topping; or use chocolate sauce or maple syrup); to taste Strawberry (for garnish); to taste Blueberry (for garnish); to taste powdered sugar (for dusting)

Light, cloud-like, and wonderfully delicate, these Japanese soufflé pancakes use a chilled whipped meringue base gently steam-cooked on the stovetop for incredible height and texture.

Prep: 15 min
Cooking: 20 min
Resting: 10 min
Total: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Difficulty: Medium

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Ingredients & steps

19 steps · 4 stages · 45 min total

Ingredients

2 servings

Pancake Batter Base

2 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
2 tbsp (25 g) Cake flour, all-purpose flour can also be substituted
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp (5 g) cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla

Meringue

1/2 tsp cream of tartar, or lemon juice
3 tbsp (35 g) sugar

For Cooking & Serving

as needed Vegetable oil, neutral-flavored oil for greasing
1–2 tbsp water, for creating steam in the pan
to taste Honey, for topping; or use chocolate sauce or maple syrup
to taste Strawberry, for garnish
to taste Blueberry, for garnish
to taste powdered sugar, for dusting

Utensils

Nonstick Frying Pan
Spatula
Electric Mixer
Sieve
Hand Whisk
Mixing Bowl
Piping Bag
Parchment Paper
Spoon
Ruler

Instructions

1Carefully separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, ensuring no yolk enters the whites.
2Place the bowl of egg whites in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes. Cold egg whites whip into a firmer, more stable meringue.
3In the bowl with egg yolks, add the milk and whisk together until combined.
4Sift in the cake flour, baking powder, and cornstarch. Add the vanilla extract and whisk thoroughly until a smooth batter forms. Set aside.

Nutrition (estimate)

220 kcal · 31g carbs · 8g protein · 9g fat

Prep: 15 min
Cooking: 20 min
Resting: 10 min
Total: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

Pancake Batter Base

2 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
2 tbsp (25 g) Cake flour, all-purpose flour can also be substituted
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp (5 g) cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla

Meringue

1/2 tsp cream of tartar, or lemon juice
3 tbsp (35 g) sugar

For Cooking & Serving

as needed Vegetable oil, neutral-flavored oil for greasing
1–2 tbsp water, for creating steam in the pan
to taste Honey, for topping; or use chocolate sauce or maple syrup
to taste Strawberry, for garnish
to taste Blueberry, for garnish
to taste powdered sugar, for dusting

Utensils

Nonstick Frying Pan · Spatula · Electric Mixer · Sieve · Hand Whisk · Mixing Bowl · Piping Bag · Parchment Paper · Spoon · Ruler

Instructions

Separate Eggs & Prepare Yolks

Carefully separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, ensuring no yolk enters the whites.
Place the bowl of egg whites in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes. Cold egg whites whip into a firmer, more stable meringue.
In the bowl with egg yolks, add the milk and whisk together until combined.
Sift in the cake flour, baking powder, and cornstarch. Add the vanilla extract and whisk thoroughly until a smooth batter forms. Set aside.

Whip Meringue & Combine Batter

Remove the chilled egg whites from the refrigerator and add the cream of tartar (or lemon juice).
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed. Gradually add the sugar in 2–3 additions while whipping continuously until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Scoop about 1/3 of the whipped meringue into the yolk mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until incorporated.
Pour the yolk-meringue mixture back into the bowl with the remaining meringue. Fold gently from bottom to top until uniform, being careful not to over-mix or deflate the fluff.

Method 1: Freeform Piped Soufflé Pancakes

Transfer the pancake batter into a piping bag (or use a large spoon).
Lightly oil a nonstick skillet, then wipe off excess oil with a paper towel. Set heat to very low.
Pipe tall mounds of batter onto the warm skillet. Add a few drops of water around the edges of the pan, cover immediately with a lid, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove lid, gently flip the pancakes over, add another spoonful of water to the pan, re-cover, and cook for another 5 minutes until soft and golden brown.
Serve hot drizzled with chocolate sauce and fresh strawberries.

Method 2: Molded Parchment Ring Soufflé Pancakes

Cut strips of parchment paper and roll them into 5–6 cm tall ring molds, securing with tape on the exterior.
Lightly oil the nonstick pan over low heat and wipe excess oil. Place the parchment paper rings in the pan.
Spoon or pipe batter into each ring mold until about 2/3 full.
Add a few drops of water to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the tops set.
Carefully flip the molded pancakes, add another splash of water, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, peel off the parchment paper rings, and serve stacked high with honey, powdered sugar, strawberries, and blueberries.

Notes

Molded vs. Freeform: You can pipe tall mounds directly onto the skillet for freeform pancakes or use homemade parchment ring molds for uniform cylindrical stackables.
Serve Immediately: Soufflé pancakes rely on whipped air structure and are best enjoyed hot right out of the pan while at maximum volume.

Tips

Chill the Egg Whites: Refrigerating egg whites before whipping creates a firmer, more resilient meringue that holds its structure when folded.
Gentle Steam Cooking: Adding a few drops of water to the pan and immediately covering with a lid creates steam, ensuring heat distribution without drying out the batter.
Low and Slow Heat: Keep heat on very low to prevent the bottoms from scorching before the tall centers set completely.