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Scotch Pancakes are soft, light and slightly sweet, they are really easy to make on the stovetop with a girdle or frying pan. Let me show you how you can easily transform a simple sweetened batter into a light and fluffy pancakes that everyone will love.
I couldn’t have been more than 3 or 4 years old when I remember standing on a stool by the stove helping my granny to make pancakes. That’s how simple it is to make pancakes. She taught me to watch the bubbles burst so I knew that it was time to turn over the pancakes to cook the other side.
What are Scotch Pancakes?
Scotch Pancakes are small, thick pancakes not to be confused with the large thin ‘crepe’ style of pancake. They are very similar to the breakfast pancakes made in the USA, probably because the early settlers took their recipes with them.
In Scotland, we just call them pancakes or drop scones or even, pan scones. All of these names describe the same batter based pancake.
Why are Pancakes made in a pan?
Most traditional Scottish recipes are those which were made by ordinary working people. At this time only the rich and the baker had an oven therefore the main method of cooking for ordinary people was over a fire.
A pot would hang over the fire to cook the porridge, broth or stew. The kettle might hang from the hook or sit on an iron plate to the side of the fire to heat all the water the household would use. I couldn’t find the exact image to show this, but I think these two give the general picture.
To make traditional Scottish bread such as bannocks, oatcakes, pancakes, and tattie (potato) scones, the girdle (this is the correct Scottish spelling), a flat black iron pan would be heated by the fire to bake the bread.
What kind of pan do I need to make Scotch Pancakes?
Use a traditional girdle if you have one, the heat is evenly spread through the thick cast iron pan and it is easier to turn the pancakes because it doesn’t have an edge.
If you don’t have a girdle, use a large thick-based frying pan. You can make perfectly good pancakes in a frying pan. I often use my large non-stick frying pan for convenience and the pancakes turn out just the same.
The Scotch Pancake Recipe
I got this recipe from our neighbour, who got it from a second cousin of my father-in-law. In a rural community, everyone is connected! My mother makes great pancakes, however, when she tasted my pancakes using this recipe she started to use it too.
Like all my Scottish recipes this one is particular to me and my family., I don’t claim that it is the definitive Scotch Pancake recipe. You may have your own recipe but I hope you will try mine because these pancakes really do taste very good.
How do I serve Scotch Pancakes?
In Scotland, we serve our pancakes with butter and jam and a cup of tea. Scones and pancakes are the mainstays of a Scottish High Tea.
High Tea is a substantial meal that is served in the early evening. It includes a main course such as a mixed grill or a pie. This is followed by scones and pancakes served with butter and jam and sometimes cheese. If you are very lucky there might even be some cake!
It’s much more common now to serve pancakes for breakfast with maple syrup. But you can eat them any way that you like.
How do I store Scotch Pancakes?
Scotch Pancakes are best eaten fresh. You can store them wrapped in a tea towel in an airtight container for a day or so, but they are a quick bread and they will deteriorate in quality.
Can I freeze Scotch Pancakes?
Yes, pancakes freeze really well for up to 3 months. Lay the cooled pancakes on a tray or baking sheet lined with parchment paper and open freeze. Once they are frozen put them into a bag or airtight box and store your freezer.
Pancakes are really quick to defrost. Lay them inside a clean tea towel or between sheets of kitchen paper towels on top of a cooling tray and leave for about 10 minutes You can also defrost them in the microwave or you can pop them into your toaster for a short time.
I don’t have self-raising flour, what can I use?
75g of plain (all-purpose) flour +1 tsp of baking powder OR 75g of plain (all-purpose) flour + 1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
How to make Scotch Pancakes like a Scot
Here are the step-by-step photographs to help you make Scotch Pancakes like a Scot. The full details of the ingredients and method are in the printable recipe card at the end of this article.
The Ingredients
You will need:
- Plain (All Purpose) flour
- Self-raising flour
- Caster Sugar
- Bicarbonate of Soda
- Cream of Tartar
- Golden Syrup
- Egg
- Milk
- Oil
Make the batter
- Sift the all the dry ingredients into a wide jug or bowl
- Add the oil, egg and golden syrup and a little of the milk. Use a whisk to blend them together.
- Add the milk a little at a time until you have a batter that is the consistency of unwhipped double (heavy) cream.
Heat the girdle or pan
Heat the pan to a medium heat, on my electric stove this is setting no. 3. Getting the heat right is trial and error and you may have to turn the heat up and down to get it just right.
Grease the pan
Lightly grease the pan with a butter paper (the wrapper from the butter) or a little bit of butter on a piece of baking parchment. You may need to use a cloth or kitchen paper behind the parchment as the pan will be hot.
Top Tip
Use very little butter. Think about it like greasing a baking tin rather than frying in a pan.
Make a test pancake
Try a teaspoon of the mixture in the pan to see if the bubbles form on top. It takes about 20-30 seconds for the bubbles to start if the pan is at the right temperature.
Make the Pancakes
Measure the batter
I use a serving spoon to get the right amount of batter for my pancakes. You can pour from a jug, use a ladle, a cup or other measure. The more batter the bigger the pancake.
Don’t overcrowd the pan
You need space to turn the pancakes, so don’t put them too close together. You might want to try making one at a time until you get into the swing of it.
How do I know when to turn the Scotch Pancakes?
Turn the pancakes when the bubbles pop in the top of your pancake. Use a spatula to carefully turn the pancake.
How do I know when the Scotch Pancakes are ready?
Once you turn the pancakes they only take a minute or two to cook. Lift them slightly with your spatula and if the underside is brown they are ready.
Keep the pancakes soft while you make more
Put the pancakes inside a clean tea towel on a cooling tray. This will keep them soft and slightly warm. Add more batter to your pan and keep making pancakes until all the batter has gone.
More Pancake Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen
Cinnamon Spice Pancakesare thick American-style pancakes with added spice. They have a lovely sweet cinnamon flavour, and are delicious with Greek yogurt and plum compote. Perfect for breakfast or even for dessert.
Seafood Pancakes are easy to make and packed with delicious flavours. Let me show you how to make this recipe for simple pancakes filled with a creamy seafood sauce.
Crespelle Sweet Italian Pancakesare classic crepe-style sweet pancakes which make a really delicious dessert with a filling of dried fruits and a little sweet syrup.
More Pancake Recipes
- 3 Ingredient Banana Nutella Pancakes – Fab Food 4 All
- Apple Cinnamon Pancakes (Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan) – Gluterama
- Crepes Suzette – Recipes Made Easy
- Sweet Potato Pancakes with Sweetcorn and Chilli – Feast Glorious Feast
More Scottish Recipes
You can find the recipe index in the menu at the top of every page along with other ways to sort recipes including a handy shortcut to find myScottish inspired and traditional recipes.
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Scotch Pancakes
Janice Pattie
Scotch Pancakes are soft, thick and slightly sweet and they are really easy to make on the stovetop with a girdle or pan.
4.87 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Bookmark
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Baking, Snack
Cuisine British, Scottish
Servings 20
Calories 83 kcal
Ingredients
- 175 grams (1 cups) plain flour
- 75 grams (⅓ cups) self-raising flour
- 75 grams (⅓ cups) caster superfine sugar
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) cooking oil
- 1 (1) large egg
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) Golden syrup
- A pinch of salt
- 300 millilitres (1¼ cups) milk approximately
Instructions
175 grams plain flour, 75 grams self-raising flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar, 75 grams caster
Sift the flours, raising agents, salt and sugar into a large jug or bowl.
2 teaspoon cooking oil, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoon Golden syrup, 300 millilitres milk
Add the oil, egg and golden syrup to the dry ingredients with a little of the milk.
Whisk together, adding more milk as you go until you have a smooth, lump-free bather.
You can use an electric whisk or blend the ingredients with a stick blender or in a jug blender.
Heat the pan to medium heat. Use a very little butter on a piece of parchment paper or use a butter wrapper, to grease your pan. Think about it as greasing a baking tin rather than frying in a pan.
Test a teaspoon of batter to see it is hot enough. The bubbles should start to form after 20 –30 seconds.
I use a serving spoon to get the right amount of batter for my pancakes. You can pour from a jug, use a ladle, a cup or other measure. The more batter the bigger the pancake.
When the bubbles pop in the tip of your pancake, turn it over with a spatula.
Cook for another minute or two until the underside is brown.
Place your pancakes on a tea towel placed on a cooling rack, fold the tea towel over the pancakes to keep them soft until all the pancakes are ready.
Video
Notes
- You can make the batter ahead of time and leave, covered, for up to an hour.
- Do not overcrowd your pan because you need space to turn them.
- Pancakes freeze really well for up to 3 months. Lay them out on a flat tray and place in the freezer, then put them in a bag or box, remember to label them with the date.
Nutrition
Calories: 83kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 37mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 36IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
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