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Chocolate chip pancakes are what happens when breakfast decides to have a little fun. You get fluffy, buttery pancakes with pockets of melted chocolate in every bite, and nobody has to pretend it’s health food. It’s breakfast. With chocolate.

Is there anything better than a Saturday morning that starts with a stack of pancakes? I’m fairly certain my kids don’t think there is. And when you’re adding chocolate chips to the pancakes, as with these Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes, it’s a guaranteed win around here.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Buttery, fluffy, and full of chocolate, it just doesn’t get much better for a weekend breakfast. I like to top my stack with a pile of strawberries and plenty of whip cream. My kids are big fans of doubling down on the chocolate with a generous pour of chocolate syrup over the top.

As great as pancakes are for breakfast, we’ll happily eat them any time of day. I usually make a double batch and my boys will eat them for snacks or pop them in the toaster for breakfast throughout the week.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes stacked on square plate with berries and whipped cream

Ingredients & Substitutions

Knowing how to make chocolate chip pancakes fluffy is a combination of baking soda and powder along with the other ingredients:

all-purpose flour
sugar
baking powder
baking soda
kosher salt
buttermilk
eggs
butter
chocolate chips: semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate
vegetable or coconut oil

While regular milk may be substituted for the buttermilk in this recipe, I strongly recommend making the recipe as written. (If you do choose to make these with regular milk, reduce the total amount of milk to 2 cups.)

Buttermilk is the not-so-secret ingredient that creates a very unique flavor and texture for these pancakes. We really like the contrast of the sweet and tangy pancakes with the chocolate chips.

And just a heads up, this is not a recipe where a Buttermilk Substitute will work the same way. You will want to use store-bought buttermilk for these pancakes. You can find it in the dairy case in most grocery stores.

Notes on Equipment

If you make pancakes often, nothing beats a great electric griddle for streamlining the cooking process. A few years ago, when my 15-year-old griddle finally died, I tested every single griddle I could get my hands on. When I finally tried this extra large electric griddle, I knew I’d found THE ONE. It’s a little on the spendy side, but I am telling you now, it beats all the others hands-down.

This nylon flexible turner is a pancake-making must-have, as is a dough whisk. If you aren’t familiar with the awesomeness that is a dough whisk for pancakes and waffles, you are missing out. It’s a crazy-looking tool, but it stirs the batter just enough without overmixing it.

When making standard-size 4-inch pancakes, the large scoop in this set of cookie scoops is my favorite way to dispense the batter. The medium scoop works perfectly for smaller-sized pancakes.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I start by whisking together the dry ingredients. Then I add the buttermilk and eggs, give the batter another whisk, and add the melted butter. Stir in the chocolate chips. You’ll want to let the batter rest now.

Heat a flat-bottom nonstick skillet or electric griddle over medium heat. I pour about a tablespoon of oil on the skillet or griddle and spread it across with the spatula before pouring about 1/3 cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake.

I let the pancakes cook until the pancakes begin to bubble on top and they are lightly browned on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Then I flip them over and cook the second side until golden brown. Transfer the finished pancakes to plates and serve them warm with the toppings of your choice.

Expert Tip

Be careful not to overbeat the pancake batter, lumps are fine. This is a very thick batter and the pancakes will thin out as they cook on the griddle.

Let the Batter Rest – I like to use a combination of baking powder and baking soda and let the batter rest before cooking the pancakes. Resting the batter for 5-10 minutes, you will see bubbles on the surface. When it is covered in popped bubbles you are ready to start cooking pancakes. After you see LOTS of bubbles, give the batter just two to three good stirs and you’re ready to get started.