My kids are OBSESSED with sheet pan pancakes. I’m 100% okay with this new breakfast meal obsession, because this pancake recipe is super easy to make, even on the busiest of mornings. It’s a serious time-saver and a great food prep option that may be served for breakfast and/or a lunchbox food.
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Sheet pan pancakes are different than traditional pancakes…
- They’re baked on a sheet pan in the oven.
- The pancakes (or one big giant pancake) bake all at the same time, leaving you time to get other things done in the morning (like a shower, dishes, or finishing your morning cup of joe).
- The giant sheet pan pancake can be cut into smaller pieces, almost like bars or a sheet cake.
Why Bake Pancakes on a Sheet Pan in the Oven?
So, you may be wondering…Pancakes are already the perfect food. Why go messing with pancakes and bake them on a sheet pan in the oven?
I thought the same thing. Until I baked pancakes many years ago (after discovering this technique thanks to a Pampered Chef party). So, let’s talk about why you would want to bake your pancakes…
Baking pancakes on a sheet pan in the oven is a serious time saver.
Think about how tedious it is to pour and wait for all those little pancake circles to cook. It takes time! Time I don’t have during the weekday, and sometimes don’t have on the weekend. Baking the pancakes on a sheet pan in the oven removes the cooking time annoyance.
Baking pancakes changes things up.
I mentioned earlier that my kids are obsessed with sheet pan pancakes. It’s not because they taste any different than regular pancakes, it’s because they feel like they’re getting something different. It almost feels like cake, since the pancakes are cut into little squares. The kids also love the sheet pan pancake squares served up in their lunchbox. Served alongside fruit, yogurt, and a veg…perfection in their eyes!
You can easily customize pancake flavors.
If your household is anything like mine, than it’s rare for everyone to love the same pancake flavor. I like blueberry pancakes, the kids are all about chocolate chips, and Dustin is a plain guy. By baking the pancakes on a sheet pan, you can make multiple different custom flavors at one time, baked directly into the pancakes. It’s a win-win for the whole family!
What is Einkorn Flour and Why Use it to Make Sheet Pan Pancakes?
Einkorn is the flour I tend to use for most non-sourdough baking needs. All-purpose einkorn is light with a delicious taste, which makes for the best cakes, pancakes, and muffins.
Einkorn is a variety of wheat. It’s known as the oldest variety of wheat, or the first wheat, making it an ancient grain. This particular species of grass grew wild for thousands of years before it was intentionally planted and harvested.
The wheat that’s commonly used today isn’t the same as the wheat our ancestors consumed for thousands of years. Modern wheat has been hybridized. Hybridization is the act of crossing two different species of plants with the goal of creating a new variety of plant. This changes the very makeup and structure of the new plant.
Why do this?
There are many reasons, from improving the yield of the crop to making a plant more disease resistant. As Carla Bartolucci explains, in Einkorn: Recipes for Nature’s Original Wheat, “During the Green Revolution from the 1940s to the 1960s, breeders created new high-yielding varieties of wheat with hybrid seeds that would carry better traits for large-scale farming.”
Einkorn and other ancient grains (like emmer and spelt) have a thick husk around the very grain. Modern wheat has a thinner husk that’s easier to remove. Modern wheat may seem like a better choice for production and profitability. But with the increased use of pesticides and fertilizers, is this thinner husk such a good idea? Plus, that thick husk naturally occurs on grains for a reason. Why mess with what nature intended as protection?
While cross-breeding may be a good idea from a large-scale farming standpoint, how does this effect our ability to digest the grains? And what kind of effect does consuming large amounts of this grain have on our overall health?
This is where einkorn really shines, because it still holds to its original properties and nutritional values. In our effort to make modern wheat “better” and more efficient from a production standpoint, nutrients have been lost. Einkorn has a much higher protein content (30% more than modern wheat) and less starch (15% less than modern wheat), along with a higher concentration of minerals and flavor. This makes einkorn distinctly different than modern wheat.
And when we look at the enriched white flour that is widely used today and milled from modern wheat, the nutrients are even further removed, which is why key nutrients (now in isolated forms) must be added back in.
Einkorn is also the only wheat that’s missing certain types of gluten proteins that some people are sensitive to. Einkorn doesn’t have less gluten than modern wheat. It actually has a similar gluten content to modern wheat. The difference is the gluten structure (in einkorn) is weak, making it remarkably different than our modern wheat. (This is a super fascinating video to watch for a visual.)
Einkorn is not gluten-free. Some folks with a gluten sensitivity find that einkorn is easier to digest than modern wheat.
How to Customize Sheet Pan Pancakes
It’s super easy to customize sheet pan pancakes with a variety of flavors. Here are a few of my favorites to add to the pancake batter before baking.
- Frozen Blueberries: Sprinkle on top of the batter before baking.
- Chocolate Chips: Sprinkle your favorite chocolate chips on top of the batter before baking.
- Chopped Pecans: for a pecan flavored pancake. Sprinkle on top before baking.
- Peanut Butter or Jam: Add a few drops of peanut butter or jam to the top of your batter (while on the sheet pan) and then use a knife to create swirls. Similar to this recipe.
- Sliced Bananas: Sprinkle banana pieces or slices on top of the batter before baking.
- Cooked and Chopped Bacon: Go the savory route with this option. Sprinkle on top of the batter before baking.
More Easy Breakfast Ideas
Baked Einkorn Sheet Pan Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour (284g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups whole milk or buttermilk or a plant-based milk (500ml)
- 6 TB unsalted butter melted, plus 1 TB to coat the sheet pan
- 2 eggs
- 2 TB pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Mix Ins You Can Add BEFORE Baking, if Desired:
- frozen blueberries sprinkle on top of batter before baking
- chopped pecans sprinkle on top of batter before baking
- chocolate chips sprinkle on top of batter before baking
- cooked and chopped bacon sprinkle on top of batter before baking
- sliced banana sprinkle on top of batter before baking
Toppings You Can Add AFTER Baking, if Desired:
- berries
- banana slices
- chopped nuts
- maple syrup
- berry syrup
- butter
- nut butter
- whipped cream
Special Equipment:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Add one tablespoon of butter to the sheet pan and place in oven to melt. Once melted, remove from the oven and spread the butter evenly on the parchment paper.
- Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add remaining wet ingredients (not toppings or mix in ideas) and stir to combine, making sure not to over mix. Some lumps are fine.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Carefully spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Optional: Sprinkle any mix ins desired EVENLY on top (you don't have to add any mix ins for plain pancakes): chocolate chips, fruit (like banana or blueberries), nuts, etc. You can even make 4 separate “flavors” in the pan. Make sure the mix-ins are evenly spaced out. You don't want clumps of blueberries together as the batter may not fully bake in those spots. Don't overdue the mix ins, a little goes a long way. Also, avoid any mushy or super juicy fruit–this type of fruit is best used on top of the pancakes after baking.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden brown in color and may show a few cracks.
- Let the pancake rest in the sheet pan for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
- Store extra pancake pieces in the fridge or freezer in an air-tight container. Reheat in toaster oven or microwave or pack cold for lunches.
I love these pancakes! When visiting, my grandsons will sometimes ask if we’re going to have square pancakes.
Yay, Julie, so happy to hear that!
This recipe makes fluffy delicious pancakes. My gluten free hubby has approval to consume einkorn flour. I use plant based milk and bake them in a large square Corning ware dish. They come out thick and can be split in two. Saves so much time!
Yay, G. Himes! So glad you all like them.
This is delicious and SO much easier than pancakes on the griddle!! I have a gluten sensitivity and am able to tolerate einkorn flour. I am also sensitive to egg and milk, so I used an egg replacer and almond milk. The recipe turned out great! It was adult and kid-approved. I love that your blog includes so many yummy recipes that work with my food sensitivities and that my whole family will eat. Thank you!!
Yay, Missy! So glad you loved the pancakes. Great substitutions. Thank you for sharing, that’s super helpful.
Kristin, this is a great recipe! I used whole einkorn and flax eggs and also soaked the flour and milk for 24 hours. The pancake was light and fluffy…and so much easier than using a griddle! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe and technique!
That’s awesome, June! I’m so glad you enjoyed the sheet pan pancakes. Thank you for sharing the modifications you made-that’s so helpful!
Very easy recipe! Delicious and perfect for sunday morning! Thank you for sharing this!
Yay, Monica! So glad you liked them.
I’ve followed you for years and really appreciate this recipe. This morning I gave it a try using all-purpose flour and buttermilk and it came out great! For the buttermilk, just use a cup of whole milk, a cup of full fat plain yogurt, and two tablespoons of white vinegar if you don’t have buttermilk on hand. It a great substitute. My husband is a big eater and my daughter can be picky. Luckily, we still had leftovers and my daughter loved it. Thank you!
Thank you so much for following along, Marjorie! That means so much to have you part of the community here. Love that substitute. Thank you for sharing. Sounds amazing!
I always loved eating pancakes but was too impatient to make them. I didn’t enjoy being the last one to eat when everyone else was already done with theirs. This technique is perfect. Now I get to eat with my family! I make these almost every Saturday morning and last week my 8 year old made them by himself with my supervision. I’m currently using up my whole wheat flour but looking forward to experimenting with either einkorn or kamut. Thanks Kristin!
Hey Elly, I love this so much! What a wonderful message to receive. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the pancakes and that your 8 year-old is making them as well–so cool. Thank you for sharing and leaving a review.
This was a winner!!! I used honey and they were not too sweet- just how we like it. Toppings before baking: Did 1/4 mini choc chips, 1/4 min choc chips and chia seed, 1/2 frozen mixed berries abs sliced almonds. The berry almond was our favorite. I’ll be baking this again for sure! Bake time was 15 minutes and I’d take out at 13 minutes next time. Thank you for the recipe! Wish I could post a picture!
That’s great, Sydney! So happy it worked well for you! You can always share on Instagram or Facebook, just tag “livesimplymom” and we’d love to see the pics!
LS Team
I used an all purpose gluten free flour I had on hand and it worked great. Only baked for 12 min. then let it rest for 5. I did have the eggs at room temp. Now that hubby is retired and I’m still working, I don’t want him to go out for donuts all of the time.
Yay, Julie! So glad the gluten free flour worked!
Hi Julie! I’m so happy you loved the recipe! My family loves them too. 🙂
LS Team
These were fabulous! I omitted the sweetener from the batter since we topped them with syrup and whipped cream. Love that we didn’t spend a lot of time cooking pancakes!
Yay, Lisa!! Love that you omitted sweetener and topped them with maple and whipped cream–such a great idea.
Hey Kristin! This sounds amazing. Wondering if you have ever tried this with the blueberry surprise pancake recipe with oat flour?
Thanks!
Hey Tami, Thank you. I haven’t.
Okay, I confess I’ve been a sheet pan pancake naysayer for years. But I gave these a whirl this morning and I’m officially in love. These were so much easier than sitting in front of the stove all morning flipping pancakes. They are so delicious and my kids are devouring them. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Yay, Katie!! That makes me so happy to hear. So glad you all are loving the sheet pan style.
Ooh what a great idea Kristen! I’ll try this today! Thanks! ?
Thank you, Lili! Enjoy!
This rating is for your technique! What a great idea! My recipe was so close to yours I went ahead and used my recipe for pancakes (so, I’m not rating your recipe, just the technique).
It was easy and much faster using one baking pan instead of doling out individual pancakes. I think this would be a godsend to moms with hungry little ones (or husbands, like mine, who don’t get pancakes all that often…) clambering to get to the first pancakes out of the batch. Mix it. Pour it. Bake it and serve! Everyone gets to eat hot pancakes at the same time. My only disappointment was I wished they had been more brown on top (like pancakes off of a griddle). BUT, if you had put a blindfold on me I couldn’t tell the difference in the taste! I’ll make pancakes this way from now on! Thank you for posting!
That’s awesome, Bobi! So glad you could use your recipe and the technique together. Thank you for sharing and rating the technique.