This pikelet recipe is super quick and easy to make, delicious hot or cold, and enjoyed by all. Come and learn how to make pikelets in no time at all to satisfy your hungry crew.
Pikelets – sometimes called mini pancakes, griddle cakes, or drop scones – originated in Wales, but were popularized in Australia and New Zealand. The word ‘pikelet’ is believed to come from the Welsh term ‘bara pyglyd’, meaning ‘pitchy bread’. Also known as ‘poor man’s crumpets’ because the batter is dropped into a pan without the use of an “expensive” ring to keep the batter from spreading.
Pikelets require a very similar batter recipe to our Canadian pancakes, but the mixture is a little thicker – in part to help prevent them spreading in the pan.
Hints & Tips
If your mixture is not thick enough, add a little extra flour until you get the consistency you want. You really want to be able to pick up tablespoonful without too much running over the edge.
Add the milk to the pikelet mix last. Only add as much milk as required to get the pikelet mix to the nice, thick consistency that you want. If that means not putting all the milk called for in the ingredients that is just fine.
Pikelets are much smaller than their pancake cousins, and so lend themselves more easily to snacks – my kids pick them up and carry them around (when my husband’s not looking!!).
This pikelet recipe calls for plain flour (also called all purpose flour). If you want to use self raising flour, that is just fine, you won’t need to use baking soda or baking powder.
There zillions of ways to adjust the recipe to suit your own needs, so take a look at my ‘Variations’ below – many of them come from showing my kids how to make pikelets.
Ingredients
For most of us, the ingredients to make pikelets are probably things we already have in the refrigerator and pantry – they’re fairly basic ingredients. Take a look:
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup plain flour.
- You can make these as plain flour pikelets. I like to mix about half and half wholewheat flour with plain flour. Use what you have available, these pikelets with plain flour will be perfect.
- You can make these pikelets with self raising flour, all you need to do is omit the baking powder and baking soda below as the self raising flour already contains them in correct proportions.
- ¾ cup milk
- Personally I view this quantity of milk as a suggestion. I add the milk to the pikelet mix last, and let the consistency of the mix determine when I have enough milk.
- ¼ cup sugar
- Brown sugar if you have it for the extra flavour, but white sugar will work just fine.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- butter, for greasing frypan
These ingredients will yield about a dozen pikelets. If you want more, just double or triple the recipe.
Banana Pikelets
To turn these into banana pikelets you can either add 1 mashed banana to the mixture, or top with fresh sliced banana after the pikelet is cooked. My kids love fresh banana pikelets drizzled with honey!
Variations
As I said, there are loads of ways that you could personalize my pikelet recipe – so many that there’s no way I could list them all there. However, here are a few of my favorites:
- Add chocolate chips to the batter for a real treat (or if you’re serving them to chocoholics like me!).
- Try adding roughly chopped frozen or dried fruit to the batter (sultanas, dried apricots, cranberries, etc). I often add half a dozen frozen blueberries to the pikelet batter as soon as I’ve dropped it in the pan.
- Reduce the sugar content by 50% to make savory pikelets. Savory pikelets can be spread with peanut butter, avocado, or topped with ham and cheese.
- Use savory pikelets instead of bread for sandwiches.
- Dollop pikelets with whipped cream and jam for a delicate afternoon sweet treat.
See the photos below for some alternate serving suggestions.
I would love to hear your suggestions for how to personalize my pikelet recipe. Please leave a note in the comments section below.
Questions (FAQ)
Yes! You can freeze the batter from this pikelet recipe in a sealed, airtight container for up to 3 months. Just remember to label the container with the cook date and the use by date.
If you have the time available, thaw the batter in the refrigerator. If not, leave it sealed at room temperature.
Yes, you can freeze pikelets after cooking them. Separate pikelets with aluminum foil or baking paper and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label the container with the cook date and the use by date.
Yes, I do it all the time. Make sure to use the correct amount of baking soda and baking powder called for in this recipe.
Yes, in this case you will not need to freeze them. Cook them according to this recipe and place them covered in the fridge overnight.
Yes, self raising flour works perfectly, the only thing you need to do is leave out the baking power and baking soda called for in this recipe. Your self raising flour already contains it in the correct amount.
I hope you all enjoyed learning how to make pikelets as much as my crew enjoyed eating them…
Love & tasty afternoon treats, Bella X
Easy Pikelet Recipe
Equipment
- large frypan
Ingredients
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup all purpose flour*
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- butter, for greasing frypan
Instructions
- Heat frypan so that it's hot.
- Whisk egg, milk, and sugar together in a medium sized bowl.
- Add remaining dry ingredients so that they are well combined. Consistency should be that of a thick batter.
- Melt a little butter into the frypan to grease it.
- Spoon ¼ cupfuls of the pikelet batter into the hot, greased fry pan.
- When top of pikelet is covered in bubbles (approximately 1 minute), flip in pan to cook the other side for another 30 – 60 seconds, or until golden.
Video
Notes
- You can make these pikelets with plain flour, they will be great. You can also mix in some whole wheat flour if you have it available.
- You can make these pikelets with self raising flour, you don’t need to use baking powder or baking soda – just leave them out.
We love pikelets! I’ve been making the banana pikelets in the afternoon and they come out great.
I’m stuck inside with the kids at the moment, like we all are. They are always hungry so I showed them this pikelet recipe and had them make it. They did a great job and it tasted great.
SOOO good! I don’t have a suggestion for you because I make your pikelets exactly as you describe and they work out well every time. My kids love them.