Johnny Cakes {Cornbread Pancakes}

4.93 from 38 votes

Light, fluffy and delicious, these pancakes put a twist on an American classic. Serve them stacked high with syrup and butter.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast pancakes, cornbread pancakes recipe, johnny cakes, pancake recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings pancakes

Calories 223

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and form a well into the middle of the mixture.
Mix egg, milk, melted butter, and oil in a large mixing bowl. Pour into the well of dry ingredients; mix well.
Preheat the pan over medium heat. Pour a little oil or clarified butter to the pan (about a teaspoon). Wipe the oil around the pan with a pastry brush or paper towel until coated.
Using a measuring cup, pour a quarter cup of batter into the pan as many times as you can without having the pancakes touch. When your pancakes form popped bubbles, and the edges look fluffy and cooked, flip and cook another 1-2 minutes.
Continue with the remaining batter. Lower the heat for the second batch to avoid burning. You can keep the pancakes warm in the oven while you continue cooking or serve as you go.

For light and fluffy pancakes, allow your batter to rest for ten minutes.
Don't skip preheating your pan. This is an important step for good results.
An electric griddle or frying pan makes cooking Johnny cakes super easy. If you’re new to making pancakes, I highly recommend using one as it’s easy to tell your pan is at the right temperature. Heat your pan to 350°F. Electric pans usually have some indicator that lets you know when it reaches the correct temperature.
For stovetop pans, preheat over medium heat. A good test is to add a drop of water to the pan. If it dances around the pan, it’s the correct temperature. If it doesn’t move, the pan is too cold, and if it sizzles and evaporates, the pan is too hot.
Use clarified butter in the pan instead of regular butter as it can cook at a higher heat without burning.
Using a measuring cup to pour your batter keeps your pancakes a uniform size. I use a quarter cup/60ml with a 2 inches/5cm between them.
If they run into each other – don’t worry all is not lost. Just wait until they cook enough and you can separate them with your spatula before flipping.