Easy Condensed Milk Pancakes (with Only 3 Ingredients)

Make the fluffiest, sweetest pancakes with just 3 ingredients! These Condensed Milk Pancakes use a can of sweetened condensed milk, an egg, and baking mix for a quick and delicious breakfast.

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If you can open a can and stir, you can make these Condensed Milk Pancakes—and trust me, you’ll want to! These pancakes are soft, fluffy, and just a little sweeter than your everyday stack, making them perfect for special occasions, brunch with friends, or those mornings when you just really want a treat. Bonus: you can make amazing Homemade McGriddles with these too!

With only three ingredients—sweetened condensed milk, an egg, and baking mix (plus water, but that's a freebie)—there’s no need to measure a dozen things or make a mess. You can use Bisquick, or take it up a notch with my buttermilk baking mix for an extra homemade touch.

Ingredients & Substitutions

No, you aren't missing anything. There really are only 3 things in this picture. That's all you need to make condensed milk pancakes. I would say 4, but I'm not taking a picture of water.

• Sweetened condensed milk - Do not confuse this with evaporated milk. They are not the same thing. Like evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk has about 60% of its water removed, but it also contains added sugar, which gives it its thick, rich consistency. You can use evaporated milk, but you will want to add a few tablespoons of sugar or another sweetener to your batter.
  
  Hint: If you want to cut the sweetness, try using half condensed milk and half regular milk instead of the full can of condensed milk and then add your water.
  
• Baking mix - I have a delicious homemade baking mix on this blog that I use to make quick biscuits and easy muffins, but of course you can use store-bought Bisquick or Jiffy baking mix.
  
  Hint: If you have leftover self rising flour for making my two ingredient biscuits or my no yeast bagels, you can use that here, but I would add a couple of tablespoons of melted unsalted butter or oil to your batter for more richness.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Equipment

When making any kind of pancakes (but especially these sweet milk pancakes) getting the temperature of the pan just right is the real challenge. It ensures that the outside of the pancake is done to perfection at the same time that the inside is fully cooked and fluffy. Although I have successfully used a nonstick pan for pancakes for years, I am a recent convert to the electric griddle world of pancakery.

Most griddles have a temperature dial that allows you to select an exact temp, some have a low-medium-high scale, while still others have a 0 to 10 scale (choose low or 3). With my Black and Decker electric griddle, 300° - 325°F gets me perfect condensed milk pancakes every time. It takes a few minutes longer, but this sweet batter needs a lower heat to avoid scorching. You'll need to find the temperature sweet spot (pun intended) for your individual griddle, but once you do, you may never look back!

Short Recipe Video

Instructions

It takes longer to say condensed milk pancakes than it takes to make condensed milk pancakes. Okay, that's not totally true, but they are really, really quick and easy!

Step 1: Place sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl.

Step 2: Add 1 cup of water (fill the can about ¾ of the way). If you like, you can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract now.

Step 3: Add egg and whisk thoroughly, then add in your baking mix.

Step 4: Mix until all the dry baking mix is incorporated. Some lumps are fine. Let batter rest for 15 minutes, then check the batter's consistency. If you want it a little bit thinner, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, up to ¼ cup, or until you get the thickness that you prefer.

Step 5: Heat a nonstick pan, or electric griddle to medium-low heat (I found medium heat led to scorching) . Spritz with cooking spray, or add a little butter to the pan and let it melt. Scoop or pour ¼ to ⅓ cup of batter into the pan (or however much you want. I'm not the pancake portioning police.)

Step 6: Cook until bubbles start to appear and burst on the surface and the edges appear dry, about 3 to 4 minutes. I like to use a small spatula to peek at the color underneath. When it is golden brown, flip and continue to cook until the underside is lightly browned, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Place your fluffy pancakes in a pancake or tortilla warmer, or on a wire rack set in a large sheet pan into a 200°F oven, to keep them warm. Keep pancaking. Serve with fruit and a spoon of yogurt, warm maple syrup, or however you prefer to pancake.

Tips for success

With a few helpful tips, even a beginner can master sweet, fluffy homemade condensed milk pancakes!

• Lower the heat: Because of the sugar content in the condensed milk, these pancakes brown faster than regular ones. Keep your skillet or griddle on the low end of medium-low heat to prevent them from over-browning before they cook through.
• Don’t skip the resting time: After mixing the batter, let it sit for 15 minutes before cooking. This allows the baking mix to hydrate and results in fluffier pancakes.
• Watch the batter thickness: The condensed milk makes the batter thicker than traditional pancake batter. If it seems too thick, add a splash of water (a tablespoon at a time, up to ¼ cup) to thin it out.
• Grease the pan lightly: A little butter or oil goes a long way! Because of the sugar, these pancakes can stick more easily, so use a light, even coat of cooking spray or butter between batches. And don't forget to wipe out the pan between batches so you don't have any burning flavor.
• Balance the sweetness: Since these pancakes are naturally sweet, you might want to pair them with less sweet toppings like plain Greek yogurt and fresh fruit to balance flavors. If you have a serious sweet tooth, go for the syrup, whipped cream, or even a dusting of powdered sugar!

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