The Foolproof Egg Tip That Yields The Fluffiest Pancakes

Pancakes are a staple for any chef because they make a perfect meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pancakes are made all over the world, and in many cuisines, too (per BuzzFeed). There are thin French crepes, Australian Pikelets, Chinese Scallion Pancakes, Blini in Eastern Europe, and Indian Uttapam. But the kind of pancake Americans are most familiar with is the thick and fluffy kind, often made with buttermilk. 

Pancakes are pretty easy to make, but there are some rules you need to follow. First, a pancake recipe is technically a baking recipe, even though it's cooked on a griddle. This means, as with all baking recipes, you need to measure precisely (per Le Cordon Bleu). And don't overmix the batter, or the pancakes will be tough. If you're new to making pancakes, follow the recipe without modifications until you're more comfortable experimenting.

But even if you do all that, there's a chance your pancakes won't be as thick and fluffy as they could be. Here's the foolproof egg tip that yields the fluffiest pancakes.

The real trick for the fluffiest pancakes ever is to separate the eggs, stir the yolks into the batter, beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold them in, according to Food Network. The beaten egg whites add more air to the batter, which expands in the heat of the griddle, making lofty and light pancakes. 

It's easiest to separate the eggs while they are cold, per Nielsen-Massey. And whites will whip up higher if they aren't straight out of the fridge, via The Incredible Egg. So you'll need to separate the eggs first, either by cracking the egg and rocking the egg yolk back and forth among each shell half, letting the white drip out or by tipping the yolk into your hand and letting the white run through your fingers. Then let the egg whites sit at room temperature while you mix up the rest of the batter. Beat the egg whites, adding a bit of the sugar from the recipe to stabilize the foam (per Cook's Illustrated), fold in the stiffly beaten whites, and start cooking.

To cook pancakes, add a thin layer of melted butter to a griddle or heavy pan and heat over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles and disappears. Then add the batter, using ¼ cup measure to dollop out each pancake. Let the pancakes cook until they start to brown around the edges and bubbles appear on the surface and start to break, per Food Network. Carefully flip the pancakes and let cook until just browned on the other side. Voila! Perfect pancakes.

You may have your own favorite pancake recipe you can improve with this egg white tip. But if not, there are many ways to dress up a pancake, from adding cheese to peanut butter. You can go traditional with classic pancakes, or try the surprising and delicious apple-cinnamon buttermilk pancakes. You can't go wrong with bananas, so if you're feeling frisky, try banana-pecan corn meal pancakes. Add a side of crisp bacon and breakfast is served.