Breakfast
$0.35per plate
Prep
10 min
Breakfast · Pancakes
Sheet Pan Pancakes
Sheet pan pancakes are one batch of ordinary pancake batter poured onto a half sheet pan and baked flat, then cut into 24 squares. Everybody eats at the same time instead of in shifts, nobody stands at the stove flipping, and eight people eat for about $0.38 a plate. The batter is a normal fluffy buttermilk-style batter, not a custard, so the squares taste like pancakes rather than cake or bread pudding. Two things make or break it: a hot oven so the baking powder lifts fast, and pulling the pan the moment the centre springs back, because a baked pancake goes from tender to rubbery in about three minutes. This is a different dish from our oven-puffed German pancakes, which use a thin eggy popover batter, and from the skillet-cooked protein pancakes, and it sits alongside the rest of our breakfast ideas.
$0.38per plate
Estimated recipe total
$3.04 · serves 8
Cook
18 min
Total
33 min
Serves
8
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/sheet-pan-pancakes
Equipment
- Rimmed half sheet pan (13x18 inches)
Variations
- Swap in buttermilk one for one and cut the baking powder, adding a little baking soda.
- Scatter chocolate chips over one half and blueberries over the other for two toppings in one pan.
- Use about 4 cups of a complete pancake mix instead of the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Halve everything and bake on a 9x13 quarter sheet for 14 to 16 minutes.
1 How to make it
1
Heat the oven hot and line the pan
Heat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed half sheet pan, about 13x18 inches, with parchment and grease the parchment. The high heat is deliberate: baking powder does most of its lifting in the first few minutes, and a hot oven sets that rise before the batter can settle. A cooler oven gives you a flat, dense slab.
2
Whisk the dry, then the wet
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined, breaking up any lumps of baking powder. In a second bowl whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Let the melted butter cool a little first, or it will scramble the eggs in threads.
3
Combine barely, then pour straight away
Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick and lumpy. Lumps are correct. Overmixing develops gluten and is the single most common reason baked pancakes come out rubbery. Pour it onto the pan immediately and spread it to the corners with a spatula, because the baking powder has already started working.
4
Bake 16 to 18 minutes
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the top is golden, the surface has lost its wet sheen, and the centre springs back when you press it lightly. A toothpick in the middle should come out clean. Start checking at 16 minutes. This is the step people overshoot, and every extra minute past done takes the pancake further toward dry and chewy.
5
Rest, then cut into squares
Let the pan sit 5 minutes so the crumb finishes setting, then lift the whole slab out by the parchment onto a board and cut it 4 by 6 into 24 squares. A serving is 3 squares. Serve with syrup, butter, or fruit at the table rather than baking them in.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Buttermilk. Swap the milk for buttermilk one for one and cut the baking powder to 1 tbsp, adding 1 tsp baking soda. The extra acid gives a slight tang and a softer crumb. Or add 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice to the plain milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
- Divided toppings. Scatter chocolate chips over one half and blueberries over the other after the batter is spread, so one pan suits two tastes. Press them in only lightly; heavy toppings sink and leave dense wet patches. Keep it to about 1 cup total across the pan.
- Pancake mix. Use about 4 cups of a complete pancake mix prepared to the package ratio for a 13x18 pan, and skip the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt here. The bake time and temperature stay the same.
- Quarter sheet pan. Halve everything and bake on a 9x13 quarter sheet for 14 to 16 minutes. Do not simply halve the batter on a full-size pan; a thin layer overbakes into a cracker before the middle is ready.
3 Budget tips
- Flour, milk, and eggs are the whole recipe, which is why 24 squares come in at just over three dollars.
- This is the cheapest way on the site to feed a crowd breakfast. Doubling it means two pans and no extra work, since nothing has to be cooked in batches.
- Squares freeze well, so a Saturday pan covers weekday breakfasts and saves buying anything on the way out.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Store cooled squares in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let them cool fully before they go in the container, or trapped steam makes them gummy.
Freezer
Freeze cooled squares in a single layer, then bag them, for up to 3 months. They toast straight from frozen, which makes this a good pan to double.
Reheating
A toaster or toaster oven gives the best texture, about 2 minutes, and crisps the edges again. The microwave takes 20 to 30 seconds a square and leaves them softer.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
340
Protein
10g
Fat
12g
Carbs
45g
Estimates per serving of 3 squares, calculated from standard ingredient data. Toppings and syrup are not included. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What size pan do you need for sheet pan pancakes?
A rimmed half sheet pan, about 13x18 inches. That gives a slab a little under half an inch thick, which bakes through in 16 to 18 minutes and stays tender. On a bigger pan the batter spreads too thin and dries out; on a smaller one the middle is still wet when the edges are done.
Why are my baked pancakes rubbery?
Almost always overmixing or overbaking. Stir only until the dry flour disappears and leave the batter lumpy, then start checking the pan at 16 minutes and pull it as soon as the centre springs back. A baked pancake keeps cooking on the hot pan, so a minute or two past done is the difference between tender and chewy.
Can you put toppings on before baking?
Yes, and dividing the pan is the main advantage of making pancakes this way. Scatter about a cup of chocolate chips or berries across the surface after spreading the batter and press them in only lightly. Anything heavy sinks and leaves a dense, wet patch under it.
How many does a sheet pan of pancakes feed?
One half sheet pan cuts into 24 squares, which is 8 servings of 3 squares. For younger children two squares is usually plenty, so the same pan stretches to ten or twelve at a family breakfast.
How is the price per plate figured?
About $3.04 for the flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla, divided across eight servings, which comes to roughly $0.38 each. Butter and milk are the two biggest lines and everything else is pennies.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 9x13 baking dish. A 9x13 dish is the standard size for casseroles and baked pasta, so one dish feeds the whole table. Best for casseroles, baked pasta, stuffed peppers, and baked oatmeal.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
- Instant-read meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, so lean or cheap cuts stay juicy instead of overcooking. Best for chicken, pork, and meatloaf, where a few degrees decides juicy or dry.
This one is also part of our American Comfort Classics collection.
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