Fluffy, Decadent Japanese-Style Pancakes Are All Over Instagram. Here’s How To Make This Breakfast Treat At Home

Fluffy Japanese-style pancakes are the Instagram breakfast dish du jour and hungry diners are lining up at the handful of restaurants dedicated to these wiggly hotcakes that have recently popped up in Toronto. These pancakes not only make for a delightful brunch or dessert, but thanks to their signature eggy wobble, they’re just plain fun — and they make for a great photo-op.

But if you don’t live near a pancake café, or hate lineups, you can easily make these treats at home. The Chatelaine Kitchen team perfected this Insta-worthy meal with a triple-tested fluffy Japanese pancake recipe, so you can impress your foodie followers without changing out of your PJs.

Make a mold

Think of these pancakes as miniature stove-top soufflés. What separates them from your typical maple-syrup-covered stack is their height. (They’re also sweeter and eggier tasting.) To make them stand tall, we suggest you use a mold. You can use a 5-inch wide cooking ring or cookie cutter (available on Amazon) — look for one that’s at least 1.5 inches high.

You can also make your own by wrapping tin foil around a can (a typical can of veggies will do) and folding it until sturdy and about 1.5 inches tall. Tape it at the top so it stays together and don’t forget to spray or wipe it with oil before filling it with your pancake batter.

The Chatelaine Kitchen says you can make ‘em without a mold — they’ll still be fluffy, just not very tall.

Whip those egg whites

The mold will help the pancakes keep their shape, but whipped egg whites make them fluffy. For this recipe, you whip the egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form (the peaks don’t fall when you lift out your beaters). Be mindful when you mix the egg whites in with the rest of the ingredients — over-mixing is the kiss of death for this recipe. If you’re too enthusiastic when stirring your batter, it’ll deflate, leading to decidedly un-fluffy pancakes.

Be patient

These pancakes take about five to seven minutes per side to cook through, so tackle this recipe when you have a little bit of time in the morning. And be careful throughout the cooking process. You have to flip the pancakes while they’re still in their molds (if you’re using them) and then you need to carefully remove the hot mold using a paring knife. But don’t worry, if you mess up and nick a pancake or two, you can always cover your mistakes with some icing sugar and a few well-placed berries.

As for presentation, the Chatelaine Kitchen went the simple route. However, if you’d rather think of these pancakes as dessert, why not serve them with ice cream? Or drizzle them with chocolate sauce or a fruit compote. But whatever you do, be sure to ‘gram them before digging in.

Watch: How to make cold brew coffee (if you need a beverage to pair with your pancakes)