alright, so I have to tell you about these sweet Mexican pancakes and I need to explain why they’re better than regular pancakes. like SIGNIFICANTLY better.

so last month my neighbor Maria invited me over for breakfast and I was expecting like normal pancakes or whatever, and she brings out these absolutely gorgeous pancakes that smell like cinnamon and vanilla and they’re slightly crispy on the edges and I was like… what is happening right now. she told me they’re called hotcakes and they’re what she grew up eating in Mexico and I literally went home and tried to recreate them that same day.

first attempt was a disaster because I added way too much cinnamon and they tasted like I was eating a candle lol. but I figured it out eventually and now I make these like twice a week because my kids request them constantly. my son literally said “can we have the Mexican pancakes instead of regular pancakes forever?” which is high praise from an 8-year-old who normally only eats chicken nuggets.

Why are these better than regular pancakes

they have cinnamon mixed right into the batter which makes your whole house smell incredible

the texture is somehow fluffier and more tender than American pancakes even though the recipe is pretty similar

you use sweetened condensed milk in the batter which sounds weird but trust me it works

they’re slightly sweet on their own so you don’t need to drown them in syrup if you don’t want to

honestly they just taste more interesting? regular pancakes are fine but these have FLAVOR

What you need for these

EDIT 1/7/26: someone asked if you can use almond milk instead and I tried it this morning – works fine but they’re not quite as rich. still good though.

How to actually make them

mix your dry stuff together in a big bowl. flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt. just whisk it around until it’s combined.

I never sift my flour because I’m lazy and honestly it doesn’t matter that much for pancakes.

crack your eggs into another bowl and beat them a little bit with a fork. then add the sweetened condensed milk, regular milk, vanilla, and melted butter. whisk it all together until it’s smooth.

Here’s where I messed up the first time – make sure your melted butter isn’t TOO hot or it’ll cook the eggs and you’ll get weird lumpy bits. learned that the hard way.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir it gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Do NOT overmix this. seriously. stir it until you don’t see any more dry flour but leave it lumpy. overmixing makes tough pancakes and nobody wants that. I usually stop when there’s still a few small lumps visible.

The batter should be pourable but thick… like if it’s too thick add a splash more milk. if it’s too thin add a tiny bit more flour. mine is different every time depending on humidity or the alignment of the planets or whatever.

Let it sit for like 5 minutes while you heat up your pan. this lets the baking powder do its thing and makes them fluffier.

Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. I use medium-low because my stove runs hot and I’ve burned so many pancakes on medium-high.

Add a pat of butter and let it melt. you want it to sizzle a bit but not brown.

Pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the pan for each pancake. I use a measuring cup for this because otherwise they’re all different sizes and it bothers me.

you’ll see bubbles start forming on the surface after maybe 2 minutes. when the edges look set and you’ve got bubbles all over the top that have popped, flip them.

I always flip too early because I’m impatient and then they’re not quite cooked in the middle. wait until there are LOTS of bubbles.

Cook the other side for another minute or two until golden brown. they should puff up nice and thick.

Keep them warm in a 200°F oven on a baking sheet while you make the rest. or just eat them as you go which is what I usually do because they’re best hot off the pan.

Done.

Toppings that go crazy on these

• Cajeta (Mexican caramel sauce) – this is the TRADITIONAL way and it’s amazing. you can find it at most grocery stores now in the international aisle
• Fresh strawberries and whipped cream – my daughter’s favorite
• Dulce de leche with sliced bananas – so good
• Just butter and a tiny bit of syrup – sometimes simple is best
• Nutella and strawberries if you’re feeling indulgent
• Honey and cinnamon sugar – what my son requests every single time

Tips I wish someone told me

• Make a double batch and freeze the extras. they reheat great in the toaster and it’s nice having them ready to go on busy mornings. I put parchment paper between them so they don’t stick together.
• If you want them extra fluffy, separate the eggs and beat the whites until stiff, then fold them in at the end. I only do this when I’m trying to impress someone because it’s extra work.
• Don’t use butter for cooking okay actually use butter because it tastes better even though it’s harder to control the heat. just watch them carefully.
• The batter thickens as it sits so you might need to thin it out with a splash of milk between batches.

Storage (spoiler: they don’t last long)

these keep in the fridge for maybe 3 days in an airtight container or ziploc bag. I stack them with parchment paper between each one so they don’t stick.

funny story – I made a huge batch of these on a Sunday and carefully stacked them with parchment paper and put them in a container labeled “PANCAKES FOR SCHOOL LUNCHES.” came downstairs Monday morning and my husband had eaten like 8 of them for a midnight snack. he was like “I didn’t know they were for school lunches” even though there was a LABEL. I had to make regular sandwiches for the kids and they were so disappointed.

now I hide the good stuff in the back of the fridge behind the vegetables where he never looks.

to reheat, just pop them in the toaster or microwave for 30 seconds. I like the toaster better because they get a little crispy again.

Nutrition facts per pancake (approximately)

these are definitely sweeter than regular pancakes because of the condensed milk but whatever it’s breakfast and breakfast should be fun.

Can I make these without sweetened condensed milk?

I mean… you could try using regular milk and adding more sugar? like maybe add ¼ cup of sugar to the batter if you’re using all regular milk. but they won’t taste quite the same. the condensed milk gives them this specific richness that’s hard to replicate. I’d just buy a can honestly, they’re like $2 and you can use the leftovers in coffee.

Why are mine flat and not fluffy?

probably your baking powder is old. I’ve made this mistake SO many times. baking powder loses its power after like 6 months and then your pancakes just… don’t rise. test it by putting a spoonful in hot water – if it bubbles a lot, it’s good. if nothing happens, throw it out and buy new stuff. also make sure you’re not overmixing the batter.

Can I leave out the cinnamon?

you could but then they’re just regular pancakes with condensed milk? the cinnamon is kind of the whole point. if you don’t like cinnamon maybe try adding a little bit of nutmeg or cardamom instead. I haven’t tried that but it might work.

How do I know when to flip them?

wait for the bubbles. like LOTS of bubbles all over the surface and the edges should look dry and set. if you flip too early (which I always do because I’m impatient) the middle won’t be cooked and they’ll be gummy. I’ve learned to literally count to 10 after I think they’re ready and THEN flip. works every time.