You get that lacy effect if there is too much fat on the griddle. I just wipe the griddle with butter using a paper towel rather than a brush. And I don't butter for every pancake. Probably after every third pancake.

My family doesn't like a really thick pancake. I use this is the recipe.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Pancakes
========
2 cups milk
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 eggs
6 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cup of flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Maple Syrup.
. Add the lemon juice to the milk, Melt the butter in the microwave

In a blender mix, eggs, milk and butter. Add the flour,salt, sugar,
baking soda and baking powder.

Mix until blended.

Heat griddle and brush lightly with margarine.

Pour out batter to desired size and when top side has bubbled flip and
cook for about 20 to 30 seconds on flip side.

Place in low oven to remain warm while you cook the rest.

Princess:
Here is another recipe.
I deleted my recipe, when I sent it to our local newspaper.
I just retrieved it from an Old Post.

Don't have a Photo of the Pancakes, Just the Waffles.

LOUÂS
Pancakes and Waffles Recipe

2 ½ cups milk ( IÂve been using powdered milk)
2 eggs ( separated ) .
1/3 cup of veg. Oil
2 tablespoon of vanilla
Pinch of salt
½ cup Sugar
1 cup of Wheat Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
All Purpose flour
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mix Pancake Batter
I beat the egg whites first , so I donÂt have to clean the beaters.
Beat the egg whites with a teaspoon of sugar, until peaked.
Add ½ the egg whites to the batter and fold in easy.
Beat the other ½ of the whites until very stiff and fold these in also.
After the pancakes are cooked, I put plastic in between for freezing.
Batter:
Put the first 6 ingredients ( except egg whites ) in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
Put in the Wheat flour, Baking pwd. and some All Purpose flour.
Beat until smooth. Add enough flour to thicken slightly,
(were it leaves ripples while mixing ) not thin and loose.
For Waffles:
Thicken a little more, to where you have to move it around with a spoon,
when it is put on the waffle iron . Then do the egg white thing as in the pancake batter.
When baked I cool them fast on a rack and put them in a plastic bag,
and right in the freezer.
If you overcook a little, dampen slightly with water,
before you put them in the toaster oven.
As for the waffle iron , I have a very old round one with adjustable heat Range.
It makes a waffle about ½ inch + thickness. For me this is just right,
for the amount of butter and syrup that you can put on top.
I found a Cuisinart mod.WMR-CA to match my old one.
Now I can make Waffles in Stereo
I donÂt use the Belgium Waffle Maker ; except when IÂm adding
Ice cream and fruit topping , because itÂs too much waffle for the
amount of syrup and butter. But may be good for you.!
If I want a Belgium Waffle, I just make a double decker and
put fruit or whatever filling in between.
With Ice cream on top.
Then you have more cooked surface area , on the Waffles.
Which is where the flavor is ( the cooked surface )

{{gwi:1486564}}

1. Sounds like your batter may be too thin. Add another tablespoon (or so) of flour.

2. Don't over-stir the batter - be gentle and be a minimalist when stirring. Pancakes are another form of quick bread, so only stir the batter until the dry ingredients are mostly wet. A bit of flour and lumps still in the batter is a good thing. You don't want to over-develop the gluten in the flour; you'll get tough pancakes for your trouble.

3. Let the batter sit 10-20 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate WITHOUT being stirred. This is a good time to pre-heat the griddle.

4. Make sure the griddle is preheated to medium or medium-hot (around 350°-375° if it's electric). To test the griddle to see if it's hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water on the griddle, they should dance for a few moments before they evaporate. After the pancake batter has rested, add the fat-of-choice to the griddle, let it get hot, then add the batter.

4. The golden color is from the sweetener/sugar in the pancakes carmalizing. Try using honey, instead of sugar, for a darker pancake because it tends to brown faster than sugar. Your pan may be too hot if your pancakes are cooking really fast and don't have enough time on the griddle to brown.

5. There should be some lift in the pancake from the chemical leavening as soon as the batter hits the griddle. The rise also depends on how dense/thick the batter is. If you want light and fluffy pancake with a rise 1/2-inch or so, keep the batter just barely pourable and make smaller pancakes. The thinner the batter, the more crepe-like your pancakes will be. Don't press the cakes with the pancake turner (spatula) after you flip them. That will de-gas the bubbles and cause the pancake to be go flat.

-Grainlady

I'm another one who prefers thinner pancakes than those thick fluffy restaurant kind.

grainlady:
I knew all of what you said , for years, about not mixing too much and the lumps of flour.

What am I doing wrong ?????

My Pancakes are always Great.

I never liked the lumps of Flour in the batter, since I was about 10 years old.

I have a stock of Waffles in the Freezer right now but
when my Grandson comes here on leave,
Ill cook up another batch of Pancakes for him, to see how they turn out.
Maybe I'll be lucky and they will be bad.
With the way I cook , guess I've been lucky all along.
Don't mind me , I've been like this all my life.
LOU

yummy those photos look great.. thanks for the recipes and suggestions... i know i am doing the procedure of making them right..and all i have ever used was cooking spray for oil..but i could see how maybe i use to much. I just figured they would stick if i didn't. Will definitely try less next time and see what happens. thanks so much

Princess:
Just took a look at your Photo ( How I want them to look )
I saw what you meant by Golden Color.

Try Ann's and Grainladies way to cook them .

I test the Grille with a few drops of water too,
with a few drops of water.
You have to do that for Short order Cooking, because the Grill is different Temps,
at different spots. Put a few drops of oil, spread and drop on the Batter.

Mine are always a Golden to a darker Golden Colour.
Save me a couple !!!
LOU

My first thought was that the griddle is too hot.

Eileen: Do you have any second thoughts.
Lou

Sounds like you're describing Swedish Pancakes when you talk about thinner ones. These have minimum ingredients - flour, milk, eggs, salt, baking soda (not baking powder - that's what makes the fat ones), melted butter. Never heard of sugar myself. I think the suggestion of too much butter on griddle was prob correct, not so much whether the batter is thinner or thicker; use cast iron if possible, preheat for 10-15 minutes, not just a few, and don't overheat griddle. Not so sure that browning is from caramelizing sugar; I've never used sugar, and you toast all kinds of bread made without sugar.

btw Hawk - I'm also Nov 29 and zone 6 guy.

Lou, I don't think all that deeply! I think it's a matter of method more than recipe.

I don't like pancakes very much so I'm no expert. I'm a waffle kind of gal.

Eileen

Princess, not to say that Ann and Lou aren't experts, but the Los Angeles Times recently ran an article with recipes that might interest you too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Perfect Pancakes

Compumom:
I am not an expert. Ann is better that me, by far.

read the " Perfect Pancakes " writeup in the Times.
That get my T--d Churner going when I see things like that.
I figure ,if they are so great, you don't have to advertise,People will know.
I always wonder if they pay to put in writeups like that.

We have the Pancake House here, that's always crowded too.
Everyone say's they are great.
Maybe someday I'll try them.

I joke around and say My Cooked things are,
" The Best in The World " Give me a break " Best for Who "

I would like people to try my recipes though, then give an Opinion.

I'm like Barnmom, Not a Pancake Person. I like Waffles.
"and Her "

But when my Grandson is on Leave from the Navy and comes down for the weekend,
I'll make a Stack. We like them slightly thicker that flat,
a Light Golden Brown and firm, not tough.
Light texture but not where the Syrup turns them into a Soggy mess.

I have all kinds of Syrups, Pure Maple, Country, etc.
The one I like the best is Karo, Waffles and Pancake Syrup,
with a Green Lable,
because it is thicker.

I can't find it anymore in my area. My Daughter found some in Acme Market, Delaware County ,Pa.

You should know me well enough by now, that I don't run to see what Great Chefs are cooking.
I have no intention of becoming a Great Ghef, just trying to be proficient in my Home Cooking.
I'll do my thing and keep trying my own crazy concoctions.
And I do have a few crazy Recipes.

With that said about 200 times, I will let you go in Peace.
I won't debate during Lent, that's what I gave up.

I heard someone Shout, " Huraaah !!!"

Lou- - - 3/1/09
If you don't smile enough, try more fibre in your diet.
OR ELSE !!!!!
When you do finally Smile,your face will crack.
- - - - -
All this for Pancakes ?????

PS : Am I allowed to say " I love you " During lent.