Pancake Day: The ultimate guide

Before you start, decide if you fancy fluffy American-style pancakes or thin crêpe-style pancakes. Thin pancakes, like our golden-brown Sweet Pancakes, are made with a simple mix of plain flour, eggs, and milk. For the best results, chill your pancake batter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking. For fluffy pancakes, like our light Buttermilk Pancakes or decadent Red Velvet Pancakes, you’ll need to add a rising agent like baking powder. Whisking the egg whites until they're super fluffy, as in this cherry pancake recipe, will also add all-important airiness. To cook your pancakes, melt some butter in a frying pan or griddle on medium heat. Add your pancake batter and flip after a couple of minutes before frying until cooked through.

Cheesy mushroom pancakes

Pancake Day isn’t just limited to dessert. Tuck into these savoury cheesy mushroom pancakes or our Spinach and Herb Pancakes for brunch or dinner. Stuff thin pancakes with tender, garlicky mushrooms, leafy spinach, creamy cheese sauce, and a generous chunk of tangy Somerset brie. Add extra cheese on top and grill in the oven until golden brown.

Daunted when it comes to the all-important flip? Never fear. M&S Food Editor Florence has some great tips for nailing it every time. "Use a reliable pan! Whether this is a nonstick or a cast-iron pan, use something you can trust. If you aren't feeling confident, stick to a nonstick," she says.

Not sure when to flip? "Pour in some batter and let it do its thing, undisturbed, until the surface is covered in little bubbles and the edges are nice and crisp. This is when you are ready to flip. This does take longer than you'd think, so be patient and work on medium heat so you don't burn your pancakes," explains Florence.

This Pancake Day, stock up your store cupboard with our best-in-class ingredients, from our plain white flour milled from quality wheat to our British free-range eggs, sourced from M&S Select Farms. Or explore our home of recipes for ideas for breakfast recipes, plus snacks and sides to accompany your pancakes.