Serve breakfast to your family all at once with this giant pancake. Rice Cooker Pancakes are moist, tender, and flavorful, just like traditional pancakes, but easier using a rice cooker!
We love to include blueberries in the batter, but you could also add in some chocolate chips. Serve with butter and maple syrup for a real breakfast treat!
A Giant Pancake Made In Your Rice Cooker
Pancakes are awesome. Except for the part where you can only make a few at a time, and then having to keep them warm while you cook the rest of them…or the entire family eats separately. Ya. That. Which is why I almost always opt to make sheet pan pancakes (amazing) and this rice cooker pancake (also amazing!)
Yes, I found a solution to those pancake problems you didn’t even know you had! One gigantic pancake that’s light, tender, and delicious just like traditional pancakes, but instead of needing to flip and stack, you slice it more like a cake. Epic.
If there was ever a reason to own a rice cooker, other than how fantastic rice is, this is it.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few simple, pantry ingredients to make this rice cooker pancake recipe, no different than traditional pancakes.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Flour – All purpose flour that’s spooned and leveled, so you don’t end up with an excess amount and a dry pancake.
- Baking powder and Baking soda – These give the pancake lift and make it fluffy.
- Sugar – For sweetness.
- Salt – For flavor.
- Cinnamon – For nice warm flavor.
- Eggs – To give the pancake structure.
- Whole milk – For moisture.
- Unsalted butter – This gives the pancake richness. If all you have is salted butter, omit the additional salt.
- Blueberries – You can make this pancake without blueberries, but we love the addition for taste and color.
- For serving – Pat of butter, maple syrup, and blueberries.
How to Make A Rice Cooker Pancake
It’s so easy to make pancakes in a rice cooker. Here’s a brief summary:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Make the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients, then add in the wet ingredients until the batter is combined and smooth.
- Add in the blueberries. Dust the blueberries with a little flour and gently fold them into the batter with a spatula until incorporated.
- Prepare the rice cooker bowl. Spray the rice cooker bowl with nonstick spray and pour the batter into it.
- Cook/steam. Close the lid of your rice cooker and set the menu to cook/steam for 50 minutes.
- Cut and serve. Turn cooked pancake out onto a cutting board, slice into wedges and serve with your desired pancake toppings.
Tips for Success
Since all rice cookers are a little different, it’s important to follow these tips to make sure your giant pancake cooks properly.
- Not all rice cookers are the same. Your rice cooker must have a timer and the ability to set it to cook for 50 minutes. If not, this won’t work. It can’t just cook for a few minutes like a waffle iron. My rice cooker is a Zojirushi, which has a bunch of different options (porridge, sushi, brown, quick, etc.) I use the “regular” menu and set it to cook for 50 minutes.
- Rice cooker size. This recipe has been tested in a 5 & 1/2 cup rice cooker. Cook times will vary if you have anything bigger or smaller. I wouldn’t attempt to make this in anything smaller than a 4 cup rice cooker bowl.
- Can I use a box mix for the batter? When I tested this with a box mix, it did cook properly, but I found it more dense and with a weird aftertaste, so it’s not my preference.
- Can I make this in a crock pot? I have not tested this in a crock pot, but I don’t think it would cook properly because it needs the steam that the rice cooker delivers.
How to Serve a Giant Pancake
We slice this into wedges like a cake and serve hot! It’s delicious with a little slab of butter and maple syrup, but you could slather it with whipped maple butter or drizzle on some strawberry sauce. Serve it with some scrambled eggs and a fresh fruit salad for a complete meal.
Storing Leftovers
- To store in the refrigerator: Cool completely. Place in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.
- To store in the freezer: Cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap, then again in foil. Transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before warming up.
More Pancake Recipes:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Rice Cooker Pancake
Equipment
- Rice cooker with menu settings
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 & 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1/3 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- For serving: pat of butter, maple syrup, and blueberries
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add in the eggs, milk, and melted butter; whisk to combine.
- Dust the blueberries with a little flour and gently fold them into the batter with a spatula until incorporated.
- Coat your rice cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into bowl, close the lid and set rice cooker menu to cook/steam for 50 minutes.
- Turn out onto a cutting board.
- Slice into 8 even wedges.
- Serve immediately on individual plates with a pat of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a few fresh blueberries.NOTE: Not all rice cookers are the same. Please read the notes below.
I make a point to try 2 new “unusual” recipes a month. LOL. This rice cooker pancake was #2 for September and it was a huge HIT!! I was sort of shocked how much we all loved it. It’s going in the permanent rotation. Thanks!
For anyone that’s got a zoji that isn’t adjustable yet has a cake setting, you will want to set the cooker for about 65 minutes. My cake was only about 154 degrees after 50 minutes was up. 8 did an extra 10 and it was almost 180, so not gooey, but could have gone a bit longer. Wife loves thick pancakes so this was a real hit.
Tastes like a pancake. I added pineapple.
If you put it in a microwave – set a glass of water in with it. Works like a charm with ANY kind of bread product – especially pizza and left over rolls!
You have made it perfectly and i think i will follow your procedure and make one for me tonight. And specially dedicate it to you. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Whaaaat!! Who woulda thought?! I was so skeptical, but it came out perfectly. So excited to be able to use my rice cooker for something other than rice. Wonder what else I can make!
SO smart Amy!! My mom was always the official pancake flipper, and she’d eat hers standing in the kitchen while continuing to flip the rest of the batter. This would be the perfect solution!
This idea is so brilliant! I made this in my 8 cup rice cooker and it was done in 45 minutes. Probably didn’t take as long because there’s more surface are. Fun recipe!
Pancake making is my LEAST FAVORITE ACTIVITY EVER. At least with waffles, they are bigger and there’s a machine that does all the work for you. But pancakes are a hassle. This recipe sort of blew me away. So clever. My kids loved it! It really is like eating a slice of cake.
I may just have to get a rice cooker! My grandchildren always want pancakes (and bacon) for breakfast when they spend the night. They want lemon juice and cinnamon, which would be no problem to add until it tasted right, but what do you think would happen if you add chocolate chips? I know when I make a cake in a crockpot, the chocolate chips just melt and are indistinguishable. I’m thinking that might happen with this, too? Maybe I could make this and let them use chocolate ganache for syrup. {smile}
Okay first — I love this and it is beautiful and I want it for breakfast everyday. SECOND — I laughed a little when I read the title because I have seen the little thumbnail in the weird related contend ads for this exact same thing. Except theirs looks scary. All of those ads should be replaced with yours STAT. Lovvvvve this.
Ok, that is seriously epic! I’ve been looking for another reason to buy a rice cooker and I think I just found it! YAY!
Holy cow!!! I am so glad I have a rice cooker…forget rice, I only want giant fluffy pancakes forever now!!!
This blew my mind when I first saw it!! It never occurred to me to use my rice cooker for anything other than rice. This came out perfectly and my kids were so impressed!
This is so incredible. oh my!
wow this is AWESOME. love the recipe, will definitely be trying it out. thanks!
I love pancakes and I love you!! :D I need to try this one.
MIND BLOWN. This is awesome!
I pinned this and I don’t even have a rice cooker!!! I just thought it was amazing. I do love pancakes, so that puts me in the game a bit. Totally crazy, but obviously it totally works.
HA! You know, I would have pinned it too even if I didn’t have a rice cooker. It’s just so neat. Thanks, Carol!
Do you use a special setting on the rice cooker?
No. My rice cooker has a bunch of different options (porridge, sushi, brown, quick, etc.) … I just used the “regular” menu and set it for 50 minutes.
That is a seriously awesome idea. For all the reasons pancakes can be a pain, this is the answer. Epic indeed.
I have a combo rice cooker/steamer so gave this a shot. I’m seriously impressed. Who knew!
This worked in our Instant Pot on rice setting. Loved it.
I don’t have a rice cooker or slow cooker. I might try it using a covered fry pan on low heat.