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Epicurious

Skillet Soufflé Pancake

By Genevieve Yam

3.9

(9)

A souffl pancake in a Zwilling nonstick skillet with coffee and citrus salad on the side.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad

Everything you love about a cloudlike soufflé, simplified into pancake form. Unlike some soufflé pancakes, this less-fussy version doesn’t require flipping and simply bakes in the oven instead. It uses Swiss meringue, which is made by heating egg whites and sugar before they get whipped into an airy yet highly stable meringue, unlike French meringue which tends to deflate quickly.

With a bake time of just under 30 minutes, this skillet pancake is fluffy, delicate, and everything you’d want in a soufflé for two. To learn more about how to make meringue, check out our guide. If you’d like to make this soufflé pancake dairy-free, you can use oat milk and dairy-free butter. You can also double the recipe for a 10" nonstick skillet.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    50 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes one 8" pancake

Ingredients

Unsalted butter (for pan)
3 Tbsp. plus ¼ cup (88 g) granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 large egg yolks
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Powdered sugar and fresh fruit (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°F. Butter an 8" nonstick skillet, then sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. (38 g) granulated sugar. Pour out any excess sugar that doesn’t stick to pan.

    Step 2

    Combine 4 large egg whites and remaining ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar in a medium heatproof bowl and set over a medium saucepan filled with 1" of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Heat, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved and an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F, about 5 minutes.

    Step 3

    Immediately remove bowl from saucepan and transfer egg white mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, whisk ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt in a small bowl to combine. Whisk 2 large egg yolks, ½ cup whole milk, 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, and ½ tsp. vanilla extract in a large bowl. Sift in dry ingredients and whisk until batter is smooth.

    Step 5

    Using a rubber spatula, gently fold one quarter of meringue into batter to lighten. Fold in remaining meringue in 2 batches, taking care not to deflate batter. Gently transfer batter to prepared pan, and carefully smooth top with a small offset spatula.

    Step 6

    Bake pancake until doubled in volume and it springs back slightly when lightly pressed, 23–25 minutes (do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes or the pancake may deflate).

    Step 7

    Remove pancake from oven and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately with fresh fruit.

TagsPancakeSouffléDessertMainBreakfastBrunchNut FreeVegetarianOven BakeEpicurious

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