My Grandfather's 1-Ingredient Upgrade for the Best Pancakes

Every Sunday after church, my parents, brother, and I would head to my grandparents’ house, where my grandfather would take charge of breakfast. As a reward for sitting through an hour-plus of our weekly Catholic obligation, we looked forward to my grandfather’s golden, domed, sky-high, crispy-edged pancakes all week long. While my grandmother ruled the kitchen the rest of the week, Jerry was the undisputed king of Sunday morning pancakes—we even nicknamed them “Grandfather Pancakes.”

He was meticulous about his process, measuring each ingredient to the gram and timing every step. Long before social media influencers were blowing up diners and brunch spots, Jerry had the secret worked out all by himself.

What made his pancakes unforgettable was a tiny, unexpected trick: He’d stir a spoonful of apple cider vinegar into the pancake batter, then let it rest. That single step gave his pancakes their signature lift—light, airy, and impossibly fluffy.

The Easy Upgrade for Fluffier Pancakes

Like the volcano experiment you made in fifth grade, adding an acid (apple cider vinegar) to a base (baking soda) creates a cascade of bubbles that helps the batter rise. In theory, any acid can do the trick—plain white vinegar, lemon juice, or even buttermilk all work just fine.

I once asked my grandfather why he specifically used apple cider vinegar, and he shrugged in that practical, no-fuss way of his and said it was simply what he had on hand.

The choice makes sense: Apple cider vinegar is mildly sweet and goes well with the rich, buttery batter. It even adds a tang without overwhelming their flavor, the same way buttermilk does in classic Southern recipes. It’s one of those small details that makes a big difference—even if my grandfather never gave it much thought beyond convenience.

So long as your pancake recipe includes some kind of leavener (either baking soda or baking powder), this hack will work—though you’ll get a greater lift with baking soda, since it reacts directly with the acid to create those tiny air pockets that make pancakes rise tall and stay tender. Baking powder already contains an acid, so while the vinegar won’t hurt, the reaction won’t be quite as dramatic.

Just as important as adding the vinegar is letting your batter rest before frying up your cakes. That short pause, usually five to 10 minutes, gives the bubbles time to stabilize and the flour time to fully absorb the liquid. It’s the secret to achieving that tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior and those beautifully crisp, golden edges.

If you skip the rest, you’ll lose some of that airy lift, and your pancakes might turn out dense or rubbery instead. My grandfather always used that time to clean up the kitchen or brew another pot of coffee, and by the time he returned to the griddle, the batter was ready to work its magic.

How To Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Pancakes

Add about one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per cup of liquid in your batter. Stir it in with the wet ingredients before combining everything, then let the batter rest for five to 10 minutes before frying. From there, follow your recipe as usual—you’ll see the difference in the batter and on the plate.