• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Menu
  • Science Experiments For Kids
  • Science Fair Projects
  • Science Facts
  • Science Questions
  • About
    • Emma Vanstone
    • About Science Sparks
Science Experiments for Kids
Menu
  • STEM Challenges
    • STEM Challenges
    • FREE STEM Challenge Templates
  • Early Years Science
    • Preschool Science
    • Sensory and Messy Play
    • Understanding of the World
    • Pirate Science Experiments
  • Primary Science
    • Baking Soda Experiments
    • Candy Experiments
    • Biology
    • Climate Change for Kids
    • Coding for Kids
    • Chemistry
    • Electricity for Kids
    • Magic Science Experiments
    • Harry Potter Experiments
    • Human Body Science
    • Air Pressure Experiments
    • Life Cycles
    • LEGO Science Experiments
    • Kitchen Science
    • Famous Scientists
    • Forces and Motion
    • Science Sparks Snippets
    • Key Stage 1 Science
      • Animals
      • Everyday Materials
      • Plants
      • Coding Activities
      • Humans and Health
      • Fine Motor skills
      • Science and Literacy
    • Key Stage 2 Science
      • Animals, Including Humans
      • Electricity
      • Light
      • Plants
      • Materials and their Properties
  • Holiday Science
    • Christmas Science
    • Halloween Science
    • Easter Science
  • Storybook Themed Science Experiments
  • Wonderful Women in STEM
  • FREE Science Resources
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • FREE Experiments
  • Science for Kids
    • Kitchen Science
    • Climate Change
    • Egg Experiments
    • Fairy Tale Science
    • Edible Science
    • Human Health
    • Chemistry
    • Inspirational Women
    • Forces and Motion
  • Science Fair Projects
  • STEM Challenges
  • Science Sparks Books
  • Contact Science Sparks
  • Science Resources for Home and School

×
Home » Kitchen Science » The Science of Pancakes

The Science of Pancakes

Modified: Mar 4, 2025 · Published: Feb 11, 2021 by Emma Vanstone · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

One of the easiest ( and tastiest ) ways to introduce science at home is in the kitchen. If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably already seen my huge kitchen science experiment round-up post, full of simple, tasty, and educational ideas for science in the kitchen. Pancakes are a great way to learn about how changing the ingredients of a dish even slightly can impact the final product in a big way.

To get the perfect pancake for your taste, you need to get the ingredients right. If you like big fluffy pancakes, you’ll need baking powder to add bubbles. If you’re more of a crepe person, skip the baking powder.

two piles of pancakes with strawberries and syrup on top. One pile is big and fluffy the other smaller and thinner

Pancake Science Experiment

What you need

We used the recipe below for the pancake batter, but you can use any mixture you want.

  • Two eggs
  • 300ml milk
  • 100g plain flour
  • Baking powder
  • One tablespoon sunflower oil or butter
  • Egg whites whisked
Pancake Science Experiment Results Sheet

Instructions

Sift the flour and whisk the egg into it with a splash of milk. Add the oil or melted butter, and whisk in the rest of the milk. 

Keep the whisked egg whites to one side.

We tested four different mixtures, but you can adjust the variations however you want, just keep the basic mix the same.

  • Basic pancake mixture.
  • Basic pancake mixture with a teaspoon of baking powder.
  • Basic pancake mixture with some whisked egg white.
  • Basic pancake mixture with baking powder and whisked egg white.
Pancake Stack – Image is taken from Snackable Science

Pancake Experiment Questions

How will the baking soda and whisked egg affect the pancake?

The baking powder and egg white should add air to the mixture, giving it more volume than the basic mixture.

How would you expect the pancakes made using different mixtures to differ?

We would expect the pancakes to vary in size. The smallest should be the basic mixture, and the largest should be the mixture of baking soda and whisked egg white.

Results

comparison of pancakes with and without baking powder

Pancake Science – the perfect pancake

Baking powder acts as a leavening agent, which means it adds bubbles of gas ( carbon dioxide ) to the dough. This chemical reaction happens when the baking powder is mixed with the moist dough.

The starch in the flour mixes with the water in the dough mixture to form a gluten matrix which then sets, leaving the holes left by the gas bubbles inside. If you don’t use baking powder in a pancake, it will be much flatter.

Baking powder is an example of a chemical leavener. An example of a biological leavener is yeast.

Egg whites are another way to add air to the pancake mixture. When whisked, the egg whites trap air, increasing their volume. When carefully mixed into the pancake mixture, the air is also added.

Did you know that citric acid  (found in lemon juice) stimulates your taste buds? Try adding some to your pancake.

These photos were taken with a microscope. The air bubbles in the mixture with baking powder are clearly visible.

pancake mixture with baking powder under a microscope
Pancake mixture under a microscope

More pancake science experiments

Find the best syrup for your pancakes with a viscosity syrup race!

Pancakes made with and without baking powder

Last Updated on March 4, 2025 by Emma Vanstone

More Kitchen Science

  • Pancake Syrup Viscosity Experiment
  • toothpick towers, eggy catapult and more Easter STEM challenges
    Awesome Easter STEM Challenges
  • Which is the best biscuit to dunk?
  • What are ultra-processed foods?

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. maryanne @ mama smiles

    February 20, 2012 at 1:54 pm

    What a lovely chemistry illustration!

    Reply
  2. JoAnn Jordan

    February 20, 2012 at 3:41 pm

    What a neat experiment! So timely, too, with tomorrow being Pancake Day! I have a song activity that might be appropriate for some early elementary ages. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngIRIgpcfQ4

    Reply
  3. MsXpat

    February 20, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    I think I’ll try with the baking powder next time, lol. Looks great.

    Reply
  4. Actually Mummy...

    February 20, 2012 at 9:47 pm

    So doing this tomorrow!

    Reply
  5. crystal@growingajeweledrose

    February 21, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    What a great way to show a young child the science of things. I have pinned this to my Science board! Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Tuesday Tots! We hope you will drop by next Tuesday, and show us what you have been up to!

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      February 22, 2012 at 2:10 pm

      Thank you. x

      Reply
  6. maggy, red ted art

    February 22, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Brilliant! I LOVE how you managed to add science to Pancake day! And isn’t it amazing to see what the Baking Soda does?!

    Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

    Maggy

    Reply
    • ScienceSparks

      February 22, 2012 at 2:10 pm

      Thanks Maggy x

      Reply
  7. Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum

    February 22, 2012 at 10:18 pm

    I love this and when I return to teaching it will be yet another science experiment that I will be doing with the students bringing science into the real world 😀 (maybe it will help get more students interested in the subject again).

    Thank you for linking up to Tuesday Tots

    Reply
  8. Actually Mummy...

    January 31, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    Once again, brilliant teaching – GG’s teacher actually made pancakes in her Reception class to demonstrate changing states and reversible and non-reversible changes – she was fascinated!

    Reply
  9. Lilia

    August 23, 2017 at 11:38 pm

    Wait, do I use baking soda or baking powder? They seem to be used interchangeably here but they are different, right?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Imagine a world where science education is accessible to everyone and is all about hands-on, exciting discoveries. That’s the world I want to create.

More about me

Around the World in 50 Experiments

50 experiments about countries of the world

Footer

↑ back to top

Science Sparks - FREE science experiments for kids

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Services
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Science Sparks - Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd