Top-rated recipes for the classic - and creative - pancake lover

Pancake Day – or Shrove Tuesday – is the day before Ash Wednesday, signifying the beginning of Lent. The reason why people eat pancakes is because the ingredients – eggs, sugar, and butter – are commonly forbidden during the Lenten fast, so are used up to prevent them going to waste.

Basically, eat as many pancakes as you can.

Below is a recipe for a plain pancake, but if you're opting for something a little more interesting, scroll down for some more creative crepes with the best ratings on BBC Good Food.

How to make a plain pancake:

• 100g plain flour

• 2 large eggs

• 300ml milk

• 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, plus a little extra for frying

Whisk together the flour, eggs, and milk in a bowl. Set a medium frying pan over a medium heat and wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper.

When hot, cook your pancakes for one minute on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go.

Top with your favourite ingredients, like classic lemon and sugar, chocolate spread, honey, fruit, whipped cream.

Sweet pancake ideas

Cinnamon pancakes

Makes 10 small pancakes.

• 145g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 2 eggs

• 40g butter, melted

• 140ml milk

• 3 tbsp light brown soft sugar

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix the flour, baking powder, caster sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a bowl or large jug.

Crack in the eggs, add half of the the butter and all of the milk, then whisk to a smooth batter.

In a separate bowl, but the rest of the melted butter, and add the cinnamon, light brown sugar and maple syrup. Add three tablespoons of the pancake mixture and mix – when you cook the pancakes, this brown mixture will be used to swirl on top of each one in the pan.

Transfer the darker mixture into a squeezy bottle if you can.

Pour a little oil in your largest frying pan, and tilt the pan around so the oil covers all or most of it. Keep the pan over a low-medium heat.

Spoon two to three tablespoons into the pan for a small, thick pancake, or four for a wide, thin one.

Use the cinnamon mixture to swirl on top of each pancake.

When the pancake starts to look cooked around the edge, flip it over and cook for another minute or two, depending on the thickness, or until golden and cooked through.

Chocolate pancakes

Makes 16 small pancakes.

• 225g self-raising flour

• 50g cocoa powder, sieved

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 400ml whole milk

• 100g dark chocolate chips

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 50g unsalted butter, cubed

Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl with a small pinch of salt.

Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth batter, then mix in the chocolate chips.

Heat a splash of the oil and a little bit of butter in a non-stick frying pan until sizzling.

Spoon two to three tablespoons into the pan for a small, thick pancake, or four for a wide, thin one. Flip and cook until there are no raw parts left.

Serve them with whipped cream and berries – or whatever you fancy...

Crepes Suzette

Makes 16 crepes.

• 100g plain flour

• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• 300ml semi-skimmed milk

• splash of beer, about 2 tbsp (optional)

For the sauce

• 100g butter

• 100g golden caster sugar

• 150ml freshly squeezed orange juice (about 12 large oranges)

• 2 tsp finely grated orange zest

• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

• 3 tbsp Grand Marnier

• 2 tbsp cognac

Put the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs, oil and two tablespoons of the milk, and beat together with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Slowly start to pour in the milk bit by bit, mixing at the same time, so the batter is smooth. Pour in the rest of the milk until it looks like single cream, then add the beer – but this part is optional.

Heat a 15cm pan, or any big, flat one. Measure just over a tablespoon of batter into a jug, then pour into the pan, covering the bottom of it.

After about 20 seconds, when the crepe is golden underneath, flip it over and cook for a further 30 seconds, until spotted brown.

Repeat until all the crepes are made.

For the sauce, heat the butter and sugar in a pan, over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar begins to dissolve.

Turn up the heat and let the mixture bubble until it just starts to go brown and caramelise, stirring only towards the end.

Pour in the orange juice, add the orange and lemon zest, and let the mixture bubble for 3-4 minutes to thicken slightly.

Add the Grand Marnier and cognac, heat for a few seconds and lower the heat.

Put one crepe into the sauce and coat it well in the mixture. Fold it into quarters and push to one side of the pan. Continue the coating and folding with the remaining pancakes. Serve 2-3 crepes per person with the sauce.

Blueberry Cheesecake pancakes

Serves four.

Double or triple the ingredients if you're cooking more pancakes.

• 150g fresh or frozen blueberries

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 100g cream cheese

• ½ -1 tbsp icing sugar, to taste

• 4 pancakes or crêpes (see recipe, below)

• 4 caramelised biscuits or ginger nuts, crushed

• 50g nuts (pecans or almonds work well), roughly chopped or crushed (optional)

After using the plain pancake recipe above, use this recipe for a fruity, sweet topping.

Simmer the blueberries and maple syrup over a low heat until soft and syrupy – this should take about three minutes.

Mix the cream cheese and icing sugar to taste. When the pancakes are cooked, top with blueberries, sweetened cream cheese, crushed biscuits and nuts.

Savoury Pancakes

Eggs Benedict pancakes

• 200g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 tbsp chopped chives, plus more to serve

• 200ml milk

• 3 eggs

• 25g butter, melted, plus extra for frying

For the toppings

• 4 eggs

• 1 jar or pack (about 250g) ready-made hollandaise sauce

• 4 slices thick cut ham, halved

• small handful spinach leaves

Mix all of the pancake ingredients together until smooth, with salt and pepper to taste.

Put a cube of butter in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat until melted and foaming.

Pour two tablespoons of the mixture into the pan and use the back of the spoon to shape it into a 8-9cm round disc.

Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side, then flip over and cook for another minute.

Heat oven to its lowest setting. Stack up the cooked pancakes on a baking tray and keep them warm in the oven while you cook the rest.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Crack each egg into a ramekin, then carefully lower into the water. Poach for 2-3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Drain and repeat with the other eggs.

Warm the hollandaise following packet instructions.

To serve, stack the pancakes with a layer of hollandaise, the ham and spinach leaves in between them, then top with a poached egg. Spoon over more hollandaise and top with chives and black pepper.

Pancakes with tomato and pepper sauce

Serves two.

• 4 large eggs

• handful basil leaves

For the sauce

• 2 tsp rapeseed oil, plus a little extra for the pancakes

• 1 yellow pepper, quartered, deseeded and thinly sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

• 400g can chopped tomatoes

• wholemeal bread or salad leaves, to serve

First make the sauce.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the pepper and garlic for 5 minutes to soften them. Spoon in the cider vinegar and allow to sizzle.

Tip in the tomatoes, then measure in a third of a can of water. Cover and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the peppers are soft and the sauce is thick.

Meanwhile, make the pancakes. Beat one egg with one teaspoon of water and seasoning, then heat a small non-stick frying pan with a small amount of oil. Add the egg mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until set into a thin pancake.

Lift onto a plate, cover with foil and repeat with the other eggs. Roll up onto warm plates, spoon over the sauce and scatter with the basil.

Serve with bread or a salad on the side.

American pancakes

200g self-raising flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

3 large eggs

25g melted butter, plus extra for cooking

200ml milk

vegetable oil, for cooking

To serve

Maple syrup

Toppings of your choice, such as cooked bacon, chocolate chips, blueberries or peanut butter and jam

Mix flour, baking powder, caster sugar and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl.

Create a well in the centre with the back of your spoon then add the eggs, melted butter and milk.

Whisk together until smooth then pour into a jug.

Heat a knob of butter and 1 teaspoon of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter looks frothy, pour in rounds of the batter, approximately 8cm wide.

Make sure you don't put the pancakes too close together as they will spread during cooking. Cook the pancakes on one side for about 1-2 minutes or until lots of tiny bubbles start to appear and pop on the surface.

Flip the pancakes over and cook for a further minute on the other side. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

Serve your pancakes stacked up on a plate with a drizzle of maple syrup and any of your favourite toppings.

Vegan pancakes

Makes 16 pancakes.

• 300g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp sugar (any kind)

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 400ml plant-based milk (such as oat, almond or soya)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking

Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in a bowl using a balloon whisk until mixed.

Slowly pour in the milk until you get a smooth, thick batter.

Heat a little of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat, and add two tablespoons of batter into the pan at a time to make small, round pancakes.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until the edges are set, and bubbles are appearing on the surface.

Flip the pancakes over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden on both sides and cooked through. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining pancakes.

Serve stacked with lots of toppings of your choice.