Which do you like better: griddle cakes vs pancakes vs flapjacks or hotcakes? This has been a debate that has raged for years.
Some people are die-hard pancake fans, while others swear by griddlecakes. But which is the right choice? And what’s the difference between all of these different breakfast dishes anyhow?
I have often seen people referring to griddlecakes as pancakes. They are also sometimes referred to as flapjacks or hotcakes, so what are they?
Are griddlecakes the same as pancakes? Are flapjacks de same as pancakes? And what are hotcakes?
So I decided to research and bring the definitive answer to this question.
Jump to:
- What are griddlecakes?
- What are pancakes?
- What are flapjacks?
- What are hotcakes?
- Griddle cakes vs pancakes: Are they the same?
- Pancakes vs flapjacks: Are pancakes and flapjacks the same?
- Pancakes vs hotcakes: Are pancakes and hotcakes the same?
- So the definitive answer about griddlecakes vs pancakes vs flapjacks vs hotcakes is:
- Recipes for pancakes and hotcakes
What are griddlecakes?
Griddlecakes is the oldest name for these type of round cakes cooked on a hot plate or griddle (like an iron).
Pancakes were originally called griddle cakes because they were cooked on a griddle over an open fire.
When pan became more common, pancakes started being cooked on the pan, but they were still referred to as griddlecakes.
Later, many people started referring to them simply as pancakes because that was the most common name for them.
What are pancakes?
Pancakes are flat, round cakes made from batter and fried in a pan.
The flatness of the pancake means that there will always be browned areas on them where they have been in contact with the pan.
This is why people often refer to them as hotcakes, because they are cooked until the top is covered with bubbles and then flipped so that both sides get browned.
The term pancake has come to refer to this type of food item in most English speaking countries.
What are flapjacks?
Flapjacks are pancakes with usually oats added to the mixture. Pancakes are usually made of just flour, eggs, sugar and milk with nothing else added except maybe baking powder/baking soda if you want some extra fluffiness.
However, flapjacks also have oats added to the mixture on most cases. These mochi pancakes are actually more similar to flapjacks.
What are hotcakes?
If you are in the US then hotcakes can be used interchangeably with the word pancake.
The best example of this is how McDonalds names their pancakes: MacDonalds hotcakes.
However if you are in UK or other place, hotcakes can have a different meaning.
Hotcakes are a type of griddlecake that is thicker than a normal pancake.
They have been cooked for longer, so they have more browned areas on them from being in contact with the pan.
Griddle cakes vs pancakes: Are they the same?
If you live i the US the answer to this question is yes. Griddlecakes are pancakes and pancakes are griddlecakes.
However in the UK griddlecakes refer to the American style pancake: thing round, fluffy and soft disks of batter cooked in a pan, while pancakes refer to a thinner, flatter and usually larger disk of batter cooked in a pan but more similar to a crepe.
Pancakes vs flapjacks: Are pancakes and flapjacks the same?
Yes, if you are in the US then flapjacks are just pancakes. However, in the UK flapjacks are a type of griddlecake that is thicker than most pancakes with usually oats added to the mixture.
Pancakes vs hotcakes: Are pancakes and hotcakes the same?
No, hotcakes are a type of griddlecake that is thicker than a normal pancake.
Hotcakes have been cooked for longer so they have more browned areas on them from being in contact with the pan.
So the definitive answer about griddlecakes vs pancakes vs flapjacks vs hotcakes is:
The are all really similar (and in most cases exactly the same).
The main variations can be in:
- Thickness
- Oats added or not
- Time toasted
So, griddlecakes are flat, round cakes made from batter and fried in a pan, flapjacks are pancakes with usually oats added to the mixture. Hotcakes are thick griddlecakes that have been cooked for longer than normal pancakes so they have a deeper brown exterior and pancakes are just the common American name to use for all of those options.
Recipes for pancakes and hotcakes
The best thing about pancakes is that there’s a delicious option for anyone and everyone.
I mean there are literally hundreds of different recipes you can make if you are craving pancakes (or griddlecakes) for breakfast.
I actually have a whole section of this blog dedicated to fluffy pancake recipes. So if you are craving some here are the most popular ones:
You can find pancakes and griddle cakes (and flapjacks and hotcakes) in many different places. The thing that sets them apart is the difference between their textures, how they’re made, and what ingredients are used to make them. Pancakes have a crispy exterior with an interior that’s fluffy; while griddlecakes will be more like traditional cakes.
Some people prefer flapjacks because it has an even crust all around which makes for easy stacking without worrying about toppings sliding off. Hotcakes on the other hand are thicker than pancakes.
So whichever you prefer, there’s definitely something for everyone in the pancake/griddlecake family no matter where you are in the world.
But if you live in America you can pretty much forget this and consider them all the same.
What other questions do you have about griddle cakes vs pancakes?
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