Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (2024)

They somehow taste way better than American pancakes — which, I guess, isn't that hard to beat considering some box pancake mixes can actually taste like cardboard. That said, these "drop scones" taste the way pancakes SHOULD taste.

by Jen Shiori AdamsBuzzFeed Staff

Ever since Queen Elizabeth II died last week, I have been thinking a lot about her life.

Giphy / Via giphy.com

Her Majesty lived for 96 years and reigned for over 70 of them. And I feel like even though she was a monumental figure in history for so long, I didn’t really know too much about her day-to-day “normal” life. So, it got me thinking, what were the Queen’s favorite recipes? Like, what did she like to eat daily?

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (3)

Fox Photos / Getty Images

My curiosity was satiated when I came across this recipe of hers on Reddit for "drop scones," also called Scotch pancakes. They're apparently very similar to American pancakes, but thicker and smaller in diameter.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (4)

u/Twizzyu / Reddit / Via reddit.com

The Queen purportedly gave president Eisenhower this recipe 63 years ago, in 1959. For context, that's the year Hawaii became a state, and the year The Twilight Zone aired its first episode. Anyway, this is a photo of the two from that year.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (5)

Fox Photos / Getty Images

I figured that seeing an old recipe of hers floating around the internet was the universe's way of telling me to give the drop scones a try. Plus, I thought it would be the perfect way to honor Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (6)

Central Press / Getty Images

I gathered all the ingredients the recipe called for, which included flour, caster sugar, milk, eggs, cream of tartar, butter, and bi-carbonate soda, also known as baking soda.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (7)

Jen Adams

First, I cracked two eggs into a bowl.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (8)

Jen Adams

Next, I measured out 4 tablespoons of caster sugar and added it to the eggs. Caster sugar is also referred to as "superfine sugar," although it doesn't seem to be as common in the US as it is in the UK. The size of each sugar grain is smaller than "regular" granulated sugar but larger than confectioner's sugar.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (9)

Jen Adams

I followed that with 1 1/2 cups of milk, equal to 2 teacups, which is the first half of what her majesty's recipe calls for.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (10)

Jen Adams

After mixing the wet ingredients together, I added 3 cups of flour, and then the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (11)

Jen Adams

I then added 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 3 teaspoons of cream of tartar.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (12)

Jen Adams

Last but not least, I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and added it to the batter.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (13)

The mixture blended nicely together and — shocker — smelled exactly like pancake batter...in a really good way? It made me really hungry.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (14)

Jen Adams

The batter was smooth but definitely a bit on the thicker side, or at least not as runny as American pancake batter.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (15)

Jen Adams

There were no actual cooking instructions on the recipe, but after consulting the BBC and some comments on Reddit, it seems as if you're supposed to cook them like you would American pancakes. Drop scones are supposed to be small, so I decided to use a 1/4 cup measuring tool to scoop the batter into my butter-greased pan.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (16)

Jen Adams

My pan was on medium heat, and I let the pancake sit for a few minutes until I saw a few tiny bubbles rise to the surface.

Don't worry, everyone's first pancake is always terrible.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (17)

Jen Adams

Luckily, the second one looked way better.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (18)

Jen Adams

And the third was perfectly golden.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (19)

Jen Adams

There was a lot of batter, so it ended up making around 10 pancakes. (I will admit I ended up throwing out a few since I burned them so badly.) The recipe actually says it makes enough for 16 people, so I guess these were supposed to be even smaller than I made them. For reference, the drop scones pictured below are about five inches in diameter.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (20)

Jen Adams

At last, it was time to give them a try. I would estimate that the cook time took around 35 minutes, including the preparation for the batter.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (21)

Jen Adams

Per the suggestions of redditors, I decided to eat them with strawberry jam and butter.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (22)

Jen Adams

After cutting them open, I noticed they were definitely thicker than the average American pancake. They smelled buttery and looked moist.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (23)

Jen Adams

After taking the first bite, I was honestly a bit surprised by how delicious these were. They somehow taste way better than American pancakes — which, I guess, isn't that hard to beat considering some box pancake mixes can actually taste like cardboard. With that being said, these drop scones taste the way pancakes SHOULD taste.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (24)

Jen Adams

They are delightfully chewy with a dense, pound cake–like consistency. They were great with some dollops of butter and jam. I would highly recommend everyone start making these instead of traditional American pancakes.

I guess I'll never know much about the Queen's personal life, but at least I now know that she had great taste in pancakes.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (25)

Print Collector / Getty Images

Have you tried drop scones before? Let me know in the comments.

P.S. I also made aTikTokof this entire process, if you want to check that out.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Famous “Pancake” Recipe Just Resurfaced, And They’re Better Than American Ones (2024)

FAQs

What is Queen Elizabeth's pancake recipe? ›

Beat two eggs with 4 tablespoons of sugar and about one teacup (or 3/4 of a cup) of milk. Add 4 teacups of flour and mix in another teacup of milk "as required" Mix in 3 teaspoons of cream of tartar and 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda (baking soda) Fold in 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

What's the difference between American pancakes and Scotch pancakes? ›

Also called Drop Scones, Scotch pancakes are enjoyed for breakfast and as a snack in the United Kingdom. The main difference between Scotch and American pancakes is that the Scotch version is simpler. Ingredients include self-rising flour, salt, caster sugar, and eggs. Caster sugar provides a more caramelized taste.

Who made the first pancake? ›

History. The Ancient Greeks made pancakes called τηγανίτης (tēganitēs), ταγηνίτης (tagēnitēs) or ταγηνίας (tagēnias), all words deriving from τάγηνον (tagēnon), "frying pan". The earliest attested references to tagenias are in the works of the 5th-century BC poets Cratinus and Magnes.

What is another name for drop scones? ›

Drop scones (scotch pancakes)

What was Queen Elizabeth's favorite dish? ›

Queen Elizabeth adhered to a daily teatime meal; her preference for delicate sandwiches with the crusts cut off was well-publicized. Her favorite version was reported to be smoked salmon with cream cheese. If the old adage is true, one should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper.

What's the difference between British pancakes and American pancakes? ›

They are different. American pancakes are made with self raising flour (or baking powder) so they have a cake-like texture. British pancakes are made with plain flour and no raising agent. The batter contains a greater proportion of milk and egg to flour than the American variety.

What are American pancakes called in England? ›

Not only are "flapjacks" their own thing in the UK, British cuisine also has a different understanding of what makes a pancake. Though they'll call it a "pancake," the British version is unleavened and closer to what we Yanks might call a crepe than the fluffy, pillowy food we tend to think of.

What do Southerners call pancakes? ›

In the South, pancakes are interchangeably called hotcakes, griddlecakes, and flapjacks, though British flapjacks are made with rolled oats cooked in the oven. In the U.S., pancakes are made with flour, eggs, butter, and milk, and cooked on a griddle or frying pan to form leavened flat cakes.

Why is the first pancake no good? ›

The first pancake is in effect the trial run, working out the kinks before all the variables of even heat and pan seasoning come together. While that first pancake cooks the pan comes to temperature, and it absorbs just enough of the fat on the cooking surface so that second one will cook more evenly.

What is the difference between hotcakes and pancakes? ›

Our crew Googled it and the definition of a hotcake is in fact “a pancake.” There is, however, a subtle difference on how you prepare a hotcake versus a pancake. Generally, pancakes are wide and have a fluffy texture, whereas the hotcakes tend to be thicker and denser.

What was the first ready made pancake mix? ›

One of the best-known and most successful uses of the Mammy archetype in advertising was Aunt Jemima. Introduced in 1889, Aunt Jemima pancake mix was the first ready-made food product sold commercially in the United States. The brand was founded by Chris Rutt and Charles Underwood of St.

What are American scones called in England? ›

A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.)

Both baked goodies use flour, fat, liquid and a leavening agent. The main differences are that scones tend to have less butter (because you'll add butter to it when you eating it — or else, clotted cream or jam) while American biscuits tend to have more butter and light layers.

What is the difference between a drop scone and an American pancake? ›

Drop scones are thicker than American pancakes, and a little smaller. If you read the Queen's recipe in the image above, note the use of "teacups" as measurements for flour and milk. Before Fanny Farmer we used teacups for measures as well.

What are Victoria scones? ›

Victoria scones are also sometimes called empire scones and are a cake baked to celebrate Queen Victoria's coronation and Jubilee. The scone is shaped into a round with a cross cut across the top. A glace cherry is placed in the center of each segment. To represent the jewels in her crown.

What was Queen Elizabeths breakfast? ›

Queen Elizabeth's menu preferences

Her Majesty started the morning off with yogurt, cereal, or toast but sometimes opted for smoked haddock or kippers, which was one of her favorite breakfast options. British Heritage Travel notes that the Queen enjoyed scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on special occasions.

What is Queen Elizabeth cake made of? ›

Queen Elizabeth cake is a lightly sweet, moist, and low-fat date cake, topped with a brown sugar, butter and broiled coconut mixture. "Queen Elizabeth cake" is named after the Queen of Canada, Elizabeth II, and may have first been made in 1953 for her coronation.

Which US president got Queen Elizabeth's scone recipe? ›

This recipe was sent by Queen Elizabeth II to President Eisenhower in 1960.

What was Queen Elizabeth's dessert? ›

Posted on www.today.com (Read original article here.)

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