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

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Ever since Queen Elizabeth II died last week, I have been thinking a lot about her life. 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? 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. 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. 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. Here's how it all went: 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. First, I cracked two eggs into a bowl. 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. 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. After mixing the wet ingredients together, I added 3 cups of flour, and then the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk. I then added 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 3 teaspoons of cream of tartar. Last but not least, I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and added it to the batter. The mixture blended nicely together and — shocker — smelled exactly like pancake batter...in a really good way? It made me really hungry. The batter was smooth but definitely a bit on the thicker side, or at least not as runny as American pancake batter. 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. Don't worry, everyone's first pancake is always terrible. Luckily, the second one looked way better. And the third was perfectly golden. 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. 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. Per the suggestions of redditors, I decided to eat them with strawberry jam and butter. After cutting them open, I noticed they were definitely thicker than the average American pancake. They smelled buttery and looked moist. 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. 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. 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. FAQs

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 are pancakes called in England? ›

In the UK, the word pancakes refers to the same thing, but the word flapjacks refers to something entirely different: a baked good made from oats, resembling what elsewhere may be called a granola bar or oat bar. The word flapjack is traced back to the late 1500s.

Why is the second pancake always better? ›

After the first pancake has been cooked, however, the residual oil will be spread evenly across the now very hot pan, meaning the second will be much more successful.

Did the Queen eat pancakes? ›

However, she was also known to really enjoy a sweet treat, so Pancake Day was an opportunity for her to indulge before the more sombre weeks of lent. A few years back, the Royal Family's chefs revealed exactly how they whipped them up for the late Queen, and some of the ingredients she opted for might surprise you.

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 is the difference between American and British 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 do Southern people call pancakes? ›

Pancakes are sometimes called hoecakes in the South. Most Southerners are familiar with lacy cornbread, aka hot water cornbread. A hoecake is a rustic fried version of a pancake made with ground cornmeal.

Why do restaurant pancakes taste better than homemade? ›

Restaurants use better quality ingredients

Restaurants tend to use real, farm-fresh eggs and real milk when making their pancakes, which as you might guess, adds to a richer, higher-quality eating experience.

Why do you put coins in pancakes? ›

However, it's not as tasty as you think, as they add small objects (after they've been thoroughly cleaned of course) such as buttons, rings, and coins. Each object has a special meaning, for example, if you find a shiny coin in your pancake, you're deemed very lucky and will end up rich!

Why do you always throw away the first pancake? ›

Why is the first pancake often so ugly that it gets tossed? Pancake experts say that there are some possible reasons, including the amount of butter being used, the temperature of the heating surface, and so on. Perhaps the first one is a "tester." Once it is made, the next batches will be fine.

Did Queen Elizabeth eat eggs? ›

Scrambled eggs were an occasional part of Queen Elizabeth's breakfast, and her favorite toppings were royally delicious.

What did the Queen eat every morning? ›

In the morning, the Queen was known to have biscuits and tea followed by toast and marmalade, cereal with fruit, or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and truffle, as Insider's Ali Millington reported.

What did the Queen eat every afternoon? ›

Then, in the late afternoon, McGrady says, the Queen will have an afternoon tea. (The Queen always has scones with jam and clotted cream - and she puts jam on first). He explained: “She'd always have afternoon tea wherever she was in the world.

What is Queen Elizabeth cake made of? ›

Queen Elizabeth cake is a dessert cake prepared with sugar, flour, dates, eggs, and butter, and topped with a sugary icing infused with shredded coconut. The cake is named after Elizabeth II. It is a popular cake in Canada. The coconut topping is prepared by broiling or grilling.

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 did Queen Elizabeth like in her scrambled eggs? ›

Shortly after the Queen died in 2022, Australian nutritionist Lee Holmes revealed on her website that a close friend of hers once cooked for the Queen, noting that Her Majesty enjoyed her scrambled eggs prepared with nutmeg and lemon zest, according to the New York Post.

What was Queen Elizabeth's wedding cake? ›

The Majesty of Queen Elizabeth's: Royal Wedding Cake

The result was a magnificent four-tiered fruit cake standing at nine feet tall. The cake design was an epitome of royalty with intricate sugar-work representing the couple's family crests, symbols of love and friendship, and scenes from their lives.

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