I Made the New York Times’ Most Popular Pancake Recipe, and I’m In Love

I love a classic and hearty diner breakfast. Western omelets are my go-to order, but I also like homemade hash, thick slices of French toast, and really crispy home fries. And of course, there are pancakes. Good diner pancakes must be soft, fluffy, topped with a melting pat of butter, and served with a sticky metal and glass pitcher of real maple syrup.

Many diners have creative takes on classic flapjacks, but I’ve never had them quite like this NYT Cooking recipe I recently tried: the sky-high pancakes served at the Golden Diner in New York City. The pancakes have been the darling of social media, and now that I’ve tasted them, I can see why.

The Pancakes Worth Waiting in Line For

Opened in Manhattan’s Chinatown in 2019, the Golden Diner is the creation of Chef Sam Yoo. After working at the renowned Momofuku Ko, Yoo opened his vision for a classic city diner, one that reflects the influences of the surrounding neighborhoods. The food at Golden Diner is a nod to traditional dinner fare, like eggs with bacon, tuna melts, and Cobb salads, but with an elevated presentation, Korean and Asian influences, and unique flavor twists. 

That’s what Yoo has done with his honey butter-flavored pancakes at Golden Diner. They tick all the requisite boxes: fluffy, topped with butter, and drenched in syrup. However, these pancakes are super thick and pillowy soft. Instead of plain butter and syrup, they’re topped with a honey-and-maple compound butter and syrup. Fruit compote is an optional topping, but it shouldn’t be; it’s just divine with the honey. 

Yoo’s pancakes have been dubbed the best in the country, and videos of the domed, fluffy pancakes, covered in a blanket of syrup, have been widely shared on social media. That’s why if you head to Golden Diner without a reservation, you’ll likely wait in a two-hour line for your chance to get a taste. Instead, I made the NYT Cooking adaptation of Yoo’s recipe and enjoyed them in my cozy kitchen.

How to Make the Golden Diner Honey Butter Pancakes

The first step in making Golden Diner’s pancakes is to blend yeast with flour, buttermilk, and sugar, then let it rest for an hour. The bubbly mixture is called a pre-ferment, and gives the pancakes their fluffy texture.

While the mixture rests, make the compound butter by blending softened butter with honey, maple syrup, and salt. Then, prepare the syrup by mixing together more honey, butter, and maple syrup, along with an unexpected ingredient: a dash of soy sauce. It adds a touch of salty, umami flavor. 

In my opinion, the fruit compote really completes these pancakes. Fresh mixed berries are tossed with sugar and cornstarch and then simmered for just a couple of minutes until thickened.

Finally, combine the pre-fermented mixture with flour, baking soda, eggs, and oil. Heat up a nonstick skillet and pour in a thick layer of batter. Cook the pancake for a few minutes on each side, then slide it into the oven to finish cooking through; repeat to make a total of four or five thick pancakes.

They’re best served hot with a flood of honey-maple syrup, spoonfuls of compote, dollops of honey butter, and a little lemon zest.

I was really blown away by the texture of the pancakes. They’re thick but so light and have a little tang from the buttermilk. Honey is definitely the dominating flavor of the whole dish, with maple and citrus in the background. I really love this recipe, and I’m excited to make it for our pancake-loving kids the next time they’re home for a visit.

How to Make This Recipe Your Own

Making Golden Diner pancakes at home means you get to tailor them to your taste. Here are some ideas:

• For a stronger maple flavor, increase its ratio in the syrup mixture.
• Instead of a fruit compote, fold fresh berries right into the pancake batter before adding it to the pan.
• Chocolate and honey are wonderful together, so try adding some chocolate chips to the batter.
• To make mini pancakes that still have the thick texture of the originals, use greased pancake rings set in your nonstick skillet. They’ll hold the batter in place so they rise up instead of spreading out.