Hamdi Saidani Pioneer Woman sheet pan pancake is a giant oven-baked pancake made with a blender batter, melted butter, and three rows of toppings: strawberries, blueberries, and chocolate chips. It feeds a crowd in just 30 minutes.
This recipe comes from Ree Drummond’s cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Super Easy! and her Food Network episode “Home Sweet Home: Sheet Pan Adventures.” Ree designed it as a no-griddle shortcut so you can feed a full table from one pan without flipping a single cake.
The batter goes into a blender, not a mixing bowl, because 25 seconds of blending gives you a completely smooth pour with no lumps. Whisk by hand and you risk pockets of dry flour that turn into tough, gummy spots after baking.
Pioneer Woman Sheet Pan Pancake
Description
One big pancake baked on a buttered sheet pan at 425F (220C) until golden and puffy. The batter comes together in a blender in under a minute, and three rows of toppings let everyone grab their favorite section.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set it to 425F (220C) and let it come to full temperature before the batter goes in.
- Blend the wet ingredients. Add whole milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to a blender. Pulse until combined, about 10 seconds.
- Add the dry ingredients. Pour in flour, baking powder, sugar, and kosher salt. Blend until smooth, 25 to 30 seconds.
- Add butter to the batter. Pour in half the melted butter (4 tablespoons) and pulse a few times until just incorporated.
- Prep the pan. Spread 2 tablespoons of melted butter across a sheet pan to coat the entire surface evenly.
- Pour the batter. Pour the blended batter onto the buttered sheet pan and tilt to spread it to the edges.
- Add the toppings. Picture the pan in thirds. Sprinkle strawberries on one third, chocolate chips on the middle third, and blueberries on the last third.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the top is golden and the center is set, about 20 minutes.
- Finish with butter. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter across the surface as soon as the pan comes out.
- Cut and serve. Slice into squares and serve with extra butter and warm maple syrup.
FAQs
Why does Ree blend the batter instead of mixing it by hand?
Blending for 25 to 30 seconds breaks down every pocket of flour so the batter pours out perfectly smooth. A whisk or fork leaves small dry clumps that do not fully dissolve during the short 20 minute bake.
Those undissolved clumps turn into dense, gummy patches in the finished pancake. The blender also works the melted butter evenly into the liquid. That gives you a consistent, tender texture from the edge pieces all the way to the center squares.
Why divide the toppings into three sections instead of mixing them all together?
Three separate rows mean every slice has one clear flavor instead of a random jumble. Kids and picky eaters grab their favorite section without picking around toppings they do not want.
Scattering everything also causes heavier chocolate chips to sink while berries float, so some squares end up loaded and others bare. Keeping toppings in distinct rows lets each one sit on the batter’s surface where you can see and taste it in every bite.
Why brush more melted butter on top right after baking?
The hot surface absorbs that final coat of butter instantly, adding richness and a visible sheen across the top. Without it, the pancake looks matte and dry, and the flavor falls flat compared to the buttery base underneath.
It also softens any spots that crisped up around the edges during baking. That thin layer keeps the whole surface tender. Every square gets the same soft bite, whether it came from the outside edge or the center of the pan.
Can you skip the toppings and bake the pancake plain?
Ree suggests this as an option in her cook’s note for the recipe. Bake the batter with nothing on top, cut it into squares, then let everyone add their own toppings at the table.
This works well when you have guests with different preferences or food allergies. Set out bowls of sliced fruit, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and chopped nuts so each person builds their own plate. The plain pancake holds its structure just fine without anything baked into the surface.
Why does this recipe use a full stick of butter?
The butter has three separate jobs in this recipe. Four tablespoons go into the batter for flavor and tenderness. Two tablespoons coat the pan so the pancake lifts out without sticking to a single spot.
The final two tablespoons get brushed across the top right after baking for that rich, glossy finish. Cutting back on any portion changes the result. Less pan butter means stuck edges, and skipping the top brush leaves a dry surface that soaks up syrup too fast.
