Rainbow Pancakes

Brighten up your morning with a stack of rainbow pancakes that are as cheerful as they are delicious! This easy recipe uses boxed pancake mix and a few drops of food coloring to create a colorful breakfast your kids will love. Whether you're celebrating a birthday, a holiday, or just need something fun to start the day, these pancakes are guaranteed to bring smiles to the table.

Best of all? They come together fast with pantry staples and make enough for the whole family. Let's get flipping!

Maple syrup being poured over a stack of rainbow pancakes, drizzling down the colorful layers of yellow, green, blue and red.

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Another fun breakfast recipe is our pancake tacos! Kids love these.

Why we love this recipe:

Kid-approved and fun - These colorful pancakes are a hit with kids and great for birthday mornings, holidays, or special weekends.
Easy to make - No fancy ingredients or complicated steps-just pantry basics and a little color magic.
Customizable - Use any colors you like or match them to a theme or holiday.

Ingredients needed:

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

Overhead shot of pancake ingredients including eggs, flour, milk, vanilla, and food coloring.

Boxed Pancake Mix - The ultimate shortcut! Use your favorite brand for a quick and easy base.
Milk - Helps create a smooth, pourable batter with a creamy texture.
Oil - Adds moisture and helps keep the pancakes tender.
Eggs - Bind the ingredients together and give the pancakes structure.
Food Coloring (green, yellow, blue, red) - Adds the magic! Use gel or liquid food coloring to tint each batch of batter.

How to make fun rainbow pancakes

Mixing bowl with eggs, flour, and milk just before blending.

Smooth pancake batter fully mixed in a big glass bowl.

Heat skillet over medium heat. You'll know it's ready when you can add a drop of water and it sizzles.
Combine pancake mix, milk, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Mix just until there are no large lumps.

Four bowls of pancake batter with different food colorings added.

Brightly colored pancake batters in yellow, green, red, and blue.

Divide the mixture equally into 4 bowls. Add one shade of food coloring to each bowl, mixing until blended.

Red pancake cooking in a lightly greased pan.

Blue pancake batter freshly poured into a hot pan.

Lightly grease your skillet, then pour about ¼ cup of batter per pancake.
Flip pancakes once the top begins to bubble, continuing to cook until both sides are golden brown.

Colorful stack of eight rainbow pancakes with two of each color in red, blue, green, and yellow.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or toaster.

Freezer - Freeze cooled pancakes in a single layer, then stack in a zip-top bag. Reheat straight from frozen in the toaster or microwave.

Make ahead - Mix the batter and divide it by color the night before. Cover and refrigerate, then cook fresh in the morning.

Close-up of partially eaten rainbow pancakes showing the bright red, blue, green, and yellow inside.

Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

Can I use plant-based milk or egg substitutes?

Yes! This recipe works well with almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. You can also use an egg substitute like flax eggs or a commercial egg replacer.

Will the food coloring stain my pan?

Nope-as long as your skillet is nonstick and well-greased, the colors won't stain or stick. Just wash as usual after cooking.

Tips for Success

Use a nonstick skillet or griddle for easy flipping and perfectly golden pancakes.
Mix colors separately to keep them vibrant and prevent streaking.
Don't overmix the batter-just stir until the lumps are gone for light, fluffy pancakes.
Want more colors? Add orange and purple by mixing red/yellow and red/blue for a full rainbow effect!

Rainbow Pancakes

Add a burst of color to your breakfast with these easy Rainbow Pancakes! Made with boxed mix and food coloring, they're fun, kid-friendly, and perfect for birthdays or holidays.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings pancakes

Calories 33 kcal

Ingredients

2 cups boxed pancake mix
2 cups milk
2 tablespoon oil
2 eggs
Food coloring - green yellow, blue and red

Instructions

Heat skillet over medium heat. You'll know it's ready when you can add a drop of water and it sizzles.
Combine pancake mix, milk, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Mix just until there are no large lumps. Divide the mixture equally into 4 bowls. Add one shade of food coloring to each bowl, mixing until blended.
Lightly grease your skillet, then pour about ¼ cup of batter per pancake.
Flip pancakes once the top begins to bubble, continuing to cook until both sides are golden brown.
Serve hot and enjoy

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancakeCalories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 16mgPotassium: 43mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 63IUCalcium: 32mgIron: 0.1mg

Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.