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Stack of golden dorayaki pancakes on a wooden board, one halved to show the dark red bean filling inside.

Fluffy Dorayaki Pancakes with Sweet Red Bean Paste

Soft, golden pancakes sandwiched around sweet red bean paste, cooked on the stovetop in about 20 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 156
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pancake Batter
  • 2 eggs large; room temperature
  • 60 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 60 ml whole milk
  • 120 g all-purpose flour sifted
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder check it's fresh
  • 1 pinch fine salt
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil for greasing the pan
Filling
  • 220 g sweet red bean paste (anko) store-bought or homemade

Method
 

Make the Batter
  1. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk with the sugar and honey for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and slightly thickened.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the egg mixture. Whisk until no dry streaks remain and the batter is smooth.
  3. Pour in the milk in two additions, whisking after each, until the batter is thick but pourable, similar to heavy cream. Cover and rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Cook the Pancakes
  1. Heat a 20 cm / 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Brush lightly with the vegetable oil, then wipe out the excess with a paper towel.
  2. Ladle about 3 tablespoons of batter into the skillet to form an 8 cm round. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes, until bubbles rise to the surface and the edges look dry and matte.
  3. Flip and cook the second side for 45 to 60 seconds, until golden brown spots show underneath. Transfer to a cooling rack and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep soft.
  4. Wipe the skillet clean between batches and repeat with the remaining batter. You should end up with 10 to 12 pancakes.
Assemble
  1. Once the pancakes are cool enough to handle, spread about 2 to 3 tablespoons of sweet red bean paste onto the flat side of one pancake.
  2. Top with a second pancake, flat side down, and press gently to sandwich the filling. Repeat with the remaining pancakes and paste.
  3. Serve right away, or wrap each dorayaki individually if storing for later.

Notes

  • Rest the batter for the full 15 minutes, don't skip it.
  • Keep the skillet at medium-low, not medium, or edges brown before centers set.
  • Cover cooked pancakes with a towel so they stay soft while you finish the batch.
  • Leftover batter keeps in the fridge for 1 day if you'd rather cook in two rounds.