New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the cost of making pancakes has increased significantly over the past five years, rising by 35.2% between December 2020 and December 2025.
Ahead of Pancake Tuesday on February 17, the CSO examined the prices of key ingredients used in a basic pancake recipe ,milk, flour, eggs and sugar , using data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Ireland’s official measure of inflation. The comparison looked at prices in December 2020, December 2024 and December 2025.
The analysis reveals sharp increases across most staple ingredients. The price of two litres of full-fat milk rose by 72 cent over the five-year period, representing a 42.6% increase. Meanwhile, the cost of a two-kilogram bag of flour climbed by 62 cent, an increase of 31.6%.
Egg prices have also seen a notable jump. A carton of six large eggs now costs 57 cent more than it did five years ago, marking a 32% rise.
However, it is sugar that recorded the steepest percentage increase. The price of a one-kilogram bag has risen by 69 cent since December 2020 — a 60.5% surge. Despite this substantial five-year increase, the CSO noted that sugar prices remained unchanged between December 2024 and December 2025.
Looking at more recent trends, the data shows mixed movements over the past year. In the 12 months to December 2025, the price of flour fell slightly by 2 cent, or 0.8%. In contrast, milk prices increased by 5 cent (2.1%), while eggs rose by 9 cent, representing a 4.9% increase.
The CSO pointed out that while many people enjoy topping their pancakes with lemon juice or fresh lemons, these items are not included in the CPI’s standard basket of goods and services.
Overall, the figures highlight the broader impact of inflation on everyday grocery items, with even simple, traditional treats like pancakes becoming noticeably more expensive to prepare compared with five years ago.
