Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe
I’m not joking or exaggerating that I make these pancakes every weekend! My whole family LOVES “mommy’s pancakes,” they ask for them every Saturday and Sunday, and they won’t touch any other pancakes. (They have also dragged my out of bed on more than once occasion so I can make their pancakes for breakfast.)
Buttermilk always makes pancakes so much softer and fluffier than regular pancakes, which is why they’re a favorite in my house. I just love working with buttermilk because it gives a superior texture and adds a little tang to the dishes. All of my varieties of pancakes feature this base, like my banana pancakes, strawberry pancakes, apple pie pancakes and so many more.
Buttermilk has similar effects to baked goods, too. If you’re looking for perfectly baked, fluffy buttermilk recipes, you must make Buttermilk Cornbread and Buttermilk Biscuits!
As good as the classic pancakes are, it my house, buttermilk pancakes win every time! They’re pretty similar breakfast treats, but also a completely different in texture.
Tips for Making Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Buttermilk – buttermilks is a key to soft and fluffy pancakes that melt in your mouth! I found that using low fat buttermilk in particular will give the best results in the texture.
- Mix everything together until just combined – do NOT overmix!
- Let the batter sit – Once you mix the buttermilk pancake batter, let it sit for approximately 10 minutes while the pan heats up. That way, the baking powder has time to activate.
- Preheat the skillet first! Preheat the skillet over medium heat, then lower it just a bit before adding the pancake batter. (If the pan is too hot, the pancakes will brown too much on the outside before cooking through.)
- Add some of the cooking oil to the pan and spread it around to grease. Don’t skip this step – you do NOT want your pancakes to stick to the pan!
- Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop to add the batter to the pan. That way, all of your pancakes will be exactly the same size.
- Don’t touch the pancake before flipping – To make sure the pancake cooks perfectly and efficiently, do not move it around or peak at the other side while it cooks.
- Keep the pan greased – If you notice the cooking oil is starting to disperse after your first few pancakes, don’t be afraid to add more!
- Buttermilk is the secret ingredient for fluffy pancakes! Buttermilk has an acidic ingredient that helps tenderize gluten, which gives the pancakes a softer texture, as well as more body. Plus, it helps the batter raise better when cooking!
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: It’s best to serve these pancakes when they’re fresh and hot. To store leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Pancakes should stay good for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: When you’re ready to serve them, reheat the pancakes by giving them a few minutes in a warm skillet until they’re just heated through. (You can also reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.)
Can I Freeze Pancakes?
- This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe!
- Make sure the pancakes are room temperature before freezing. Then, freeze them in a single layer on a tray for about an hour. (Set a timer!)
- Once they’re frozen, you can stack them together with a square of parchment paper between each pancake. This will help prevent them from sticking together.
- Place them in batches in a large freezer zip-top bag, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds each! If they are small enough, you can even pop them in a toaster.
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Soft and Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups low fat buttermilk
- 3 tbsp canola, vegetables, or light tasting olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk well.
- Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda and mix just until smooth and combined. Don't overmix.
- Let the batter sit while you preheat a skillet or a griddle (cast iron is the best choice for both).
- It’s important to preheat the pan or the griddle first, before cooking the pancakes. Preheat it over medium heat and then lower it a little bit before adding pancake batter.
- Add a little oil to the pan and spread it around to grease.
- Use a 1/3 cup scoop or an ice cream scoop to get the same amount of batter for each pancake. Add the batter to the hot pan and let it cook without touching it.
- Wait for the bubbles to appear all over the top, that is your indication that pancakes are ready to flip. Use a spatula to slide all the way under the pancake, lift it off, and use your wrist to quickly flip. (It will take 4-6 minutes for each pancake to cook.)
How to keep pancakes warm:
- Whether you're using a pan or a griddle to cook, making several batches will give cooked pancakes time to cool. To keep them warm while cooking the rest is easy. Preheat the oven to 200° and keep cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven.
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free: you can use 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour instead of regular flour. (Personally, I prefer the 1:1 baking all purpose gluten free flour either from Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.) Please do remember that the texture will be somewhat different. It will me more grainy and crumbly, as many gluten free baked good tent to be. It will still be delicious, you will just notice a little the textural difference.
- Storing: To store leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Pancakes should stay good for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: When you’re ready to serve them, reheat the pancakes by giving them a few minutes in a warm skillet until they’re just heated through. (You can also reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.)
- Freezer: Make sure the pancakes are room temperature before freezing. Then, freeze them in a single layer on a tray for about an hour. (Set a timer!) Once they’re frozen, you can stack them together with a square of parchment paper between each pancake. This will help prevent them from sticking together. Place them in batches in a large freezer zip-top bag, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds each! If they are small enough, you can even pop them in a toaster.
Nutrition
More Pancake Recipes To Try
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in April 2021.
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
I love buttermilk pancakes, but I didn’t love any recipe I tried until yours! These are the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever made, and these are now in our regular breakfast rotation. Thanks for a fast, easy, and DELICIOUS recipe.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! 🥰 I’m thrilled to hear that these buttermilk pancakes are a hit in your kitchen and have earned a spot in your breakfast rotation. 🙂
Delicious, Light, Fluffy pancakes.
I love fresh blueberries added t batter!
Thank you, Martha! I am so glad you like the recipe!
I like your recipes very much. Thanks to you, my meals are richer. My whole family also often eats at home more often.
Good morning! Thanks for this easy recipe, trying it right now!, I did just notice that your description calls for using brown sugar, however your instructions call for white granulated, which I used because I forgot when I went to make them,. I’m sure they’re great both ways, just wondering which you prefer?
Thanks:)
I am so sorry, that was a mistake in the recipe card. I like to use light brown sugar with this recipe, but you can use light or dark; you might have a more challenging time mixing it into the batter because it tends to clump up more.
I just tried your recipe, no substitutions. It was really light and fluffy and the taste and texture was fantastic. This would perfect with lemons and blueberries.
Thank you, Amanda! I am so glad you liked it and I agree both of those would be really yummy with it! 🙂
Excellent recipe. My go-to for pancakes has always been the one in Joy of Cooking, which requires you to separate the whites from the egg yokes and then make an almost-meringue, before folding everything back into the batter
Glad you liked the recipe.
Since my daughter died I started baking for some reason.. I think because she loved to bake. Anyway I had left over buttermilk from a cake I made and saw your piece about buttermilk pancakes so I decided to try to make them. All I have to say is OMG!! I have never made pancakes from scratch and boy were they delicious!!!!
Hi Holly,
I am so sorry to hear about your daughter, that is a pain I can not even imagine. I am glad that you find some peace in baking and that you like this recipe. Take Care!
Wonderful. So fluffy Iused the brown sugar.
Thanks, Lila! Glad you liked them!