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Say goodbye to boxed pancake mix, because these fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes are buttery and have the most amazing melt-in-your-mouth texture. This is simply the best buttermilk pancake recipe and it’s so easy to follow!
I look forward to weekends when I can sleep in and whip up a delicious, homemade breakfast to enjoy during leisurely mornings. I usually whip up a fruit salad, cheesy potatoes, bacon, and these pancakes. Sometimes I even serve with them my homemade strawberry syrup or buttermilk syrup if I’m feeling decadent! Regardless of what I serve on these mornings, these Buttermilk Pancakes are always the hero of our Saturday mornings!
Who am I kidding, these aren’t just for breakfast. I’ve been known to whip up these Buttermilk Pancakes for an easy weeknight brinner, too! We just can’t get enough of the iconic buttermilk tang of these pancakes!
Why are my homemade buttermilk pancakes flat?
Usually, the culprit would be one of 4 things (or a combination):
- You over-worked the batter while mixing.
- The batter didn’t have adequate time to rest.
- The leaveners, the baking powder or baking soda, were outdated and flat.
- Too much of the leaveners were added to the batter. This will make the pancakes puff up beautifully at first, but as the pancakes cool they will quickly flatten.
Any of these factors will make your buttermilk pancakes flat, rubbery, and not very exciting. Not ideal, especially when they could be like THIS below!
Are you drooling yet?!
This Buttermilk Pancake recipe is an excellent base for add-ins. Below are some of my favorites for different flavor variations. 1/4-1/2 cup of any of the add-ins below will suffice.
Buttermilk Pancake Recipe Add-Ins:
- Cooked, crispy, chopped BACON! (you’ll thank me later!)
- Blueberries (dried or fresh)
- mini chocolate chips
- diced bananas (and 1/4 teaspoon of coconut extract instead of vanilla extract)
Cook’s Note – Buttermilk Pancakes from Scratch:
- Don’t be tempted to over-mix the batter! Small lumps of flour are completely fine with this recipe (see my instruction pictures below). The batter will be thick.
- It’s crucial that you let the pancake batter rest for 10 minutes. This enables the chemical reaction between the buttermilk and the leaveners to do their magic.
- I like to cook the pancakes on a griddle that way they get made quicker and I can actually sit down and enjoy breakfast with my family rather than sitting down to eat right as they finish.
- I like to serve these with pads or softened butter and room-temperature berries. Also, heating the maple syrup before pouring it onto the pancakes is life-changing!
- When I don’t have buttermilk on hand, I simply make my own with this easy buttermilk substitute recipe!
- If you don’t have a griddle pan and you’re making these in small batches, then preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet, lightly spray it with cooking spray, and place it in the oven. As pancakes cook, place them on the prepared baking sheet in the oven until they’re ready to serve.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Cook’s Tools – Buttermilk Pancakes from Scratch:
ONE YEAR AGO: Copycat Disney Apple Pie Caramel Apple
TWO YEARS AGO: Breakfast Sandwich
THREE YEARS AGO: Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
Buttermilk Pancake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.
- Very gently stir until just combined; do not over-mix! The batter will be lumpy with a few flour streaks. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
- After the batter has sat for 8 minutes, preheat the griddle or a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and heat until shimmering. Rotate the pan to cover it in oil and then use paper towels to wipe out the excess. If you’re using a griddle, then use a silicone pastry brush to spread the oil over the griddle.
- Fill a 1/4 cup measuring cup with batter and place 4 scoops of batter separated from each other in the preheated pan. If you’re using a griddle, then you’ll be able to fit more pancakes on the griddle. Cook until the edges are set and the underneath is golden brown, and bubbles start to break on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the underneath side is golden brown, about another 60-90 seconds.
- Repeat with the remaining batter and oil as needed, and serve immediately with syrup, butter, and fresh berries (optional).
Brandi says
So many useful tips and techniques! I never thought of it but my pancakes turned out really delicious and fluffy
Dannii says
Oooh, these look so light and fluffy. Perfect for a Valentine’s Day breakfast/
Jacqueline Debono says
I love pancakes for breakfast, especially on special days like Valentine’s day. Thanks for the tips on homemade buttermilk. It’s hard to find it here in Italy!
Danielle Wolter says
i want these pancakes on my plate right now!! i just love buttermilk pancakes. your photos are making me drool a bit with that maple syrup pour LOL!
Julia says
Your pancakes look soo fluffy! I have never tried freezing them but will do next time I make them.
Dayna says
These are my FAVORITE Buttermilk pancakes!
Jillian says
So glad that you love them!
Cherie says
Outstanding! The BEST buttermilk pancakes that I have made. And I have tried many similar to this one in 40 years. But this will be my go to recipe. They are fluffy with amazing flavor. I followed the recipe exactly. The batter was very thick. I was tempted to add more buttermilk but glad I did not. Thank you for tweaking and sharing this recipe Jillian.