Published June 9, 2017. Updated May 11, 2021
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The BEST Buttermilk Pancake recipe! They’re perfectly soft and fluffy, and I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t love them. This is one of our favorite breakfasts that we make again and again. Destined to be a favorite in your home too!
Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
This is what breakfast is all about!! I’ve been making buttermilk pancakes from scratch for about 15 years (several times each month), so hopefully by now I’ve gotten things figured out.
Buttermilk Pancakes Video
It was one of the first things I learned how to cook when I was a teenager. I was raised in a home where we always used pancake mix. Even on holidays. Yikes.
So when I learned how to make homemade buttermilk pancakes from scratchit was pretty much life changing.
I guess we just didn’t know what we were missing out on until we tried the real deal. And now I’ll never look back, it’s homemade pancakes for life.
Homemade pancakes are just too easy and there’s just no comparison. Buttermilk pancakes are one of the all-time best comfort foods!
These are the ratios and method I’ve found works best. I hope you fall in love with these too!
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Unsalted butter and oil for griddle
How to Make Buttermilk Pancakes From Scratch
- Preheat cooking equipment.
- Whisk dry ingredients and make a well in center.
- Separately whisk eggs. Mix in buttermilk and and melted butter.
- Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and whisk just until combined.
- Grease griddle and ladle on batter in 1/3 cup portions.
- Cook until golden brown on bottom then flip and cook opposite side until golden brown.
- Serve warm!
What Cooking Equipment Should I Use?
I’ve listed several ways to cook the pancakes, there are benefits to each.
- Cast iron gives such a nice crisp golden edge (but it can be a little temperamental and more tricky to work with. Pretty easy to get used to though).
- A skillet seems to cook the homemade buttermilk pancakes the most even, but the only drawback is you can’t fit that many.
- And an electric griddle can fit a bunch at once and it doesn’t use up stove-top space (I love my BIG electric griddle). You just don’t get those nicely browned edges with this method though.
Try out each and see what is your favorite or use what you have.
Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute?
I’ve tried using the lemon/vinegar + milk substitute here and it doesn’t work very well. The consistency is a bit different and flavor so I definitely recommend sticking with real buttermilk.
Then use what’s left to make buttermilk biscuits or cake.
How to Warm Pancakes
Unless you have multiple griddles chances are you won’t get them all cooked at once. To keep them warm you can keep in a preheated 200 degree oven on a cookie sheet.
My Favorite Pancake Toppings
I love to top these fluffy buttermilk pancakes with:
- Strawberry Syrup and whipped cream
- Buttermilk Syrup (see notes in post, make a double batch)
- Blueberry Syrup
- Lemon Curd
- Maple syrup or pancake syrup
- Butter and cinnamon sugar
What Pancake Sides Should I Serve?
Serve them up with scrambled eggs or omelets, breakfast potatoes or hash browns, oven cooked bacon or breakfast sausage, fresh fruit, and juice or milk.
Tips for the Best Buttermilk Pancakes
- Don’t over-mix the batter! With pancakes, the batter should be a bit lumpy. If over-mixed, the pancakes come out flat.
- Try blueberries in the pancakes. I like to dot them on after ladling on the griddle (before flipping).
- Plan on two per person because they are 100% irresistible!
- If using butter, melt it immediately before ladling pancakes on or it burns. Or use oil, it won’t burn as easily.
More Homemade Pancake Recipes You’ll Love:
- Banana Pancakes
- Red Velvet Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Gingerbread Pancakes
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
- Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes
- German Pancakes
- Carrot Cake Pancakes
More Buttermilk Recipes to Try:
- Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
- Blueberry Buttermilk Cake
- Buttermilk Waffles
- Buttermilk French Toast
- Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes
16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)
5 from 18 votes
Print Recipe
The Best Buttermilk Pancakes
The ultimate buttermilk pancakes! They're soft and fluffy, buttery, moist and tender and just perfectly flavorful. This is homestyle comfort food everyone will love any day of the year, and any time of day!
Watch the video
Servings: 13 pancakes
Prep15 minutes minutes
Cook15 minutes minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces and melted
- Vegetable oil or butter for griddle
- Maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
If using a cast iron griddle to cook pancakes preheat it over a gas stove to about medium heat (larger burner medium, smaller burner medium-high, adjust as needed when cooking pancakes).
If using an electric griddle to cook pancakes preheat it to 375 degrees.
If using non-stick skillets you'll want to have at least two. Skillets will only need to preheat for a minute or two, so wait to warm them until batter is almost ready.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, create a well in center of mixture. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs. Pour in buttermilk and and melted butter and whisk to blend (butter may separate and that's fine).
Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and whisk just until combined (batter should be rather lumpy. Don't over-mix or pancakes won't be fluffy).
Grease griddle with oil or butter right before adding batter (if using cast iron use vegetable oil) and ladle about a slightly heaping 1/3 cup batter at a time into griddle.
Allow to cook until golden on bottom, then flip and cook opposite side until golden. Serve warm with maple syrup.
Notes
- If you like pancakes a bit thicker use the scoop and level method to measure flour for slightly thinner pancakes use the spoon and level method to measure flour.
- Use real buttermilk for best results. Don't use the buttermilk substitute (of milk + lemon/vinegar) here.
- Try them with fresh blueberries too. Dot onto batter after ladling onto griddle before flipping.
- Try them with different syrups. My favorites are homemade blueberry, strawberry or buttermilk (see notes in post above for recipes).
Nutrition Facts
The Best Buttermilk Pancakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 147Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 39mg13%
Sodium 290mg13%
Potassium 169mg5%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 220IU4%
Calcium 94mg9%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buttermilk Pancakes
Author: Jaclyn
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