Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes: So Easy to Make!

It is impossible to resist these homemade soft and fluffy buttermilk pancakes! Forget the box mix and make this easy and delicious recipe. These restaurant-style pancakes are great for breakfast or brunch. 

Looking for more pancake recipes? These ricotta pancakes are perfect for a Mother’s Day or festive brunch. These mini pancakes are another brunch favorite, especially for little ones. 

Introduction

Who can resist the versatility of pancakes for breakfast or any other time of the day?

Whether you are casually serving a stack of oatmeal pancakes, having a special breakfast with these lemon ricotta pancakes or creating a breakfast board as we did today – everyone loves griddlecakes, especially with fresh fruit salad!

If you have ever been to a sugar shacking party, you know that these are usually served with maple baked beans and sometimes with maple syrup poached eggs.

Have you ever thought of recreating this experience in the comfort of your own home? 

It’s easier than you think! 

So forget that box mix, and let’s make this homemade pancake recipe together.

How to make buttermilk pancakes

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl for 1-2 minutes.

More specifically, 1½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Set aside for now.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk one egg. Continue whisking while adding 1¾ cups of buttermilk, 1½ tablespoons of vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir, by hand, until combined and you no longer see any dry streaks. Make sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl properly. 

Over medium-high heat, heat a large nonstick skillet or a griddle pan. Brush lightly with vegetable oil, then wipe quickly with a paper towel.

Lower the heat to medium.

Drop a large serving spoon of batter. You can also use a large disher. 

To get 4-inch pancakes, use about ¼ cup of batter per portion -this yields 12.

When you see the air bubbles surfacing, it is time to flip. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Once you have flipped your pancake, cook it for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.

As they are being made, place pancakes in a single layer on a parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven to keep warm (set oven to 250℉/120℃).

Serve immediately with your favorite fruits and pancake toppings. 

Tips

• Whisking the dry ingredients together is essential to distribute the baking powder and soda properly. This prevents large holes in the finished product.
• Avoid overmixing the batter, as this deflates the air bubbles, develops gluten, and creates a chewier pancake.
• When mixing the pancake batter, make sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. 
• Your griddle pan is hot enough when droplets of water sprinkled on the surface “dance.”
• This recipe yields 12 pancakes. Using ¼ cup of batter creates 4-inch pancakes. Use less batter for smaller pancakes.
• Refrigerate for up to 3 days or can conveniently be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Reheat frozen pancakes in the toaster or microwave. 

Is it okay if my pancake batter has lumps in it?

Yes. A lumpy batter is fine as long as you no longer see dry streaks of flour.

Can I use whole wheat flour?

Yes, replace up to half the amount of all-purpose flour with whole wheat.

Toppings for pancakes we love

• Macerated Strawberries
• Chunky Applesauce (sugar-free)
• Plum Butter
• Pear Butter
• Apple Butter
• Strawberry Jam
• Homemade Almond Butter
• Roasted Hazelnuts
• Maple Syrup

Recipe origins

I love to have breakfast foods for lunch and supper. 

When I first saw this recipe in a Canadian magazine called Homemakers, I knew I just had to try it!  

As usual, I made some changes: the granulated sugar was replaced with brown sugar, and the butter with vegetable oil.

Once you realize how easy it is to make these simple pancakes from scratch, you will never purchase a box mix again.

Whether you are having these for breakfast, lunch or even supper, I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this easy pancake recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

Buttermilk Pancakes

These fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes are everything you would expect from restaurant-style pancakes -and you won't believe how easy they are to make at home.

5 from 2 votes

Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 -4 inch pancakes

Calories: 114kcal

Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1¾ cups buttermilk
• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• vegetable oil for greasing pan

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for 1-2 minutes and set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk the egg. Continue whisking while adding the rest of the wet ingredients.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir, by hand, until just combined and you no longer see any dry streaks. Make sure to properly scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. 
• Over medium-high heat, heat a large nonstick skillet or a griddle pan.
• Brush lightly with vegetable oil, then wipe quickly with a paper towel.
• Lower the heat to medium.
• Once your batter is combined, drop a large serving spoon of batter. You can also use a large disher. 

  In order to get 4-inch pancakes, use about ¼ cup of batter per portion -this yields 12 pancakes.
• When you begin to see the air bubbles surfacing, it is time to flip. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Once you have flipped your pancake, continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
• As they are being made, place pancakes in a single layer, on a parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven to keep warm (set oven to 250℉/120℃).
• Serve with your favorite toppings.

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

• Whisking the dry ingredients together is important to properly distribute the baking powder and baking soda. This prevents large holes in the finished product.
• Avoid overmixing the batter as this deflates the air bubbles, develops gluten and in turn, creates a chewier pancake.
• When mixing the pancake batter, make sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. 
• Your griddle pan is hot enough when droplets of water sprinkled on the surface "dance".
• This recipe yields 12 pancakes. Using ¼ cup of batter creates 4-inch pancakes. Use less batter for smaller pancakes.
• Refrigerate for up to 3 days or can conveniently be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Reheat frozen pancakes in the toaster or microwave. 

Is it okay if my pancake batter has lumps in it? Yes. A lumpy batter is fine as long as you no longer see dry streaks of flour.

Can I use whole wheat flour? Yes, replace up to half of the amount of all-purpose flour with whole wheat.

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

*adapted from Homemakers Magazine recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 78IU | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg

SIGN UP for Email updates!YES! Send me FREE RECIPES!

This post was originally published on October 4, 2014, and republished on February 18, 2020, with updated content and photos. Thanks for sharing!