This buttermilk pancake recipe is for the hero who says, “Let’s order pancakes for the table,” at brunch. They’re brave enough to make the executive decision at the brunch table and I know they’re willing to wake up before their friends to make these delicious, fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
Buttermilk pancakes are a breakfast and brunch staple. They make a morning feel extra special, whether you’re making them for Easter brunch or on a cabin trip. The sweet smell of these pancakes on the griddle will wake everyone in the house up. But don’t be fooled, these pancakes aren’t too sweet. They have just the right amount of sweetness, so you can go crazy on the toppings, adding as much maple syrup, whipped cream, and fruit as your heart desires.
Cooking your pancakes
Pancakes are best cooked on a griddle, but any pan will do (they are called pan cakes, after all). A griddle makes it easier to flip your hot cakes and makes for more even cooking.
The exact cook time of each pancake will depend on how hot your pan or griddle is. Your first few pancakes will always take a bit longer to cook than your final pancake because the pan gets hotter and hotter as it sits on the stove.
When cooking pancakes, it’s all in the air bubbles. You need to watch your pancake and flip it over as the bubbles rise. Before you start cooking a full batch, make a mini pancake as a tester to see if your griddle is hot enough and get a feel for it.
To get your batter on the pan, you can use a ladle (as pictured here) or a big glass measuring cup with a spout. To use a measuring cup, transfer your batter to the cup before starting to cook. The spout helps you spread the batter evenly on the pan.
The secret ingredient: buttermilk
Buttermilk is a non-negotiable ingredient in this pancake recipe. It’s sometimes hidden in the dairy section, but it’s typically always there — just ask for help at the grocery store if you can’t find it.
Serving your pancakes
This recipe makes about 6 to 8 medium-sized pancakes. You can serve them in a stack with all the toppings or make individual pancakes per person.
If you’re cooking for a crowd, you’ll want to account for at least two pancakes per person. But, with pancakes this good, you’re better off accounting for three per person.
Toppings
The classic pancake toppings are butter and maple syrup (get the good stuff, not the corn syrup dupes).
Other fun toppings include powdered sugar, whipped cream, chocolate chips, and even rainbow sprinkles because why not? It’s a cake.
For a healthier route, top your stack with fresh berries and bananas. Although pure maple syrup is already a healthy choice, you can use honey instead.
You could even add something extra into the batter like blueberries or chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless.
Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter half a stick
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in the microwave or on the stove top. Set aside to cool.
- Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 3 tsp baking powder, and a pinch of salt to a large bowl. Mix together.
- Add the melted butter, 2 eggs, 2 cups buttermilk, and 2 tsp vanilla to the dry ingredients. Mix into a batter.
- Heat a pan or griddle over medium-high heat until you can feel the heat emitting from the top when you wave your hand over it.
- Test the pan by adding a little bit of batter and cooking a mini pancake.
- When your pan is hot, add about a 1/4 cup of batter to it with a ladle, or pour the batter directly onto the pan from a measuring cup with a spout.(The measurement doesn’t matter; it’s just to give you a point of reference. You can make these pancakes as big or as small as you want.)
- When the air bubbles rise to the top, flip your pancakes and cook for about a minute on the other side until golden brown. Your spatula should be able to glide under the pancake when it’s ready.
- Repeat, making multiple pancakes, until you run out of batter.
- Stack your pancakes on a plate, add your desired toppings, and enjoy.
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