Anything but plain, these flavorful homemade buttermilk pancakes don’t need any add-ins to taste special (though I won’t fight you on adding chocolate chips!). Soft and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness, they’re an ideal base for your favorite pancake toppings. Try them with homemade honey butter or cinnamon butter, whipped cream, and/or a cascade of maple syrupโpancake perfection!
Can you think of a better way to start your day than with a stack of classic buttermilk pancakes? (Well, homemade cinnamon rolls are in the running too, obviously.)
This is my go-to buttermilk pancake recipe. It’s the one I use time and time again when I crave a stack of classic, diner-style pancakes. This simple recipe makes the fluffiest, softest, most tender buttermilk pancakes… that taste anything but basic.
I love it so much that I’ve also created variations on this base recipe to make strawberry buttermilk pancakes, birthday cake pancakes, and even included a blueberry version in my first cookbook, published over a decade ago (page 35)!
About the strawberry buttermilk pancakes, which is the same base as today’s, one reader, Julie, commented: “These are INCREDIBLE! I love how fluffy and tender they areโand I love that I donโt have to beat the egg whites separately. SO SO SO good. โ โ โ โ โ “
Ingredients You Need for the Best Buttermilk Pancakes
These are all very basic ingredients, but each one has an important job to do to make sure your pancakes turn out amazing, so I don’t recommend any substitutions here.
- Melted Butter: Melt the butter first, to give it a chance to slightly cool before you mix it into the other wet ingredients.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of these pancakes. If you’re looking to use whole wheat flour, my whole wheat pancakes are thick, fluffy, and have lots of wonderful reader reviews.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar to lightly sweeten.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Both give these pancakes some serious fluffiness. (More on this below.)
- Salt: Flavor.
- Eggs: 2 eggs bind the ingredients together and add lift and structure.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk’s lactic acid, as well as its subtle tangy flavor and ultra-creamy texture, is required for buttermilk pancakes. Though I often suggest a DIY buttermilk substitute using regular milk and vinegar/lemon, I highly recommend using real buttermilk in these pancakes. You can use either low-fat or full-fat buttermilk.
- Vanilla: This pancake batter benefits from a dose of pure vanilla extract, which gives it the best flavor. Same as when you make a white cake, when vanilla is the main flavor you’ll taste, it’s best to use the pure stuff.
Why Both Baking Powder & Soda?
Remember when I taught you about baking powder vs baking soda? Well, we are using both in today’s pancakes. In this recipe, buttermilk is used partly for its unmistakable tangy flavor. If we used only baking soda in the pancake batter, the soda could neutralize all of the buttermilkโs acid. And we’d lose that tanginess! So, by including baking powder as well, some of the buttermilkโs flavor is left behind, and there is still enough leavening to yield the fluffiest of fluffy pancakes.
How to Make the Best Buttermilk Pancakes
Preparing the batter takes just a couple minutes. Whisk the dry ingredients in 1 bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients in another, then pour wet into dry and whisk together to combine. I like to use a large mixing bowl with a pour spout. Makes pouring the batter onto the pan/griddle much easier.
Success Tip: Let Your Batter Take a Nap
Let the batter rest for a few minutes while you preheat your griddle/pan. This gives it a chance to thicken up, which makes for even fluffier pancakes.
Expect a thick batter; a few small lumps are OK. Do not be tempted to whisk away all of the lumps. To avoid flat, dense pancakes, avoid over-mixing pancake batter.
The best temperature for cooking pancakes is 375ยบF (190ยบC). If you’re cooking on an electric griddle, you can simply set it to heat to that temperature. If you’re cooking in a griddle pan or large skillet on the stove, allow the pan to preheat for several minutes over medium heat. Don’t be tempted to crank the heat up to high; that will lead to unevenly cooked, burnt pancakes.
To test if the pan is ready, flick a few drops of water from your fingers onto the pan. If they sizzle in place and disappear, it’s not quite hot enough yet. If they “dance” around on the surface before sizzling out, your pan is good to go!
While these pancakes are flavorful on their own, feel free to fold your favorite add-insโ such as chocolate chips, berries, or chopped nutsโinto the batter before cooking. Sprinkles are a fun addition for a birthday breakfast!
Many pancake recipes instruct you to flip when you see bubbles forming on the surface, but you’re actually looking for holes. Your pancakes are ready to flip when the bubbles are popping, forming little holes in the surface. Cook until the edges look set and you notice holes in the pancake’s surface around the border, about 2 minutes. Flip, then cook for another minute.
Before you flip, look for holes in the pancake’s surface:
For more pancake-perfecting tips, read this article on 10 Pancake Common Mistakesโand How to Avoid Them.
Favorite Pancake Toppings
- Maple Syrup (a forever classic that never goes out of style!)
- Whipped Cream
- Homemade Honey Butter
- Homemade Cinnamon Butter
- Raspberry Sauce (Coulis)
- Strawberry Sauce Topping
- Blueberry Sauce Topping
- Lemon Curd or Apple Butter
And at the very frequent request of my children, here’s one of the best ways to enjoy them: with lots of chocolate chips. ๐ Happy flipping!
If you happen to have a waffle maker, try my favorite buttermilk waffles next!
More Pancake Recipes:
- Birthday Cake Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes
- Greek Yogurt Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Pancakes or Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Healthy Banana Pancakes
Buttermilk Pancakes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 14โ16 4-inch pancakes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fluffy and thick with just the right amount of sweetness, these buttermilk pancakes are the ideal base for your favorite pancake toppings like maple syrup, whipped cream, strawberry sauce topping or blueberry sauce topping, lemon curd, fresh berries, etc.
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (plus more butter for greasing)
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (480ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt the 6 Tablespoons (85g) of butter first. Microwave or stovetopโeither is fine. Set aside to slightly cool until step 3. You don’t want it piping hot.
- In a large bowl, preferably with a pour spout, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Whisk in the melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine. Make sure there are no patches of dry flour at the bottom of the bowl. The batter is thick and a few lumps are fine. Set aside as you heat the stove.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with butter or nonstick spray. Once it’s hot, drop/pour a heaping 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle. Cook until the edges look set and you notice holes in the pancake’s surface around the border, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through, about 1โ2 more minutes. Coat griddle/skillet with butter or nonstick spray, if needed, for each batch of pancakes.
- Keep pancakes warm in a preheated 200ยฐF (93ยฐC) oven until all pancakes are cooked. Serve pancakes immediately with your choice of toppings.
- Cover and store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Pancakes freeze well up to 3 months. Reheat frozen pancakes in the microwave. Or you can reheat frozen pancakes in a 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) oven. Place pancakes on a lined baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 6โ8 minutes or until defrosted and warm.
- Can I make the batter the night before? No, I don’t recommend it. Baking powder is activated once wet. You can, however, mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together and keep them separate and covered in the refrigerator until the morning. (But do not add the melted butter until ready to cook, because that will solidify in the refrigerator.)
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Mixing Bowls (preferably with a pour spout) | Whisk | Electric Griddle, Griddle Pan, or Shallow Skillet/Pan
- Can I use whole wheat flour? I recommend making my whole wheat pancakes instead.
- Buttermilk: Though I typically suggest a DIY buttermilk substitute using regular milk and vinegar/lemon, I highly recommend real buttermilk. I used low-fat buttermilk, but full-fat works too. I do not suggest any substitutions. You can use any extra buttermilk you have leftover in any of these recipes.
- Can I make waffles instead? Absolutely. Use this batter and follow the same cooking instructions as these gingerbread waffles.
- Extras/add-ins: While these pancakes are flavorful on their own, feel free to fold your favorite add-insโsuch as chocolate chips, berries, or chopped nutsโinto the batter before cooking.ย
- Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction cookbook Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes recipe (page 35).
Reader Comments and Reviews
Whenever I search for a recipe I always use your site. The recipes always work and are delicious. Thank you!
Excellent recipe! Thank you for sharing! Can I use self rising flour instead of all purpose and obit baking soda, salt and baking powder?
Hi Shelia, we donโt recommend using self rising flour in this recipe. It would take additional recipe testing to ensure accurate results.
I’m only one person and don’t cook for anyone else.. is there to make less or can you store it in the fridge?
Hi Angela! We recommend freezing extra pancakes – see Notes after the recipe for details!
Thank you!! Also can you put in ground flaxseeds?
These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had! I tweaked a few things: halved the butter and added oil in place of the other half. I also added pumpkin and applesauce which made them really yummy and soft. I love how there’s not much baking powder in this recipe. Thank you!
That sounds wonderful! How much pumpkin did you put it and applesauce? Did you adjust the recipe?
Perfect fluffy pancakes! I did try to swap powdered buttermilk, in place of fresh; it does not work. Stick with the original recipe with fresh buttermilk and these pancakes are amazing!
Could you make these into Chocolate Pancakes? Would you just add cocoa powder or substitute some of the flour for cocoa powder?
Thanks!
Hi Mollie, we haven’t tested a chocolate version of these pancakes and are unsure of the changes needed. It may take some testing. These are great with chocolate chips in them, though!
These are so delicious! I doubled the recipe for our family of 6 and had no leftovers. I swapped the all purpose flour equally by weight for fresh milled flour (half hard, half soft) and it was a perfect swap. Thanks for a great recipe!
Can I double this recipe?
Hi Karen, that shouldn’t be a problem here. Enjoy!
This recipe is a keeper my daughter love it so much thank you fro sharing this recipe Sally
Sally, you are a baking genius.
I’ve tried many online recipes and results are usually ok – but your recipes that I have tried are next level, the results are always as you describe.
Thank you for sharing your amazing skill and recipes.
I omitted the vanilla but otherwise followed the recipe. The texture was perfect! This will be my go-to recipe from now on
Best pancake recipe everrrrr!
Itโs my only recipe I have been using.
We love the taste and texture of them. Love love love this!
These are the best pancakes!! I will never use another recipe. Super easy to mix up and cooked up like a dream, the whole family loved them
should the buttermilk be room temp?
Hi Mario, yes, we’d recommend having the eggs and buttermilk at room temperature so that they can be easily incorporated into the batter. Hope you enjoy the pancakes!
DELICIOUS! Melt in your mouth tender, the best buttermilk pancakes ever. I added chocolate chips, yummy!
Okay, I rarely post comments but this time was a must. These are the best buttermilk pancake recipe I have ever tried. I live in a very dry place so I added 1/4 cup more buttermilk. But the texture & taste are ON POINT.
Thanks!!!:)
Nisha
How many calories are in the Healthy Whole Wheat Oatmeal pancakes?
Hi Jade, We donโt usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
Hi. Can I make these gluten free? Or any other of your pancake recipes?
Hi Jade, we havenโt tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so are unsure of the result. If you decide to try it, please report back!
Parfait!
Wow. What can I say. This recipe is amazing. Best pancakes I have ever made
When I think of pancakes, THIS is how they should taste! Wow, the best recipe Iโve ever tried and my family agrees. Thanks Sally!
We’re so glad your family loved this pancake recipe, Taylor!
I had some buttermilk to use up and while I was craving banana nut pancakes I went with this waffle recipe to make a breakfast sandwich with bacon, egg and a tad of strawberry jelly instead. The waffle itself was too soft for my taste but crisped it up in the toaster. It hit the spot. It made 13-4″ round waffles.
oops, the waffles i made were with the actual waffle recipe on this site.
Have been on the search for โthe bestโ fluffy buttermilk pancakes for a while now โ found the recipe here! Simple, basic in-my-pantry ingredients, directions true to form. My husband and I were really impressed with the outcome (the batch yielded two dozen)! If I had kids, theyโd be clamoring for them, too. Looking forward to more recipes to follow, Sally. Thank you!