The Best Buttermilk Pancakes

The best and only Buttermilk Pancake recipe that you will ever need! Perfectly fluffy every single time! Soft and pillowy with a tender crumb, these are going to be a hit at the breakfast table.

Serve these delicate pancakes with a pat of butter and this To Die For Buttermilk Syrup or Homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam. Add some Scrambled Eggs and Perfectly Baked Bacon for a breakfast that will surely satisfy any hunger.

Fluffy Buttermilk pancakes on a plate with butter and syrup.

Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

I have been in search of the perfect buttermilk pancake recipe for my family. After trying several I found the best one. It is from the Martha Stewart Cookbook and they claimed it was the best one too! I had to put it to the test. They said that the secret to fluffy pancakes is to not over mix the batter. Leave small lumps in the pancakes to ensure fluffy and flavorful pancakes every time. They are fluffy thick clouds of joy!

With a golden crisp outside and a fluffy inside these are a welcome sight on the table first thing in the morning! They’ll be worth getting up for! This will be the only buttermilk pancake recipe that you will need! It truly is the best! It is easy to whip up in a matter of minutes and I know that your family is going to love it too!

Homemade Buttermilk Pancake Ingredients

These perfect pancakes are made with ingredients you probably already have on hand, so you will be able to whip them up anytime you want. Don’t have buttermilk? Don’t worry I’ll tell you how to make your own below. Now there is no excuse, you can have these amazing pancakes anytime your heart desires!

Flour: All purpose flour works best
Sugar: Use granulated sugar
Baking Powder: This is the rising agent
Baking Soda: Using baking soda along with the buttermilk is what creates those bubbles for ultimate fluffiness
Salt: Balances out the flavor
Eggs: Make sure to use Large eggs and slightly beat them before adding them in to the batter.
Butter: Use unsalted butter melted
Buttermilk: The star of the pancakes, it adds that classic tang that we all love

Making Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Ok, I’ll say it again the secret to making perfect fluffy pancakes every time is not over mix. Remember it should have small lumps in it. That’s going to be ok. Don’t panic. This is what makes them so yummy.

Whisk: In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Mix: Slightly beat the eggs and add to the mixture along with the buttermilk, and melted butter. Mix until just incorporated.
Cook: On a preheated griddle to 375 degrees spray cooking spray or melt butter. Add about 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup to the griddle. Once the edges harden and the bubbles form on top, about 2 min, flip to cook on the other side. Cook till the bottom is golden brown, about another 2 min. Repeat with remaining batter. Makes about 9 pancakes

Mixing the dry ingredients, then wet ingredients and cooking buttermilk pancakes.

Buttermilk Hints

Buttermilk is such an incredible ingredient to cook with. It’s not very good to drink by itself, it’s thick and sour, but add it to a recipe and it becomes magical. It creates the most tender, moist, flavorful breads and cakes. It adds flavor and richness to dressings and marinades. And when mixed with a base such as baking soda, it creates lightness to your baked goods including these pancakes. The other thing I love about buttermilk is that if I don’t have any I can make it in a matter of minutes. That being said, using the real stuff is best, hands down. It will create that thick, rich, creamy batter that equals dynamite pancakes. Only use the substitute in a pinch.

Making Buttermilk: Mix 1 cup of milk (whole or 2%) with 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for about 10 min. Once it starts to curdle stir it up and use it as you would buttermilk. This is a 1:1 ratio substitution for buttermilk.
Why Buttermilk Makes Everything so LIght and Fluffy: Buttermilk is very acidic. That’s what creates the tangy sometimes sour and bitter flavor. When you add the baking soda or another base, a wonderful chemical reaction occurs. This reaction creates the byproduct of carbon dioxide which forms air bubbles, these bubbles are what create the light and fluffy baked goods.
Don’t Over-mix and Use Immediately: This is why you don’t want to over mix it. It will kills the bubbles and the reaction. Also you want to wait to add the base to the batter till right before baking, if you allow it to sit too long before baking the bubbles will dissipate on their own before it can help your pancakes, or biscuits or cakes rise.

Buttermilk syrup being poured over buttermilk pancakes.

Variations to Your Perfect Pancakes

Buttermilk pancakes are like a blank slate you can add flavors and textures too. It’s a mild flavor on it’s own so it’ll easily adapt to the variations. You can really get creative with what you add. My only suggestion is that if you add fruit, nuts, or chocolate mix it into the batter before you cook it. By incorporating them into your mix instead of just adding it on top will prevent burning of your add Ins. You may need to put batter in separate bowls to add mix-Ins if you want to make several different kinds at once. Again don’t over-mix, gently fold in your mix-Ins

Fruits: Anything goes here basically. Berries, bananas, apples, peaches, are all good. If you use frozen fruit, let it thaw slightly before adding it so it will finish thawing as it cooks. Zesting citrus adds a nice zing. Don’t forget you can top these pancakes with fresh fruit as well.
Nuts: Chopped nuts add a nice crunch, I recommend not overdoing it, however. A little bit of nuts goes a long way.
Other: If you think it’ll go good in pancakes you can add it. Think chocolate, flaked coconut, and dried fruit.
Flavorings: Add a teaspoon of your favorite flavoring to give your pancakes a different taste. Almond, vanilla and coconut extracts are favorites. Spices also add incredible flavors, cinnamon nutmeg, or even pumpkin spice. The possibilities are endless.

Freezing Leftovers

One of my favorite things to do is make a double or triple batch of pancakes and cook them all at once. I’ll freeze the leftovers for those mornings that I need breakfast on the table fast.

Completely cool the pancakes on a wire rack. Place on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for 1-2 hours. Just long enough to start to freeze them. Transfer them to a freezer safe bag. These will keep for up to 2 months.
When ready to use, remove from the freezer and either pop them into the toaster or microwave. No need to thaw before reheating.

Soft pillowy buttermilk pancakes ready to eat.

More Delicious Breakfast Recipes to Try

Pancakes are the perfectly morning comfort food. They are filling, tasty and the ability to customize them is endless. There is just something wonderful about pancakes. Try these different recipes to mix up your morning routine.