There's something comforting about waking up to the aroma of freshly cooked pancakes, especially when they're light, fluffy, and golden-brown. With simple ingredients and precise technique, you can create the perfect stack of delicious, golden-brown pancakes every single time. In this post on How to Make the Ultimate Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes, we will cover everything you need to know. Choose the right ingredients and follow these step-by-step instructions and you will making the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes you've ever tasted. Once you try these, you will never use a boxed pancake mix again.
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Why Buttermilk?
There is reason that buttermilk is often used in pancakes in place of whole milk. The acid in buttermilk interacts with the baking soda and baking powder to create tiny bubbles, resulting in fluffier pancakes. In addition, the acid also breaks down the gluten in the flour resulting in a better texture.
Ingredients
Before diving into the cooking process, let's gather all the ingredients you'll need to create the perfect buttermilk pancakes:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- Buttermilk
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Toppings: chocolate chips, fresh fruit, maple syrup
See printable recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat Your Cooking Surface
Heat a nonstick griddle or a skillet over medium-low heat to 375°F. This temperature ensures even cooking and prevents the pancakes from burning. A cast iron skillet is not recommended for making pancakes. The acid in the buttermilk will ruin your precious cast iron skillet seasoning and the high sides make it difficult to flip the pancakes with a spatula.
It’s important to heat the griddle slowly, particularly if you are using a griddle that goes on top of your range. If it heats too quickly, the center will be too hot and the perimeter will be too cold. There can easily be a 100°F difference between the two. Heating slowly will allow the outside of the griddle to heat up without overheating the center.
Invest in a laser thermometer to measure the surface temperature of the cooking surface. They are inexpensive and absolutely necessary to control the temperature of your cooking surface.
Prepare the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This step ensures that the leavening agents are evenly distributed for fluffier pancakes.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
Heat the butter in a microwave or on the stove top until just melted. Let it cool for a few minutes before adding it to the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk together until the mixture is just combined. Some lumps are OK. Be careful not to over mix or the pancakes will be dense.
Let the Batter Rest
Allow the batter to rest for about 10-15 minutes. This gives the baking powder and baking soda time to activate, resulting in extra fluffy pancakes.
Grease the Griddle
Lightly grease your cooking surface with vegetable oil. Pour a small amount of oil onto the griddle and gently wipe it with a paper towel. Some recipes suggest using butter, but butter will cause the pancakes to brown more rapidly. Butter will also will burn if the griddle is too hot. Vegetable oil has a higher smoke point and will not have these problems.
Cook the Pancakes
Use a small measuring cup to pour one-third cup of batter onto the hot griddle or skillet. A one-third cup measuring cup will form pancakes about 6 inches in diameter. A one-fourth measuring cup will form pancakes 4-5 inches in diameter. Give yourself some working room between the pancakes. It makes turning them over a lot easier.
Cook until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, the edges begin to look dry and set, and the bottom is golden-brown, about 3 minutes. If the pancakes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat. Flip them with a spatula. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides.
Serve and Enjoy
Transfer the pancakes to a plate and serve them hot with warmed maple syrup and your favorite pancake toppings. Real maple syrup is much better than imitation maple syrup. Real maple syrup must be stored in the refrigerator after opening. Just heat a small amount in a microwave for about 30 seconds before serving.*
Equipment
The pancakes in this recipe were made using a nonstick griddle on top of a gas range. An electric griddle of large nonstick skillet would also work.
Storage
If you have leftover pancakes (although with pancakes this delicious, it's rare), you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave or toaster oven before serving.
For longer storage, you can freeze leftover pancakes. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper, then place the baking sheet in the freezer. Transfer them to freezer bags once frozen. They'll keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Frozen pancakes should be allowed to thaw for 10 minutes before reheating.
Storing leftover pancake batter is not recommended. The leavening agents will stop working and that will lead to very flat pancakes. Just make fresh batter.
Expert Tips for Perfect Pancakes
Heat the Griddle Slowly - If the griddle heats too quickly, the center will be too hot and the outside will be too cold resulting in uneven cooking. For the best results, use a laser thermometer to accurately measure the temperature of the cooking surface.
Don't Over Mix - Mix the batter until just combined. Over mixing can result in tough pancakes.
Add the Buttermilk Before the Butter - Adding hot butter to the egg will cook the egg. If that happens, throw it out and start over.
Let it Rest - Letting the batter rest gives the leavening agents time to work, resulting in fluffier pancakes.
Grease the Griddle with Vegetable Oil - Use vegetable oil to grease the griddle rather than butter. Butter can cause the pancakes to brown too rapidly and it will burn if the griddle is too hot. Nobody likes dark pancakes cooked in brown butter.
Don’t Overcrowd the Griddle - Nothing is more frustrating than flipping one pancake on top of another, or worse, partially over the edge of the griddle, because there wasn’t enough room to make the perfect flip.
A crowded griddle caused this pancake to be flipped on top of another.
This pancake missed the griddle on the flip.
Change it Up - For an entirely different pancake experience, add chocolate chips or fresh blueberries to the batter. Pour the batter onto the griddle and sprinkle the chocolate chips or blueberries onto the pancakes while the batter is still wet.
Keep the Pancakes Warm - If you're cooking multiple batches, keep cooked pancakes warm by placing them on a baking sheet in a low oven (around 200°F) while you finish cooking the rest.
Final Thoughts
With the help of this ultimate pancake recipe, you'll be well on your way to creating the most delicious, fluffiest pancakes imaginable. Whether you're making them for breakfast, brunch, or even breakfast for dinner, these buttermilk pancakes are sure to impress. Gather your ingredients, fire up the griddle, and get ready to enjoy the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes you've ever tasted!
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Pairing
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📖 Recipe
The Ultimate Fluffy Buttermilk Pancake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a nonstick griddle or a skillet over medium-low heat to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Heat the butter in a microwave or on the stove top until just melted. Let it cool for a few minutes before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk together until the mixture is just combined. Some lumps are OK. Be careful not to overmix or the pancakes will be dense.
- Allow the batter to rest for about 10-15 minutes. This gives the baking powder and baking soda time to activate, resulting in extra fluffy pancakes.
- Lightly grease your cooking surface with vegetable oil. Pour a small amount of oil onto the griddle and gently wipe it with a paper towel.
- Use a small measuring cup to pour one-third cup of batter onto the hot griddle or skillet. A one-third cup measuring cup will form pancakes about 6 inches in diameter. A one-fourth measuring cup will form pancakes 4-5 inches in diameter.
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, the edges begin to look dry and set, and the bottom is golden-brown, about 3 minutes. If the pancakes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat. Flip them with a spatula. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides.
- Transfer the pancakes to a plate and serve them hot with warmed maple syrup and your favorite pancake toppings.
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