Buttermilk Pancakes

These fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes are easy to make from scratch with just a handful of pantry ingredients. They taste so amazing that you’ll never want to use another store-bought pancake mix again.

There’s something comforting about buttermilk pancakes. They’re light and tender on the inside with a distinctive golden-brown exterior. It’s one of my favorite weekend morning traditions that I have with my family.

We love these buttermilk pancakes served hot from the griddle with butter and pure maple syrup. But you can add some chocolate chips or fresh blueberries if you’d like.

My mother-in-law was visiting when I was testing different batches of this buttermilk pancake recipe. It was her first time having pancakes made from scratch.

After the first bite, she immediately asked for the recipe because she couldn’t believe how incredible homemade pancakes tasted compared to the store-bought mixes she used in the past.

Buttermilk Pancakes Ingredients

All-purpose flour: For the best flavor and texture, I recommend using all-purpose flour. If you’re looking for a healthier pancake recipe, check out my whole wheat pancakes.

Sugar: I add just a little sugar to make these pancakes lightly sweet. You can sweeten them up with your desired toppings.

Baking powder and baking soda: These leaving agents help the pancakes get thick and fluffy.

Salt: This helps to balance the flavor of everything.

Buttermilk: This has a slightly tangy taste. When it’s combined with baking soda, this helps the pancakes get thick and fluffy.

Egg: This helps bind the ingredients together.

Vanilla extract: This gives the pancakes good flavor.

Unsalted butter: Butter gives the pancakes the best flavor. Melt the butter, then let it cool slightly before adding it to the buttermilk and egg mixture.

How to make buttermilk pancakes

Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until everything is combined.

Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Whisk together until everything is combined.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk together until just combined. You want to make sure there are no visible clumps of flour. It’s normal for the pancake mix to look lumpy. DO NOT OVERMIX.

Let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and the batter to thicken, which will give you fluffier pancakes. During this time, you can preheat the skillet or griddle and get your pancake toppings ready.

Cook the pancakes. Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, turn the heat down to medium-low and brush the skillet with melted butter, ghee, or cooking spray.

Scoop ¼ cup of the batter onto the griddle to form a pancake. Depending on the size of your skillet or griddle, you may be able to fit 2 to 3 pancakes.

Cook until the edges of the pancake look set and you notice bubbles start to appear on the top, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Confidently flip the pancake and let the other side cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pancake is cooked through.

Serve and enjoy! I like to serve these buttermilk pancakes with butter and pure maple syrup or fresh berries and whipped cream.

Tips for making buttermilk pancakes

Use real buttermilk. Homemade buttermilk recipes with milk and vinegar or lemon juice will work in a pinch, but real buttermilk helps the batter rise better and yields the best tangy flavor. 

Don’t overmix the batter. Whisk the wet and dry ingredients until everything is just combined and there are no visible clumps of dry flour.

It’s normal if the batter is lumpy and thick. Overmixing the batter can result in tough pancakes that don’t rise properly.

Let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps the baking powder and baking soda create air bubbles in the batter, which gives you fluffy and light pancakes.

Cook your pancakes at the right temperature. I use an electric griddle and find that 375°F (medium heat) is the best temperature for cooking pancakes.

You may need to adjust the temperature as needed to make sure your pancakes are golden brown on the outside and cooked through the inside. When cooking the pancakes in a skillet, I usually turn the heat down to medium-low to prevent the pancakes from burning.

Flip your pancakes when you see the holes start to pop. While your pancakes are cooking, you’ll start to notice small bubbles forming on the surface.

Once those bubbles start popping and the edges look set, that’s when you need to flip the pancake over to cook let the other side cook.  

Please let me know how you like this Buttermilk Pancake recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love these buttermilk pancakes as much as I do.

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