Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Name: Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons (9 g) baking powder, fresh (less than 6 months open); ½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine salt; 1¾ cups (420 ml) full-fat buttermilk, cool, not ice-cold; shaken well; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, cool, lightly beaten (shelled weight); 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional); 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, cold, for greasing the griddle between batches; pure maple syrup, warmed, to taste, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tall, tender, golden pancakes with a gentle tang from buttermilk. A short rest and a light hand with the batter give you a soft, airy crumb every time.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 40 min
Makes: About 12 pancakes (4-inch / 10 cm each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (9 g) baking powder, fresh (less than 6 months open)
½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine salt
1¾ cups (420 ml) full-fat buttermilk, cool, not ice-cold; shaken well
2 large (100 g) large eggs, cool, lightly beaten (shelled weight)
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional)
For cooking and serving
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, cold, for greasing the griddle between batches
pure maple syrup, warmed, to taste, for serving (optional)

Equipment (8)

Large griddle or 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet
Large mixing bowl (3 qt / 3 L)
Medium mixing bowl (2 qt / 2 L)
Whisk
Rubber spatula
¼-cup (60 ml) dry measure or ladle
Wide thin spatula
Rimmed baking sheet with wire rack

Steps

Before you start

Take the buttermilk and eggs out of the fridge about 20 minutes ahead so they are cool rather than cold; cold buttermilk will clump the melted butter.
Plan for a 10-minute batter rest. Use that time to heat the griddle and the oven.
Set a baking sheet with a wire rack in the oven so finished pancakes stay warm and crisp-edged instead of steaming.
Have a thin, wide spatula and a ¼-cup (60 ml) measure ready before you start cooking.

1
Warm the ovenOven 200°F / 95°C
- Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C).
- Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and set it on the middle rack.
- This is where finished pancakes will wait while you cook the rest.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 200°F (95°C).
Tip: Don't go hotter; higher heat dries the pancakes out.
2
Whisk dry ingredients
- In the large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds until evenly combined with no streaks of leavener.
- Make a well in the center.
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Ready when: The mixture looks uniform and pale with no clumps.
Tip: Whisking spreads the baking soda and powder evenly so you avoid bitter, soapy spots.
3
Whisk wet ingredients
- In the medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla (if using) until smooth.
- Slowly drizzle in the cooled melted butter while whisking so it blends in and doesn't form hard flecks.
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Ready when: The liquid is uniform, with no visible egg streaks or butter pools.
Tip: If the butter is hot it will scramble the eggs; let it cool 5 minutes first.
4
Fold batter together
- Pour the wet mixture into the well.
- With a rubber spatula, fold just until the flour disappears, about 12 to 15 strokes.
- The batter should be thick and lumpy, with some pea-sized lumps and a few small streaks of flour.
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Ready when: Batter is thick and lumpy, and it slowly plops off the spatula.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes tough and flat. Lumps are good.
5
Rest batter, heat griddle
- Let the batter rest 10 minutes.
- It will puff slightly and thicken as the flour hydrates and the leaveners start to work.
- Meanwhile, set the griddle or skillet over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: A few drops of water flicked on the surface sizzle and skitter before evaporating, and the batter looks bubbly.
Tip: Don't stir the batter after resting; that knocks out the air.
6
Grease and pour
- Rub the cold griddle butter in a thin layer over the hot surface; it should foam but not brown.
- Pour batter by ¼-cup (60 ml) scoops, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between pancakes.
- Don't spread the batter; it will settle into rounds about 4 inches (10 cm) wide.
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Ready when: Butter foams gently and doesn't smoke.
Tip: If the butter browns instantly, lower the heat a notch.
7
Cook first side
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes, undisturbed.
- Flip when bubbles form across the top and pop, leaving small holes that stay open, and the edges look dry and matte.
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Ready when: Bubbles on top have popped and left open holes; edges look set and the underside is golden.
Tip: Flipping too early gives a gummy center and a pale, uneven surface.
8
Flip and finish
- Flip each pancake once with the wide spatula and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the second side is golden brown and the pancake feels springy when pressed gently in the center.
- Don't press down with the spatula.
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Ready when: Both sides are golden brown and the center springs back when touched.
Tip: Pressing flattens the pancake and squeezes out the air you worked to keep in.
9
Keep warm, repeatOven 200°F / 95°C
- Move finished pancakes in a single layer onto the rack in the oven.
- Wipe the griddle if there are dark bits, re-grease with a little butter, and cook the remaining batter in 2 more batches (about 12 pancakes total).
- Adjust the heat down slightly if the first pancakes brown faster than 2 minutes per side.
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Ready when: All batter used, pancakes evenly golden.
Tip: Don't stack warm pancakes; they steam and turn soggy.
10
Serve
- Serve right away, stacked 3 per plate, with the warmed maple syrup and extra butter if you like.

Good to know

Tips

Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it, or weigh it; packed flour makes dense pancakes.
Your first pancake is a test: adjust the heat and the pour size based on how it browns.
For add-ins like blueberries or chocolate chips, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon on each pancake right after pouring rather than stirring into the batter.
If the batter thickens too much after resting, thin it with 1 to 2 tablespoons buttermilk.

Make ahead

"Whisk the dry ingredients and store airtight for up to 1 week. Mix the wet ingredients separately and refrigerate up to 12 hours, then combine and rest 10 minutes before cooking. Cooked pancakes freeze well (see storage)."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: cool completely, then keep airtight up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze in a single layer on a sheet, then bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from fridge in a toaster or a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes; reheat from frozen in a toaster or a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes."

Substitutions

full-fat buttermilk → 1¾ cups (420 ml) whole milk plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir and let stand 10 minutes until slightly curdled; pancakes will be a little less tangy and thick.
all-purpose flour → Half whole wheat flour (125 g) and half all-purpose flour (125 g). Results in a nuttier, denser pancake; rest the batter the full 10 minutes.
unsalted butter → Neutral oil such as canola, 1 tablespoon (15 ml). Higher smoke point and less browning, but less buttery flavor.
unsalted butter → Neutral oil, 4 tablespoons (60 ml). Makes a slightly more tender crumb with less buttery flavor.