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These homemade buttermilk pancakes are thick, fluffy, buttery, and incredibly easy to make! They’re made with simple pantry ingredients and have slightly crispy, golden edges with perfectly soft centers.
Serve these with softened butter, maple syrup, and scrambled eggs for the ultimate breakfast.
Table of Contents
Growing up, my mom made pancakes every Sunday morning, so Sundays were always my favorite! There’s nothing better than a stack of homemade pancakes, especially when they’re this fluffy.
If you love pancakes as much as I do, check out these blueberry pancakes, banana pancakes, and my personal favorite lemon ricotta pancakes.
Why You’ll Love These Buttermilk Pancakes
- Super Fluffy: Buttermilk and baking soda work together to create thick, fluffy pancakes with soft, tender centers.
- Easy to Make: You only need a handful of basic ingredients and a few minutes of preparation.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers for busy mornings.
- Delicious: They’re buttery, slightly tangy, and have just the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder – A leavening agent that helps the pancakes rise.
- Buttermilk – Use store-bought buttermilk. Store-bought is so much thicker and better than homemade. Also, make sure it’s at room temperature.
- Egg – Use one large room temperature egg.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and helps the pancakes develop those beautiful golden edges.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor and complements the buttery pancakes.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Butter – Unsalted good quality butter works best for this recipe.
Top Tips For The Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes
- Keep the spatula low to the griddle when flipping the pancakes. If you lift it too high it can get messy.
- You want the skillet to be nice and hot but make sure it isn’t smoking hot otherwise the pancakes will burn on the outside and the inside will remain raw.
- Make sure you use a nonstick skillet otherwise the pancakes will stick to your skillet.
- Feel free to add blueberries, bananas, or chocolate chips to the pancake batter to switch it up!
- Don’t flatten the pancakes after you flip them and only flip the pancakes once!
- If you like your pancakes super thick and fluffy, don’t spread the pancake batter too much after pouring it onto the skillet.
- Allow the pancake batter to rest for at least 5 minutes before cooking.
- Don’t have buttermilk on hand? Check out these original pancakes made without buttermilk.
FAQs
Can I make these pancakes without buttermilk?
Yes! If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill it with milk until you reach 1 cup. Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes before using. Repeat as needed for the amount your recipe requires. Keep in mind that homemade buttermilk substitutes may produce slightly different results.
Why are my buttermilk pancakes flat?
Overmixing the batter, using expired baking powder or baking soda, or letting the batter sit too long can affect how much your pancakes rise. For the best results, gently mix the batter and cook it shortly after its five-minute rest.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
You can prepare the dry and wet ingredients separately the night before. Store the wet ingredients in the refrigerator, then combine everything right before cooking. This helps preserve the leavening action for fluffier pancakes.
Storage and Reheating
To Store: Allow the pancakes to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.
To Freeze: Place the cooled pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag, separating the pancakes with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 2 months for the best quality.
To Reheat: Microwave refrigerated pancakes in short intervals until heated through, or warm them in a toaster or skillet. You can also reheat frozen pancakes in a 350°F oven until warm.
Watch How I Make This Recipe…
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Buttermilk Pancakes
Equipment
- non-stick skillet
- bowls
- Whisk
- measuring cup
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and slightly cooled
- nonstick spray or more butter, for cooking
- maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Don’t overmix! A few lumps are perfectly fine.
- Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and lightly grease it with butter.
- Pour about ½ cup of batter onto the skillet. Cook for 2–3 minutes, or until bubbles form on the surface and the edges begin to set. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the skillet as needed. Serve warm with butter, maple syrup, and your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep the spatula low to the griddle when flipping the pancakes. If you lift it too high it can get messy.
- You want the skillet to be nice and hot but make sure it isn’t smoking hot otherwise the pancakes will burn on the outside and the inside will remain raw.
- Make sure you use a nonstick skillet otherwise the pancakes will stick to your skillet.
- Feel free to add blueberries, bananas, or chocolate chips to the pancake batter to switch it up!
- Don’t flatten the pancakes after you flip them and only flip the pancakes once!
- If you like your pancakes super thick and fluffy, don’t spread the pancake batter too much after pouring it onto the skillet.
- Allow the pancake batter to rest for at least 5 minutes before cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
BEST PANCAKES EVERRRR!!!!!
So glad you enjoyed them, Aja!! And thank you so much for the comment xoxo
It’s the best Pancake I’ve ever had, best for breakfast 🥞