Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

The best buttermilk pancake recipe! Precise measurements for light, fluffy pancakes every time. They have just a hint of sweetness and a light buttermilk tang.

“I have made so many pancake recipes over the years and this one finally got the texture right. Mine came out tall and fluffy and they held up even after sitting on the plate for a few minutes. My kids asked for a second batch immediately!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Renata

There is something about a stack of pancakes on a slow Saturday morning that makes everything feel a little more manageable. I have tested and tweaked this recipe over the years, and the version here is the one I come back to every single time.

Serve them warm with maple syrup and a pat of cinnamon butter, or keep it simple with whatever you have on hand.If you love a fun weekend breakfast, try this brioche French toast recipe or this Belgian waffle recipe (coming soon!) next!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Granulated Sugar: Adds a light sweetness and helps the pancakes develop that golden-brown color in the pan. Reducing it will affect both the color and the flavor, so adjust carefully to taste.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These two leavening agents work as a team. Baking powder delivers a consistent rise, while baking soda reacts directly with the buttermilk’s acidity for extra lift. Do not reduce either one.
• Buttermilk: This is the ingredient that makes these pancakes what they are. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda to create bubbles throughout the batter, producing a light, tender crumb with a subtle tang. Low-fat buttermilk produces the tallest, fluffiest results. If you do not have buttermilk on hand, whole milk is the closest substitute, though the pancakes will not be quite as tall or tender. Alternative milks and low-fat milk work in a pinch but will reduce both height and tenderness. If buttermilk is a staple in your kitchen, this best buttermilk biscuits recipe and buttermilk bread are worth making!

Variations for Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

• Add fruit! After pouring the batter into the pan, scatter fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries, or bananas directly onto each pancake before the bubbles form. Adding them to the bowl before cooking will deflate the batter, so wait until the batter hits the pan.
• Spiced Pancakes. Whisk 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg into the dry ingredients for a warmer, cozier flavor. The sugar and buttermilk tang balance the spice without changing the batter’s behavior. Or you could make these gingerbread pancakes!
• Chocolate Chip Pancakes. Scatter a small handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips onto each pancake after pouring, or mix them into the batter, but be sure to stir each time you ladle, just like with these oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes. You could also try dark chocolate or even M&M’s! I’ve also made some funfetti pancakes with rainbow sprinkles, and the kids absolutely love them!

Professional Tips for Perfect Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

• Cook in butter or ghee spray, not neutral oil. Butter and ghee create that golden, slightly crisp edge that makes these pancakes worth making. Neutral oil works technically, but the flavor and color are noticeably flatter. A countertop griddle is a great option if you are cooking for a crowd and need more surface area.
• Always cook a tester pancake first. The first pancake is not a failure; it is how you calibrate the pan. It allows the heat to even out across the surface, and it tells you whether to raise or lower the flame before you commit the rest of the batter.
• Adjust the heat as you go, not just at the start. If the pancake browns before bubbles pop in the center, lower the heat. If the batter is still wet after 3 minutes, nudge it up slightly. The pan temperature shifts throughout the cook, so treat it as an ongoing adjustment rather than a one-time setting.
• Do not flip early. The bubbles forming across the surface are your cue, not the clock. Wait until they appear and pop in the center before flipping, then cook another 1 to 2 minutes on the second side until the pancake springs back lightly when touched. Flipping too soon is the most common reason pancakes deflate.

How to Make This Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

Use these instructions to make light, fluffy, golden-edged buttermilk pancakes with a tender crumb. Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Make Pancake Batter

Step 1: Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined, then set aside. (photos 1& 2 below)

I took a page from my pumpkin pancakes and reduced the buttermilk in my long-time standard recipe. This produced super thick and fluffy pancakes and they were more tender because I could whisk them less. Win win.

Step 2: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter until smooth. The mixture will look thin and slightly glossy. (photos 3 & 4)

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Stop whisking the moment you no longer see dry streaks of flour. (photos 5 & 6)

Step 4: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with a small pat of butter or a generous spray of ghee cooking spray. Let the pan warm for a couple of minutes before you pour anything in.

Cook Pancakes

Step 5: Cook a tester pancake first. Scoop or pour about ½ cup of batter into the center of the pan. Watch the surface carefully: cook until bubbles appear and pop in the center of the pancake, then flip with a flat spatula and cook another 1 to 2 minutes on the second side, or until the pancake springs back when you press it lightly. Both sides should be a lovely golden brown.

Part of the tester pancake process is allowing the pan to heat evenly and then settle at a consistent temperature. You will almost certainly need to adjust the heat after this first round. Lower it if the bottom browns or burns before the bubbles pop. Nudge it slightly higher if the batter still looks wet and unset after 3 minutes. Watch the pancake, not the clock.

Step 6: Cook the Remaining Pancakes. Spray the pan with ghee cooking spray or add a fresh pat of butter, then scoop about ½ cup of batter into the pan in 3 places if you are working in a 12-inch sauté pan. A medium 8 to 10-inch pan will fit 1 to 2 pancakes at a time. Alternatively, you can use a countertop griddle. I don’t have one, but I’m jealous that you do. (photos 7 & 8)

Step 7: Cook this round the same way you cooked the tester, but expect them to move a little faster now that the pan is fully up to temperature. Watch the surface for bubbles to appear and pop in the center of each pancake, then flip with a flat spatula. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes on the second side, until the pancake springs back when you press it lightly and both sides are a lovely golden brown.

Step 8: If you are adding fruit, like blueberries, scatter them onto each pancake right after you pour the batter into the pan. Adding them before you pour means they sink and drag the batter down. Adding them after the bubbles start forming will work, but they will slightly deflate the pancakes, so the earlier in the cook the better.

Step 9: Continue cooking in batches, adjusting the heat as needed between rounds, until all the batter is used. Serve warm in a giant stack with maple syrup and cinnamon butter. Ok, or just regular butter! (photo 9)

Before You Go

If this Buttermilk Pancakes recipe earns a spot in your regular rotation, there is plenty more where that came from. Browse our breakfast & brunch recipes or make these sourdough crepes next!