Anything but plain, these flavorful homemade buttermilk pancakes don’t need any add-ins to taste special (though I won’t fight you on adding chocolate chips!). Soft and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness, they’re an ideal base for your favorite pancake toppings. Try them with homemade honey butter or cinnamon butter, whipped cream, and/or a cascade of maple syrup—pancake perfection!
Can you think of a better way to start your day than with a stack of classic buttermilk pancakes? (Well, homemade cinnamon rolls are in the running too, obviously.)
This is my go-to buttermilk pancake recipe. It’s the one I use time and time again when I crave a stack of classic, diner-style pancakes. This simple recipe makes the fluffiest, softest, most tender buttermilk pancakes… that taste anything but basic.
I love it so much that I’ve also created variations on this base recipe to make strawberry buttermilk pancakes, birthday cake pancakes, and even included a blueberry version in my first cookbook, published over a decade ago (page 35)!
About the strawberry buttermilk pancakes, which is the same base as today’s, one reader, Julie, commented: “These are INCREDIBLE! I love how fluffy and tender they are—and I love that I don’t have to beat the egg whites separately. SO SO SO good. ★★★★★“
Ingredients You Need for the Best Buttermilk Pancakes
These are all very basic ingredients, but each one has an important job to do to make sure your pancakes turn out amazing, so I don’t recommend any substitutions here.
- Melted Butter: Melt the butter first, to give it a chance to slightly cool before you mix it into the other wet ingredients.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of these pancakes. If you’re looking to use whole wheat flour, my whole wheat pancakes are thick, fluffy, and have lots of wonderful reader reviews.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar to lightly sweeten.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Both give these pancakes some serious fluffiness. (More on this below.)
- Salt: Flavor.
- Eggs: 2 eggs bind the ingredients together and add lift and structure.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk’s lactic acid, as well as its subtle tangy flavor and ultra-creamy texture, is required for buttermilk pancakes. Though I often suggest a DIY buttermilk substitute using regular milk and vinegar/lemon, I highly recommend using real buttermilk in these pancakes. You can use either low-fat or full-fat buttermilk.
- Vanilla: This pancake batter benefits from a dose of pure vanilla extract, which gives it the best flavor. Same as when you make a white cake, when vanilla is the main flavor you’ll taste, it’s best to use the pure stuff.
Why Both Baking Powder & Soda?
Remember when I taught you about baking powder vs baking soda? Well, we are using both in today’s pancakes. In this recipe, buttermilk is used partly for its unmistakable tangy flavor. If we used only baking soda in the pancake batter, the soda could neutralize all of the buttermilk’s acid. And we’d lose that tanginess! So, by including baking powder as well, some of the buttermilk’s flavor is left behind, and there is still enough leavening to yield the fluffiest of fluffy pancakes.
How to Make the Best Buttermilk Pancakes
Preparing the batter takes just a couple minutes. Whisk the dry ingredients in 1 bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients in another, then pour wet into dry and whisk together to combine. I like to use a large mixing bowl with a pour spout. Makes pouring the batter onto the pan/griddle much easier.
Success Tip: Let Your Batter Take a Nap
Let the batter rest for a few minutes while you preheat your griddle/pan. This gives it a chance to thicken up, which makes for even fluffier pancakes.
Expect a thick batter; a few small lumps are OK. Do not be tempted to whisk away all of the lumps. To avoid flat, dense pancakes, avoid over-mixing pancake batter.
The best temperature for cooking pancakes is 375ºF (190ºC). If you’re cooking on an electric griddle, you can simply set it to heat to that temperature. If you’re cooking in a griddle pan or large skillet on the stove, allow the pan to preheat for several minutes over medium heat. Don’t be tempted to crank the heat up to high; that will lead to unevenly cooked, burnt pancakes.
To test if the pan is ready, flick a few drops of water from your fingers onto the pan. If they sizzle in place and disappear, it’s not quite hot enough yet. If they “dance” around on the surface before sizzling out, your pan is good to go!
While these pancakes are flavorful on their own, feel free to fold your favorite add-ins— such as chocolate chips, berries, or chopped nuts—into the batter before cooking. Sprinkles are a fun addition for a birthday breakfast!
Many pancake recipes instruct you to flip when you see bubbles forming on the surface, but you’re actually looking for holes. Your pancakes are ready to flip when the bubbles are popping, forming little holes in the surface. Cook until the edges look set and you notice holes in the pancake’s surface around the border, about 2 minutes. Flip, then cook for another minute.
Before you flip, look for holes in the pancake’s surface:
For more pancake-perfecting tips, read this article on 10 Pancake Common Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them.
Favorite Pancake Toppings
- Maple Syrup (a forever classic that never goes out of style!)
- Whipped Cream
- Homemade Honey Butter
- Homemade Cinnamon Butter
- Raspberry Sauce (Coulis)
- Strawberry Sauce Topping
- Blueberry Sauce Topping
- Lemon Curd or Apple Butter
And at the very frequent request of my children, here’s one of the best ways to enjoy them: with lots of chocolate chips. 😉 Happy flipping!
If you happen to have a waffle maker, try my favorite buttermilk waffles next!
More Pancake Recipes:
- Birthday Cake Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes
- Greek Yogurt Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Pancakes or Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Healthy Banana Pancakes
Buttermilk Pancakes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 14–16 4-inch pancakes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fluffy and thick with just the right amount of sweetness, these buttermilk pancakes are the ideal base for your favorite pancake toppings like maple syrup, whipped cream, strawberry sauce topping or blueberry sauce topping, lemon curd, fresh berries, etc.
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (plus more butter for greasing)
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (480ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt the 6 Tablespoons (85g) of butter first. Microwave or stovetop—either is fine. Set aside to slightly cool until step 3. You don’t want it piping hot.
- In a large bowl, preferably with a pour spout, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Whisk in the melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine. Make sure there are no patches of dry flour at the bottom of the bowl. The batter is thick and a few lumps are fine. Set aside as you heat the stove.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with butter or nonstick spray. Once it’s hot, drop/pour a heaping 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle. Cook until the edges look set and you notice holes in the pancake’s surface around the border, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through, about 1–2 more minutes. Coat griddle/skillet with butter or nonstick spray, if needed, for each batch of pancakes.
- Keep pancakes warm in a preheated 200°F (93°C) oven until all pancakes are cooked. Serve pancakes immediately with your choice of toppings.
- Cover and store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Pancakes freeze well up to 3 months. Reheat frozen pancakes in the microwave. Or you can reheat frozen pancakes in a 350°F (177°C) oven. Place pancakes on a lined baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 6–8 minutes or until defrosted and warm.
- Can I make the batter the night before? No, I don’t recommend it. Baking powder is activated once wet. You can, however, mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together and keep them separate and covered in the refrigerator until the morning. (But do not add the melted butter until ready to cook, because that will solidify in the refrigerator.)
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Mixing Bowls (preferably with a pour spout) | Whisk | Electric Griddle, Griddle Pan, or Shallow Skillet/Pan
- Can I use whole wheat flour? I recommend making my whole wheat pancakes instead.
- Buttermilk: Though I typically suggest a DIY buttermilk substitute using regular milk and vinegar/lemon, I highly recommend real buttermilk. I used low-fat buttermilk, but full-fat works too. I do not suggest any substitutions. You can use any extra buttermilk you have leftover in any of these recipes.
- Can I make waffles instead? Absolutely. Use this batter and follow the same cooking instructions as these gingerbread waffles.
- Extras/add-ins: While these pancakes are flavorful on their own, feel free to fold your favorite add-ins—such as chocolate chips, berries, or chopped nuts—into the batter before cooking.
- Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction cookbook Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes recipe (page 35).
Reader Comments and Reviews
I am not usually a pancake lover, but my husband is. I have tried several recipes and felt that they were ok (just pancakes)! I saw your recipe and thought “what the heck I’ve tried so may others”. These are the best pancakes I think I have ever eaten. I ate 6 of them and had to make myself stop, I was so full. My husband raved about them too. I think he ate at least 6 too! Thank you for this recipe!
Super fluffy!
Great recipe! I made it on a camping trip in one bowl and only with baking powder, it worked out very well and everyone loved it. Thanks for this delicious recipe.
I’ve made these pancakes following the recipe to a T, I’ve made them subbing buttermilk for whole milk, I’ve added blueberries. And today I made them subbing buttermilk for whole milk and adding a healthy amount of mini chocolate chips. One thing I also did differently is I mixed the dry ingredients in my stand mixer, then I poured in the whisked egg/milk/vanilla, and finally poured in my butter. If my milk is not room temperature, which in the mornings it’s most likely not, whisking the melted butter in with the milk hardens the butter again, and it always mixes weird. Adding them into the dry ingredient separately worked out today! These pancakes turn out every! single! time! I always weigh my ingredients, and I typically have to add slightly more flour until I feel the pancakes are the consistency I want them. I usually make them in a regular ceramic pan but today I’ve made them in our new cast-iron. These pancakes are always so delicious and they make so many! Great to freeze and use for a quick breakfast throughout the week for my son.
There is a Aussie in the room “G,DAY” to all , thank you Sally for sharing this recipe with us hubby loves them and so do i , just a little lesson for all , as i have read all of the reviews and one of the most common review is that the batter is too thick or too loose ( Goldilocks syndrome ) and it has nothing to do with Sally’s recipe , but it is 100% your flour’s fault , it all has to do with with the humidity that’s in your’e kitchen ( all around ) , so when you have really muggy day’s your flour with absorb as much as it can , then you make your pancakes and your wondering why your’e batter is soooo Runny and you put it down too the recipe’s fault ( that naughty recipe and it’s Sally’s fault as well that naughty Sally ) but it’s the humidity playing with your’e flour , and all you need to do is add more flour. Now let’s talk about LOW HUMIDITY , your’e following Sally’s recipe too the last little drop of milk and now you have a bowl full of really thick porridge consistency ( WTFlower) and as before the blame game point’s the finger to Sally and the recipe bad bad recipe . Add a little bit more milk if thick or less milk to your’e batter if it’s thick , with a bit of science your’e pancake’s have grown wing’s and sing’s like’s Angel . So the morel too this story is our Atmosphere is the culprit as well as global warming , so next time your’e making a yummy batch of Sally’s pancakes just remember that the atmosphere is at play, also either add a splash here and little less there, God Bless to all and “ENJOY”
My husbands and sons new favorite recipe. My son refuses to order restaurant ones because they dont taste like mommy’s. Its the biggest compliment from a toddler. My husband loves pancakes and he says its the best recipe
Hi Sally
Am I able to substitute the whole wheat flour for gluten free flour.
Hi Sylvia, we haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so are unsure of the result. If you decide to try it, please report back!
Wow so good
Amazing flavor! I just had to add a 1/4 cup of flour for the right consistency.
Best pancake recipe I’ve ever tried! My kids ask me to make these all the time
LOVED THESE. they’re beautiful!
Have some leftover batter considering it’s just my toddler and I.
Can we use the rest for funnel cake maybe? What can be used to thin it out a little to make one?
This is such an easy and delicious recipe! Our pancakes came out way better than anything we’ve had at a restaurant. I added a cup of cottage cheese to add some protein, and they made these even better. Saving for the future!
I tried this recipe yesterday, and pancakes turned out super fluffy and light. My hubby loved them, thank you for sharing an amazing recipe
My family loves this recipe and we’ve made it so many times!
I wanted to make it for friends visiting this weekend, but one of them has an egg allergy. A recommendations for making this without the eggs?
Hi Samantha, we haven’t tested an egg-free version, but let us know if you do!
I googled and found this from another web site. Hope it helps. 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 teaspoon baking powder + 1 1/2 tablespoons water = 1 egg
taste amazing
My batter looks really thin. I followed the recipe to the letter – even weighing my flour. What’s going on? Makes me want to add more flour. As of now, I can’t see how these would be fluffy.
Hi Kate, how did they turn out? Did you happen to use a DIY buttermilk by chance? While we usually find a buttermilk substitute or DIY version works just fine, we highly recommend using real buttermilk for these pancakes. The DIY version could be the culprit for the thinner batter.
Delicious! Fluffy! Everything you want in a pancake!
I want to freeze these. Do the pancakes stick together if I stack them and put them in a Ziplock bag? Do I need to put parchment between layers?
They should be okay, but you can certainly freeze them with a layer of parchment paper between if you prefer. So glad you enjoy these pancakes, Sharon!
Excellent recipe. Supremely fluffy. Will absolutely keep this in my repertoire.
Because I was making these only for myself, I made a half batch using a food scale- 140g flour, 30g sugar, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 egg with 3/4 tsp powder and 1/4 tsp soda, and eyeballed the vanilla (because too much vanilla isn’t a thing in my household). Used 3 tbsp salted butter and omitted the extra salt to compensate. Worked perfectly. Got 4 medium-sized pancakes out of it.
Another amazing recipe from Sally!! Thank you Sally once again. Just made these for Father’s Day. I didn’t have buttermilk on hand or milk. I substituted a mixture of plain whole Greek yogurt and unsweetened coconut milk mixed with a teaspoon of fresh lemon Juice. I added in fresh blueberries and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Delicious!
I have followed Sally for a while now, making only a couple of her recipes thus far, and like the others, this was amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and the pancakes were thick and light at the same time. We simply loved it. Just made these this morning. Once they were ready to pour, I had some yummy add-ins (blueberries, choc chips and coconut flakes) ready. Chocolate chips won the popularity contest, but all renditions, including the original flavor were excellent. YUM! Thanks, Sally. I appreciate your thoroughness in explaining your process, and guiding us step-by-step. Simply brilliant!
I’ve made these pancakes 3 times this month, and every time they are perfect! Even though it’s not recommended, I did substitute the buttermilk for a milk-vinegar mixture and it still worked.
Truly an incredible recipe. Just the texture you’re looking for in a buttermilk pancake!
was grocery shipping this morning saw some packaged pancake mix and thought, naw, I know sally has an awesome recipe that would be better instead! found this one and made this morning. I didn’t have buttermilk or butter so substituted 2% milk and canola oil and they were amazing. topped with left over whipped cream from sally’s ice cream cake recipe and some blueberry anise jam that we brought back from iceland a few weeks ago. holy cow they were amazing.
These were simple and delicious. I had to improvise slightly. For some reason my batter turned out thick…like REALLY thick..it looked more like bread dough than pancake batter. I measured everything using the weights listed on my kitchen scale so no room for error there. I didn’t have any extra buttermilk so I added an unmeasured amount of regular milk just until it was thinned out enough to be pourable. It wasn’t a big deal, just thought it was weird. BUT in the end they were absolutely delicious. They cooked up huge and fluffy and everyone loved them. Whenever I have buttermilk on hand these will replace my old go-to pancake recipe.
I was craving pancakes this morning but had no buttermilk. I used the milk/vinegar mixture. The pancakes were amazing! Fluffy and so flavorful! I typically use the Betty Crocker pancake recipe, but the flavor in Sally’s pancakes is just heightened.
Can you add protein powder into this recipe and if so how would you do it? Thanks!
Hi Lily, we haven’t tested adding protein powder to our pancakes recipes. Let us know if you try anything!
I tried it! Added in 2 scoops of cinnamon protein powder instead of some of the flour, turned out amazing!
Hi Sally, I make alot of our yummy recipes. Thank you.
I made these pancakes today & they are yummy but my batter was thin.
I separated the dry & the wet. I made buttermilk, w/ milk & vinegar. My milk was cold, the eggs were cold. I melted the butter & it had cooled off before I put it in the liquids.
When I first mixed the W&D it was thick, then i threw in some blueberries & all the sudden it was thin.
I made them all they are very thin but still good.
Not sure what I did wrong, I didn’t find anywhere where it said stuff b at room temperature.
I wanted to say these are yummy, keep on pushing out the great recipes.
Hi Sherry, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. While we usually find a buttermilk substitute or DIY version works just fine, we highly recommend using real buttermilk for these pancakes. The DIY version could be the culprit for the thinner batter. You will want all the liquids to be at room temperature so that they incorporate more evenly. We can’t imagine why the blueberries would cause the batter to become thin—were you using frozen by chance? They will let off more liquid. We’re glad you still enjoyed the pancakes and hope this helps for your next batch!
These were amazing, but how do you get them to be round?
Hi Sara, we’re glad you enjoyed them! When you drop the batter onto your pan, you can use the back of your spoon to lightly spread the batter into a more uniform circle.
Truly the best recipe. These were delicious!
I have never made pancakes from scratch before because I have always thought to use a mix – it’s so convenient and tasty. However, after trying this recipe on a slow Sunday I’m never going back to a mix. These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had. Whipped them up in our stainless steel pan and it was perfection. I made the entire batter and froze the extra pancakes and have been snacking on them all week!