These Buttermilk Pancakes have the perfect fluffy and light texture, and delicious flavor. They’re easy to make using simple scratch ingredients!

These to me are the ultimate buttermilk pancakes. Only 7 ingredients, but perfectly light and flavorful.

Buttermilk Pancakes - Plated in a Stack on a Blue Plate with Butter Pats and Syrup On Top

These Buttermilk Pancakes Use Simple Ingredients in the Right Proportions:

All you need is:

  • Flour – All-purpose flour is my go-to, but you can also use whole wheat.
  • Eggs – Just enough to give fluffiness but not make it too eggy
  • Buttermilk – You can use dry OR liquid here. It gives great flavor and tenderness.
  • Brown Sugar – Just a touch. It’s not even perceptively sweet, but adds balance (and it’s optional).
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda – To leaven the pancakes.
  • Salt – To bring forward and balance the flavors.

As you can see, there are no ingredients here that are out of the ordinary.

Rather, it’s the proportions that make the pancakes so good.

They also get an even golden color on the griddle, that looks very similar to the box-mix pancakes.

Buttermilk Pancake Recipe Shown In a Stack on Plate with Butter Pats and Syrup Pouring On Top

While these are a classic “white” pancake made with all-purpose flour, you can also use 100% Whole Wheat Flour with this Whole Wheat Pancakes recipe. They have amazing flavor and texture as well, if you’re looking for something heartier.

This classic pancake is best for toppings, and can be topped with pretty much anything. There’s the classic butter and maple syrup, or you can get a little fancier with homemade Blueberry Sauce.

Visual Step-by-Step for How to Make Buttermilk Pancakes:

For the dry ingredients, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl:

Flour, Brown Sugar, Salt, and Leavener in a Stainless Steel Bowl

Because I now generally use dry buttermilk powder instead of liquid fresh buttermilk, I also add that to my dry ingredients:

Flour, Brown Sugar, Salt, Leavener, and Dry Buttermilk Powder in a Stainless Steel Bowl

However, liquid buttermilk works perfectly here too! It’s what I used to use, but I like having dry buttermilk on hand all the time.

Mix together the wet ingredients, which is just buttermilk and eggs, and add it to the dry:

Pouring Buttermilk Egg Wet Ingredients Into Dry Flour Mix

Stir until the flour streaks disappear, but there are still some lumps remaining:

Buttermilk Pancake Batter in a Bowl

Transfer the batter to a measuring cup (or any good bowl you can pour from), and add a few tablespoons of batter for each pancake.

Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, until bubbles start to appear on the surface:

Flipping Partially Cooked Pancakes in a Nonstick Skillet

That’s your indication to flip! Cook for 1 more minute on the other side.

I cook the pancakes on a completely ungreased nonstick surface, as I’ve noticed it gives it a more evenly brown color, and the nonstick coating makes greasing unnecessary.

However, if you want more butter flavor, feel free to grease the pan before each batch.

A Stack of Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes on a blue Plate with Butter and Syrup

See How to Cook Bacon in the Oven if you want to make it a full breakfast spread with scrambled eggs too. 

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes, and Carrot Cake Pancakes are some of my other favorite pancake recipes. Or you can try baking one big Dutch Baby Pancake, which is sliced and served. Enjoy!

How to Freeze Buttermilk Pancakes:

First let the pancakes cool completely, then follow one of these two methods so the pancakes don’t stick to each other:

For the first method, place the pancakes on a sheet pan in a single layer, making sure they aren’t touching each other, and freeze for 30-60 minutes, until they are completely frozen. Then you can remove the pancakes and place them in a large plastic bag. This way they won’t stick to each other, and you can take out as many pancakes as you’d like.

For the second method, stack the pancakes between wax paper or parchment paper, and place those stacks in a resealable bag to freeze. This will keep them separated so they don’t freeze stuck together.

Freeze the pancakes for up to two months.

How to Reheat Pancakes:

Here are three methods for reheating, either by using the microwave, oven, or toaster:

Microwave Method (my favorite):

Place 1 to 5 frozen pancakes on a microwave-safe plate. Cook uncovered at 20 seconds for 1 pancake, 30 seconds for 2 pancakes, 40 seconds for 3 pancakes, 50 seconds for 4 pancakes, and 60 seconds for 5 pancakes. Exact timing will depend on the strength of your microwave, but this is a good guideline.

Oven Method:

This is great for a larger numbers of pancakes. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the desired number of frozen pancakes into a foil packet. Or place pancakes in a flat layer on a sheet pan and cover the pan tightly with foil. Just make sure you seal tightly to prevent the pancakes from getting dry. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the pancakes are warm and soft. 

Toaster Method:

This is my least favorite method, but it does work. You are limited to only one pancake per slot, and need to watch to make sure the pancakes don’t become crispy or overcook. Time varies depending on toaster settings.

Pancake Extras:

Feel free to add blueberries, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans. I simply sprinkle a small amount on immediately after pouring the batter on the griddle, before the batter has set. This allows me to use frozen blueberries for instance, without turning the entire batter purple (which would happen if you stirred it directly into the batter). 

Buttermilk Pancakes Plated in a Stack on a Blue Plate with Butter Pats and Syrup On Top

Buttermilk Pancakes

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
These buttermilk pancakes are made with simple ingredients balanced to perfection, for a sweet flavor and fluffy texture. Serve with butter and maple syrup for the perfect breakfast!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
23
reviews
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

  • 10 oz by weight all purpose flour (2 cups if measuring)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk*

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
  • In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk until well combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir with a spatula until no flour streaks remain, but the batter still has a few lumps here and there. Do not overmix.
  • Transfer the batter to a measuring cup or other container for easy pouring.
  • Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and pour a few tablespoons** of pancake batter onto the griddle for each pancake.
  • Cook for a couple minutes, until you see bubbles form on top. This is your indication to flip!
  • Cook for another minute on the other side, then repeat with the remaining batter.
  • Serve the pancakes with orange honey butter or maple syrup, or whatever you desire. Enjoy!

Notes

 *Both liquid buttermilk and dry buttermilk powder work well here. If using dry buttermilk, mix water with the eggs, per the instructions.
**You can do more or less, as desired. Make them whatever size you'd like.
If you have leftovers, see the blog post for freezing and reheating instructions.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 85mg, Sodium: 651mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 15g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas

Post updated with new photos, writing, and tips in October 2018. Originally published August 2011.