Start your morning off right with a big stack of these fluffy and melt in your mouth Buttermilk Pancakes. This old-fashioned recipe is so easy, tastes way better than a boxed mix, and gives you pancakes with the most perfectly crisp edges and soft fluffy centers.
This is one of my Breakfast recipes I know youโll want to keep on hand!
Letโs talk breakfastโฆ the most important meal of the day right? Well, who knows for sure, but all I know is that breakfast food is ah-mazing!
Donuts, scrambled eggs, omelettes, biscuits, gravy, bacon, french toastโฆ I could go on all day. But probably one of the most iconic breakfast foods is good olโ pancakes!
Now I donโt know about you, but I usually donโt eat much for actual breakfast. A cup of tea and a granola bar or bowl of cereal, and Iโm good to go.
But I crave breakfast food pretty much all other times of the day! Breakfast for dinner (Brinner) is one of my family’s favorite meals, especially if I’m serving up a big stack of these buttermilk pancakes! ๐
This recipe has been hanging around here on the site for about 6 years, but it’s been republished with updated photos and more helpful information. The recipe has not been changed.
How to make homemade buttermilk pancakes?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Mix dry ingredients. This is the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients. This is the buttermilk, vanilla, cinnamon, egg and butter.
- Stir the wet into the dry. Be careful not to over-mix, so just stir them together until you donโt see any more streaks of flour. Lumps are okay.
- Heat griddle or skillet. The secret to great pancakes is to be patient. You want the heat set at MED LOW. Add a bit of butter to griddle/skillet.
- Ladle batter onto griddle. I like to use a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup, so the pancakes are equal in size.
- Cook. Let the pancake cook about 2-3 minutes. Watch for a lot of bubbles popping up on the batter side of the pancake, and for the edges to appear set.
- Flip. Flip the pancake over and cook another 2 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Helpful Tip!
Go easy on the whisking. Pancake batter is easy to over-mix, which means your pancakes won’t be as fluffy and soft as they should be. When whisking the dry and wet ingredients together, just stir until you don’t see streaks of flour. Lumps are perfectly fine; you don’t need to whisk those out.
Variations of this recipe
- Buttermilk substitute โ if you donโt have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own! Add 2 Tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Pour in enough whole milk to reach 2 cups. Stir and let it sit about 10 minutes. It may look a bit curdled, but thatโs okay. Stir and use in the recipe.
- Regular milk โ alternately, you could just use regular whole milk, although we really prefer the flavor and texture of the buttermilk pancakes.
- Chocolate – semi-sweet chocolate chips are a classic stir-in idea, but other flavors of chocolate are great too.
- Fruit – sliced bananas, blueberries, sliced strawberries, etc are all great in these pancakes.
- Nuts – try adding some chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter!
- Flavors โ you can omit the vanilla/cinnamon if youโre not a fan, but alternately, you could try adding some lemon juice (especially if youโll be stirring in, or topping the pancake with some berries).
How to tell when a pancake is ready to flip?
This is a common question, so if you’ve been wondering and not sure how to ask… I’ve got you covered.
There are two main things I look for when deciding if I should flip my pancakes.
- Bubbles. As the pancakes cook, bubbles form and rise to the surface. When those bubbles have come through and popped, it’s a good sign the pancake is ready.
- Edges. The edges of the pancake will start off looking very wet, and as it cooks, they’ll dry out and appear set.
FAQ’s
Buttermilk does two main things in this pancake recipe. First, it adds a beautiful slight tang to the flavor of the pancakes. Secondly, it reacts with the leavening agents in the batter (the baking powder and baking soda) to help the pancakes rise and get nice and fluffy.
You definitely want to use non-expired baking powder for this recipe, or your pancakes wonโt puff up. To test your baking powder, add a bit to hot water. If it bubbles and fizzes, youโre good to go! However, if your baking powder is older than 6 months, itโs best to just get a new can. The older one can still be used for cleaning purposes!
Butter is a classic, and what I use most of the time. However, for the best crispy edges and boost of flavor, try using a bit of bacon drippings!
Making buttermilk pancakes ahead of time
Unfortunately making the batter ahead of time doesnโt work very well, since the leavening agent (the baking powder), will start activating as soon as the ingredients are mixed.
This means when the pancakes are cooked, they wonโt rise and turn into fluffy goodness.
Freezing
If you end up with way too many pancakes leftover, you can freeze them!
Just make sure theyโve completely cooled down, then add the pieces to a wax paper lined baking sheet. Place the whole thing in the freezer for 1-2 hours, until the pancakes are hard.
Add the pancakes to a freezer container, label it with the date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator and warm up in whichever way you like best.
Storage
Leftover pancakes should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within 3-4 days.
My Favorite Spatula!
I love this brand of silicone coated spatulas, since they’re all heat safe, easy to clean and hold up really well! This one is larger and makes getting that perfect pancake flip super easy!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Melt the butter and set aside to cool down slightly.
- To a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to combine all dry ingredients well.
- In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, vanilla, ground cinnamon and egg. Whisk to combine. Add melted butter and whisk again.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking and stirring to mix it all together. Once it’s combined, stop mixing. If you over-mix, your pancakes won’t be light and fluffy.
- Set pancake batter aside and heat up a large skillet or griddle over MED-LOW heat. Add a bit of butter to the preheated griddle and spread it out.
- Use a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop the pancake batter onto the griddle or skillet. Slowly pour it onto the surface, circling outwards to make a nice circle.
- Let the pancake cook about 2-3 minutes. You'll notice bubbles popping up on the surface of the pancake, if the edges look set, carefully flip the pancake over. Cook another 2 minutes on the other side.
- Remove to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel. Alternatively, you can place the pancakes on a baking sheet and keep it in a low heat oven (175-200 degrees), until you’re ready to serve.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- 1. Please note that the amount of flour may vary, as things such as humidity, brand of flour and the way you measure your flour will effect how things turn out. For reference, I use Gold Medal all purpose flour and measure it by spooning it into my measuring cup, then leveling off with the back of a butter knife.
- A dash of nutmeg is also a great addition to these pancakes.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of vanilla and cinnamon to your liking.
- If you leave out the vanilla and cinnamon, you have a great basic buttermilk pancake recipe.
- This recipe makes enough for 4 people, so feel free to double the recipe in order to feed more people or to freeze some.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Any nutritional information shared is an estimate, and is automatically calculated through a program. If calorie count is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
The Chunky Chef is not a nutritionist and doesnโt provide full nutritional information for recipes as there is a potential for error and we wouldnโt want to potentially and/or unknowingly pass along incorrect information.
Suvaathy says
Hi Amanda! Just want to check if I could use all-purpose flour instead and omit the baking soda and baking powder from the recipe
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Suvaathy ๐ This recipe actually calls for all-purpose flour, so you’ll still want to use the baking soda and powder, as they help with the fluffiness of the pancakes ๐
Suvaathy says
Thank you so much for the clarification Amanda! That really helped ?
Teresa Hixson says
OMG!!!! These are the most amazingly fluffy full of flavor pancakes ever!!!!! My husband has never “not” spoken through brekkies before….seriously….no conversation, he was too busy eating the yumminess!!! Sorry for going on so much, but I was truly and pleasantly surprised! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Teresa ๐ I’m SO happy to hear how much you both loved these pancakes!! The no words through breakfast because he’s too busy eating is a great compliment ๐
Tracey Williamson says
Can you use this recipe for waffles instead of pancakes?
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Tracey ๐ I never have, but if you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Donie Harper says
Made these tonight and they were wonderful. Too much for my husband and myself so the leftovers are in the fridge for our breakfast tomorrow. This recipe is a keeper.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Donie ๐ I’m so happy to hear that you both loved these pancakes!
Marcia says
I’m not usually a fan of pancakes unless they’re pumpkin pancakes, but my husband loves them. When I saw your recipe a while back I thought they looked like something I might like so I gave them a try right away and absolutely loved them! Over the holidays I picked up a bottle of Trader Joe’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup and used it with my pancakes this morning. All I can say is, oh my……….!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Marcia ๐ I’m SO happy to hear that you both loved these pancakes!! I love pumpkin pancakes too ๐ And that bourbon barrel aged syrup sounds to die for!
Isela says
My girls and I made these pancakes and OMG so far the best pancakes we’ve ever had!! So fluffy and yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe:-)
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Isela ๐ I’m SO SO SO happy to hear that you all love these pancakes!!
Shea says
Made these today for the family and they are amazing!! Added a little more buttermilk bc the batter was a bit thick. Definitely making them again.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Shea ๐ I’m so happy to hear you and your family loved these pancakes!!
Sharon Morgan says
Made these this morning for my hubby’s birthday and he said, and I quote. “these are the best pancakes you have ever made!”. We have been married for almost 20 years and that statement has only graced my ears a handful of times… I didn’t even have buttermilk or vinegar to sub. Just plain milk! and the butter was taking too long to melt (we do not use microwaves in our house) in the oven (where I had the bacon and sausage going) so I used sunflower oil. I hate when people do substitutions but I can not tell you how badly I want to remake this with the correct ingredients! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!You helped make his day more special and I appreciate it so much!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Sharon ๐ I’m SO glad that you all loved these pancakes!! I’m also really glad your substitutions worked out really well ๐
Christine says
I tried this recipe twice now and both times my pancakes were flat and not fluffy like yours. I was very careful to stop mixing one ingredients were just mixed together. Not sure what is wrong with the recipe
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Christine… I’m so sorry these didn’t turn out for you! Lots of readers have loved these, so I’ll try to troubleshoot a little with you. The first thing that comes to mind when you say they’re flat, is that maybe your baking powder and soda are on the older side? I’m guilty of forgetting that they do expire too, but once they’ve gotten old, they won’t rise like they should, which could lead to denser, flatter pancakes. If you’re using fresh ingredients, you could also try to set the batter aside for 10 minutes or so once you’ve mixed it, then cook as directed and see if that helps ๐
Leong Wun Han says
Pls advise 1 cup of flour is how many grams.
Thank you
Regards
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Leong ๐ A quick google search says that 1 cup of flour is equal to approximately 125 grams
Brooke Jordan says
Quick question!
What kind of buttermilk? Is it a liquid or powder? Ive never used it before.
Thank you!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Brooke ๐ It’s a liquid, sold right there in the dairy section of grocery stores ๐ There’s a lowfat version or regular… I usually go for the regular, although either will work ๐
Doris Emmer says
Ran out of the box pancake mix, so I found this recipe. Can I say, I feel in love. So easy, full of flavor, and the most fluffiest pancakes I have ever made. Never will I buy the mix in the box. Thank you for opening my eyes to something so much better.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Doris ๐ I’m SO happy to hear that you loved the pancakes! Thanks for coming back to comment ๐
Heather says
Hey there, these look great but on the ingredient list it just says: / cup melted butter.
It’s probably just my phone but I can’t see what the quantity is supposed to be.
Could you let me know because I really want to make them ๐
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Heather ๐ Unfortunately when I switched designs recently, there have been some bugs to work out with the recipe plugin coding. It should be worked out soon, but in the meantime, it should say 1/4 cup butter ๐
Brittany says
I’ve made these before and they were delicious! I come back to the recipe and I see / butter and 1 / baking powder and I’m not sure what the backslash means? If you could clarify, that would be great!
Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Brittany ๐ I’m so glad you’ve made these pancakes before and enjoyed them! I recently changed the design on the site, and am working out some coding bugs within the recipe plugin… should all be sorted out soon ๐ It should say 1/4 cup butter and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder. So sorry for any trouble!
Andi says
And I thought that my plain buttermilk pancakes were the best! No. These are the best. We loved them. I mixed the dry ingredients in a large ziplock bag and took them camping. I added the wet ingredients at the campground in the bag. All went well. Then I went to the market and bought the dry ingredients to make them again at the campground. I sprinkled them with Maine blueberries picked in my yard. This recipe is my new favorite. Thank you for sharing they are the best! Andi. Thewednesdaybaker.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Andi! ๐ Oh wow, I’m SO happy to hear you all loved the pancakes!! The addition of the blueberries sounds amazing… and I love the camping adaptation! ๐
catie says
I enjoyed! I thought they were wonderful, When I made the exact recipe the batter was so thick I didn’t think they would cook all the way through! I ended up adding 1/4 c. more of buttermilk to help spread just a slight bit more and worked well.. Thanks for the great recipe!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Catie ๐ I’m so glad you enjoyed the pancakes! Making pancakes can vary from household to household, based on humidity, different ways of measuring flour, etc… so I’m glad you were able to find a solution ๐
Beau says
this recipe came out great! Smooth and tasty with the perfect amount of cinnamon, I was running low on supplies so I used half whole wheat and half regular flour. Turned out fine. It seemed like a lot of mix but I made 6 large pancakes with enough batter left over for about one more.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Beau ๐ I’m so happy you loved the pancakes! I love the whole wheat and regular flour combo too ๐
Tara says
Can I make the batter 24 hours in advance?
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Tara ๐ Honestly, I wouldn’t try it. The leavening agents in the batter (the baking soda and powder) will start reacting with the other ingredients, which will alter the texture of your pancakes. Mixing up the batter only takes about 5 minutes, so I always do it right before cooking the pancakes. If you really have to shave some time off, you can mix up the dry ingredients and leave them covered on the counter, then mix up your wet ingredients in a separate bowl and refrigerate overnight. Then you can simply mix the two and start cooking.
Janette says
Always looking for a little something different to spice up my breakfast! Can’t wait to try these! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Janette ๐ I hope you LOVE them!
Jessy Niester says
I’m greatly in love in making (and eating) pancakes of all types and variations. Now, your post makes me craving my next pancake cooking session, but I may have to delay that for tomorrow morning though ;). Anyway, thanks for the beautiful recipe. I would definitely try making these for me and my family, I think they will like it too. Hope you won’t mind if I change your recipe a little by adding some chocolate syrup and cream as a topping, because my kids add them on everything they eat, literally.