American
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Buttermilk, melted butter, and a light hand on the spoon are what make these pancakes rise. Stop mixing when the flour streaks disappear, because a lumpy batter bakes up more tender than a smooth one.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Baking powder plus the acid in buttermilk is what lifts the batter.
- Melted butter in the batter browns the surface and keeps the crumb from tasting dry.
- Overmixing develops gluten and makes the pancakes tough, so the batter is supposed to look lumpy.
- A steady medium heat, not a ripping hot pan, sets the center before the outside scorches.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- 2
In a second bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter.
- 3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir only until the flour streaks disappear. Lumps are fine. Overmixing is what makes the crumb tough.
- 4
Heat a skillet over medium, or set an electric griddle to 375°F. Lightly butter the surface. A drop of water should skitter, not sit and boil violently.
- 5
Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the underside is golden, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
- 6
Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a little butter as the pan dries. You should get about 8 pancakes, 2 per serving.
Pro tips
- The first pancake is the heat test. If it browns in under a minute, lower the burner before you pour the rest.
- Do not press the pancakes with the spatula. Pressing pushes out the steam that makes them thick.
- If the batter thickens while you cook, loosen it with a tablespoon of buttermilk. Do not keep stirring.
Easy substitutions
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/4 cups milk mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice, rested 5 minutes
- all-purpose flour
- white whole-wheat flour, with a slightly heartier crumb
- unsalted butter in the batter
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate cooled pancakes for up to 3 days, or freeze them in a single layer then a bag for up to 1 month.
Reheating
Warm in a toaster or a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes. A microwave softens them. From frozen, add a couple of minutes in the oven.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 340
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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