How to Make Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
No restaurant required: these buttermilk pancakes turn out fluffy, golden, and just sweet enough for a lazy weekend morning. The batter comes together in one bowl and cooks up light with crisp edges, perfect for piling high with fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp melted butter, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup mixed fresh berries, for serving
- Maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined — a few lumps are fine.
- Heat a lightly buttered skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour ¼ cup batter per pancake.
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface, about 2–3 minutes, then flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until golden.
- Serve warm, topped with berries and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 4) (estimated)
- Calories: 320
- Total fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
- Sodium: 710 mg
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Protein: 9 g
Estimated from USDA FoodData Central values for the ingredients and amounts listed above. Optional toppings, garnishes and ingredients added “to taste” are not included. Actual values vary with brands and portion size.
Tips for Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Do not overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients meet — a few lumps are exactly what you want, since stirring too much develops the gluten in the flour and turns pancakes tough instead of tender. Make sure your baking powder is fresh; if it is more than six months old, it may not give the batter enough lift. Let the batter rest for five minutes before cooking so the baking powder has time to activate and the flour fully hydrates. Skip tasting the raw dough or batter, since the FDA notes that raw flour is not a ready-to-eat ingredient. For ingredient-level nutrition data, USDA FoodData Central is the most reliable free reference.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover buttermilk pancakes keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze, stack them with parchment paper between each pancake and freeze in a bag for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from the fridge or freezer in a toaster or a 350 degree oven until warmed through and the edges crisp back up.
No Buttermilk? Here is a Quick Substitute
If you do not have buttermilk on hand, stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 and a quarter cups of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes until slightly curdled. This homemade version works just as well in the batter and gives the pancakes that same subtle tang. This trick works in a pinch, but real buttermilk pancakes made with the cultured stuff have a slightly thicker batter and a more pronounced tang, so keep a carton on hand if buttermilk pancakes are a regular weekend habit in your kitchen. Have buttermilk left over? Use it in our buttermilk biscuits for strawberry shortcake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my pancakes flat instead of fluffy? Flat pancakes usually mean the baking powder is old or the batter sat too long before cooking. Mix the batter right before you start cooking and use baking powder that is still within its shelf life for the best rise.
Can I make the batter the night before? It is best to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and combine them just before cooking, since the baking powder starts losing its lift as soon as it hits the liquid.
What is the best pan temperature for buttermilk pancakes? Medium heat is the sweet spot — too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through, too low and the pancakes turn out pale and dense instead of golden.
