How to make Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

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Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes are an easy weekend breakfast that can be dressed up to celebrate any occasion! This buttermilk pancake recipe makes fluffy, tender, incredibly flavorful pancakes in very little time. All you need are a handful of ingredients and a little elbow grease to make the best pancakes ever!

If you’re a pancake lover, check out How to make the Best Homemade Pancakes!

Maple syrup pours on top of a stack of homemade buttermilk pancakes

We’ve talked a lot around these parts about our love for pancakes.

Our younger one requests them on the daily. Our older one insists we make them for breakfast most weekends.

So it should come as no surprise that we also adore these Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes.

Let’s be clear: These are better than the box mix and take just a little more time than that!

Why I love this recipe:

Buttermilk Pancakes just feel special.

Maybe it’s because I never have buttermilk in the house, so I have to make a special trip to the store to purchase it. Maybe it reminds me of childhood and my Pop cooking pancakes for us when we visited him and Granny in Georgia.

It feels like a special occasion, even though it’s a simple breakfast recipe that we all can and should enjoy.

These pancakes are versatile, and you can top a stack with butter, syrup and fruit. You can also serve ’em alongside oven baked bacon and summer fruit salad.

This buttermilk pancake recipe is just a little different than our classic Old Fashioned Pancake recipe. (Spoiler alert: The difference is the type of milk used!)

They pack so much flavor and fluff that they’re hard not to love. Also, the pancakes are incredibly tender and melt in your mouth as you eat them. It’s a great recipe, and I hope you and yours enjoy them!

Need breakfast inspiration? Head on over to my Breakfast and Brunch Recipe Index for more ideas.

What you need to make this recipe:

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Large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup
Whisk
Rubber spatula
2-tablespoon cookie scoop—or any measuring scoop of your choice
Cast iron griddle—you can also use an electric one!
Pastry brush—to brush oil or melted butter onto your griddle
Metal spatula—if you’re using a nonstick skillet, use a plastic spatula so it doesn’t scratch the surface!

Let’s talk ingredients!

In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

Here’s what you need:

All-purpose flour — this is sometimes referred to as AP flour. It serves as the base for our recipe. I have not tested this recipe using other flours in place of it.
Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this provides a little sweetness to the batter.
Leaveners — baking soda and baking powder are both used in this recipe to create light, fluffy pancakes. Make sure yours are fresh so that your pancakes become super fluffy.
Salt — I like to use a fine grain sea or medium grain kosher salt for this recipe.
Buttermilk — this is the ingredient that sets this buttermilk pancake recipe apart. While you can make a buttermilk substitute with regular milk and lemon juice, I suggest grabbing real buttermilk at the store.
Eggs — these provide structure, as well as a bit of lift for our pancakes.
Vanilla extract — a little goes a long way in our pancakes! Be sure to use the real deal, not the imitation kind.
Unflavored oil — we have used vegetable, canola or avocado oil in this recipe, and all are good.
Toppings — our favorite toppings for pancakes include a pat of butter, a glug of real maple syrup and loads of fresh fruit. You could also add chocolate chips or bacon!

Collage showing how to make buttermilk pancake batter

How to make Buttermilk Pancakes

First, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until combined, and set aside.

Next, measure out the wet ingredients. Pour the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup. Break the eggs, and add those to the milk along with the vanilla extract and oil. Use a fork to stir until combined.

Pro tip!

Make sure the egg yolks and white are mixed well. You don’t want stray pieces of egg white in the pancakes. It will take you about a minute of consistent mixing to get it to incorporate.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold them together until just combined.

Be careful not to overmix because that will make for tougher, less fluffy pancakes.

Once the batter has been mixed, heat a nonstick skillet or a griddle over medium heat. Brush the pan with melted butter or unflavored cooking spray/oil, and let it warm up. This also gives your batter a little time to rest!

Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to dollop the pancakes onto the preheated skillet when ready.

When several bubbles form on the surface and the bottoms are golden brown, flip the pancakes.

Cook through for another 1-2 minutes.

Repeat until all of the batter has been made into pancakes.

Stack the fluffy buttermilk pancakes on plates. Serve with butter, real maple syrup and fresh fruit or berries.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

As a mom, I love hosting at-home brunch because it’s easy. Also, it includes a lot of foods that kids generally enjoy and is more relaxed than afternoon or evening entertaining.

Making this recipe for buttermilk pancakes for a brunch is a brilliant idea!

Here are some tips and tricks to making it easy on yourself:

Depending on how many guests you’re hosting, you’re going to want to double the recipe. You can make the pancakes in advance and keep them warm in a 200F oven until it’s serving time.
Make a pancake bar. Set out the pancakes, then let guests make their own stacks. Offer various toppings in bowls, like fresh fruit, maple syrup (or even a homemade strawberry syrup) and butter, as well as chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
Serve it alongside more easy brunch items, like a savory Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole.
Make a juice bar for the guests! Kids love this. You can always have a bottle of champagne in the fridge for adults who might want bubbly with their juice. (Think a mimosa bar, like this one!)

Close up of a stack of buttermilk pancakes with chocolate chips

Frequently Asked Questions

What does buttermilk do to pancakes?

Buttermilk has some acidity to it, so when it mixes with baking soda, it leads to fluffy, tender pancakes. (There’s a chemical reaction that takes place when the two meet in the batter, and it causes them to rise well!) It also adds a little tanginess.

When do you know how to flip pancakes?

When big bubbles start to form in the batter, carefully lift up an edge with a spatula. Once you confirm it is golden brown, flip. Once you flip the pancakes, you won’t flip them again.

How do I prevent these pancakes from sticking to the griddle?

I like to brush my griddle with a bit of fat, like melted butter or unflavored oil, in between every round. This will ensure that they don’t stick. Also, using a nonstick pan will help, too!

How do I store leftover pancakes?

Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warmed through.

A cut-into stack of buttermilk pancakes from above with berries and butter on top

Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Pancakes

Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the pancakes won’t be as fluffy.
When do you know how to flip? When big ‘ol bubbles start to form in the batter. Lift up the edge a little bit with a spatula to confirm the color on the other side before committing… because when you flip them, you won’t flip them again. (Yep. We only need to flip our pancakes once.)
Once you’ve flipped your pancakes, don’t press down on them! This will deflate them. Obviously, we want them to puff up and be as light and airy as possible.
Leftover pancakes? Freeze ’em! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warm.

Love pancakes? Try these recipes:

25 (2T) pancakes

Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (34g)
2 teaspoons baking powder (10g)
½ teaspoon baking soda (4g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (4g)
1 ¾ cups buttermilk (14 oz.)
2 large eggs (~108g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (6g)
2 tablespoons unflavored oil, like vegetable or canola oil (27g)

Toppings

Softened salted butter
Maple syrup
Fresh fruit

Instructions

Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together until incorporated, and set aside.
In a smaller bowl or a liquid measuring cup, measure in the buttermilk.
Next, break the eggs into the buttermilk. Measure in the vanilla extract and oil, too.
Use a fork to stir the wet ingredients until combined. Make sure the egg yolk and white are incorporated.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to overmix, as this will affect the texture of the pancakes. Don’t fret about lumps—they’re OK.
Once the batter has been mixed, heat a nonstick skillet or a griddle over medium heat. Brush the pan with melted butter or unflavored cooking spray.
Dollop the pancakes onto the preheated skillet when ready using a cookie scoop or a measuring cup.
When several bubbles have formed on the surface, flip the pancakes, and cook through.
Repeat until all of the pancakes have been made.
Stack the pancakes onto plates and serve with a pat of butter, real maple syrup and fresh fruit. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

To freeze any extra pancakes, simply line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warm.

4 Comments

Ralph Simek says:

May 31, 2022 at 1:17 pm

Could this recipe be used to make waffles?

1. Erin says:
  
  May 31, 2022 at 9:08 pm
  
  Hey Ralph. To be honest with you, I’ve never tried this recipe in waffle form, and I’m unsure if it would work since waffle recipes call for more fat/oil than pancakes. However, if you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
  
Hanna says:

October 12, 2023 at 2:20 pm

Wow they look so fluffy! I need to try them tomorrow for breakfast,thank you for sharing

1. Erin says:
  
  October 13, 2023 at 7:23 am
  
  Thanks, Hanna! They really are. 🙂 I hope you enjoy them as your breakfast!

Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes