Description
These are the BEST fluffy buttermilk pancakes you’ll ever taste. They’re tender and airy, just like those from a pancake house. Serve with whipped butter and warm maple syrup. They almost melt in your mouth!
Ingredients
For Buttermilk Pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted (plus more for cooking)
For Serving
- Whipped butter
- Maple syrup, warmed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Whisk gently with a light hand – just until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated. There may be a few streaks of flour in the batter, and this is fine.
- Pour melted butter over the batter. Mix until just combined (there will be lumps). Do not overmix or your pancakes will be flat. Allow the batter to rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Heat a griddle to 350°F (on a gas stovetop, about medium/low), until the surface is hot enough for a droplet of water to skitter across it. Brush the hot griddle with a generous amount of melted butter.
- Pour the batter, 1/4 cup for each pancake, onto the griddle. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface and begin to burst, and the bottoms are lightly brown. Flip (just once) and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Do NOT pat down the pancakes with your spatula. We don’t want to squish the hotcakes – we want fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
- Between batches, remove the griddle from heat (slide griddle over to unheated stovetop burners) and quickly wipe it clean with a damp kitchen cloth. Immediately brush the the griddle with melted butter. Pour batter onto the griddle for the next batch of pancakes. Return the griddle to heat and repeat the cooking process until all the batter is used.
- Serve and enjoy the pancakes with whipped butter and warm maple syrup.
Notes
Easy Buttermilk Substitute: Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or white vinegar) to a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Fill the rest of the measuring cup with whole milk. Gently stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes. The milk will slightly curdle which will give the mixture a buttermilk-like taste and texture.
Why we briefly remove the griddle from heat between batches: It gives us a chance to wipe off leftover butter that’s browned and can become burnt with the next batch of hot cakes. It also lets the pan shed some heat so the next batch of pancakes won’t be browner than the first.
For the fluffiest buttermilk pancakes, let the batter rest for 1 hour before using. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (so the batter doesn’t dry out) and refrigerate. When the batter is first mixed, the flour’s gluten is tight. We want to give that gluten enough time to relax and unwind, so it can absorb the liquid in the batter and your pancakes will be perfectly light, fluffy and soft.
Freeze leftover pancakes the same day they’re made. Transfer them to an airtight container or zip-top bag, layering them between pieces of parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in a 250°F oven.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American