My all-time favourite Buttermilk Pancake recipe. These homemade pancakes are super soft and tender and take only minutes to make. Expect thick and fluffy cafe-style pancakes – perfect for a celebratory breakfast or lazy Sunday brunch. You can also find this recipe in my cookbook, Something Sweet, on page 112.
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes coming right up 🥞 Using just a handful of pantry staples, I’ll show you how to make the BEST Buttermilk Pancakes from scratch.
These thick, cafe-style pancakes are surprisingly easy to make, but make for a deliciously hearty breakfast
You don’t need an electric mixer. Ready to eat in minutes!
why you will love this recipe
- Thick and fluffy: These cafe-style pancakes are super thick.
- Quick and easy: They’re quick and easy to make.
- Simple ingredients: You don’t need any special or hard-to-find ingredients.
- Freezer-friendly: You can make these pancakes ahead of time and freeze them. Enjoy them for breakfast, snacks or breakfast-for-dinner.
Seriously thick, fluffy pancakes! The whole family loved them!
– Joanna
recipe testing
I love pancakes. And my classic American Pancakes are one of my most popular recipes of all time, so I know you do too. But recently, I’ve become obsessed with all things buttermilk.
We already know the wonders it can do in Chocolate Cake and Raspberry Muffins. The acidity in buttermilk breaks down gluten and proteins, helping to create tender and moist baked goods. It even helps to create flaky Cheese Scones.
It can also help with leavening, causing cakes and Chocolate Muffins to rise, and offers a slight tanginess, balancing sweetness.
And it’s no different with pancakes. Buttermilk is a secret weapon helping to create super thick and fluffy pancakes that are still soft and tender. Magic 🌟
Ingredients
Obviously, the key ingredient in these Buttermilk Pancakes is buttermilk. But apart from that, you only need very basic pantry staples to make these.
You can also make them your own, by adding fresh blueberries, chocolate chips or sliced bananas. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Plain flour: Or all purpose flour.
- Caster sugar: Or granulated sugar.
- Baking powder: This helps give these pancake their impressive rise, along with the buttermilk.
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Buttermilk: While I often recommend a buttermilk substitute in my other recipes, for best results, it’s important to use the real deal here. Go for full fat storebought buttermilk. If you can’t get hold of it, make my American-style Pancakes instead. They’re very similar but only require regular milk.
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how to make the batter
These Buttermilk Pancakes are very easy to make. You don’t need any special ingredients, nor do you need an electric mixer. Here’s how to make the batter in three simple steps.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, add melted butter, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Stir with a fork just to break up the egg yolks.
- Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir gently until a thick pancake batter forms.
tips for cooking pancakes
Here are my tips for making perfect Buttermilk Pancakes every time.
- Spread the batter by hand: Because the batter is thick it won’t spread out naturally in the pan. Dollop the pancake batter in your pan and then gently spread it out using a dessert spoon.
- Watch the heat: Buttermilk Pancakes are quite thick so they may take a little extra time to fully cook through. If you test one and notice they have browned on both sides without fully cooking through, turn the heat of your pan down, and cook each pancake for a little longer.
- Serve immediately: These pancakes are best served warm and fresh – so tell everyone to dig in straight away!
serving suggestions
These Buttermilk Pancakes are so good you can even eat them plain. But here are a few topping suggestions – perfect for a celebratory breakfast or lazy Sunday brunch.
- Butter
- Maple syrup
- Fresh berries
- Sliced banana
- Bacon
- Eggs
If you are feeling adventurous, you can stir some fresh blueberries through the batter to make Blueberry Pancakes or chocolate chips.
frequently asked questions
YES. I highly recommend doubling the recipe for a hungry crowd. As it is, it’ll make six large pancakes or eight smaller ones.
No. Since the buttermilk starts reacting instantly when added to the batter, I recommend cooking the pancakes straight away.
While I often recommend a buttermilk substitute in my other recipes, for best results, it’s important to use the real deal here. Go for full fat storebought buttermilk. If you can’t get hold of it, make my American-style Pancakes instead. They’re very similar but only require regular milk.
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Let’s Bake
Buttermilk Pancakes
The best homemade Buttermilk Pancakes I’ve ever had.
Ingredients
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 30 grams (2 level tablespoons) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 45 grams (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 240 ml (1 cup) full fat buttermilk
- Butter, for frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Give it a little stir.
- In a separate bowl, add melted butter, vanilla, eggs and buttermilk and stir with a fork just to break up the egg yolks.
- Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and gently fold through. The mixture will be very thick.
- Heat a small frying pan on a medium-low heat, add a little butter (1 teaspoon) to the pan and let it melt. Use a paper towel to spread it out so it evenly coats the pan.
- Dollop 3 tablespoons of pancake batter into the middle of the pan. Use a dessert spoon to gently spread the batter out slightly to form a large circle, approximately 12cm in diameter.
- Heat pancakes for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and then flip. Heat on the opposite side for about 1 minute or until also golden. Remove from heat and set aside. Repeat with remaining pancake batter.
- Serve pancakes immediately.
Notes
Buttermilk: While I often recommend a buttermilk substitute in my other recipes, for best results, it’s important to use the real deal here. Go for full fat storebought buttermilk. If you can’t get hold of it, make my American-style Pancakes instead. They’re very similar but only require regular milk.
Serving size: This recipe will make six large pancakes approximately 12cm in diameter. They are quite thick so you can definitely make them a bit smaller and get eight pancakes out of a batch. However, if you are making pancakes for a larger crowd, I recommend doubling the recipe.
Cooking suggestion: These pancakes are quite thick so they may take a little extra time to fully cook through. If you test one and notice they have browned on both sides without fully cooking through, turn the heat of your pan down, and cook each pancake for a little longer.
Serving suggestions: You can serve these Buttermilk Pancakes with butter, maple syrup, bacon, eggs and/or fresh berries. You can also stir through the batter some fresh blueberries to make Blueberry Pancakes or chocolate chips.
Leftovers: You can keep leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge. Pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to reheat.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 2 pancakes Calories: 278 Sugar: 10.6 g Sodium: 120.5 mg Fat: 10.2 g Carbohydrates: 39 g Protein: 7.5 g Cholesterol: 85 mg
Hi, I’m Jess, the creator of Sweetest Menu and the author of Something Sweet. A self-taught baker and published recipe writer who can’t stop making easy and delicious baking recipes.
Malikah Petersen says
I tried this recipe yesterday and my family agreed these are the very best we’ve ever had! Thank you for a simple yet extraordinarily delicious recipe! They are so light and fluffy!
Safe to say, I will be making these again and again!
Jessica Holmes says
That is so wonderful to hear Malikah! Thank you!
meaghan carruthers says
These are literally the best pancakes! I consider myself the queen of thick and fluffy pancakes but these take the (pan)cake!! No need to use any other recipe from here on out. You must make these!!!
Jessica Holmes says
Hooray! That’s so so lovely to hear!
Jo says
The fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever made ! Yum yum 😋
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! So glad you loved them Jo!
Joanna says
Seriously thick, fluffy pancakes! The whole family loved them!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So glad you love them Joanna too. We make them every week in our house!
Dayana Goncalves says
The best pancakes ever!! 🤩🤩🤩
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So glad you love them!
Lyn says
These are amazing! So fluffy and delicious, loved that they were not too sweet so tasted great with some strawberry jam. Thank you for a great recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Lyn! A stack with strawberry jam sounds lovely.
Josh says
These were great! Really light and fluffy.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Josh!
Laila says
I think the American pancake recipe is identical to this one except it uses milk instead of buttermilk. What am I missing?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Laila, yes it’s very similar! Buttermilk gives a lovely height and lightness to these pancakes.