Buttermilk Pancakes

Start your morning with these dreamy Buttermilk Pancakes—soft, fluffy, and irresistible. Pile them high and add your favorite toppings for a breakfast worth waking up for.

Buttermilk pancakes stacked on a white plate.

Buttermilk Pancakes are a classic breakfast favorite known for their light, fluffy texture and slightly tangy flavor. The acidity of the buttermilk helps create tender pancakes with a soft crumb while also giving them a subtle richness that pairs beautifully with maple syrup, butter, fresh fruit, or any of your favorite toppings! No one will be able to get enough!

If you are a pancake lover like me then you have to also try my Mini Pancakes, Blender Pancakes, and Strawberry Yogurt Pancakes.

Why We Love These Pancakes

  • They’re not just for breakfast—serve them for brunch, dinner, or even dessert with fun toppings.
  • You can prepare the dry mix in advance, saving time for busy mornings.
  • With a few basic ingredients and easy steps, you can have a batch ready in no time.

Recipe Ingredients

Fluffy pancakes stacked on a white plate with a fork beside them.

Buttermilk – Combined with baking soda, it makes pancakes thick, fluffy, and gives them a classic, subtle tang.

Egg – Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter, but using them straight from the fridge works perfectly if you’re short on time.

Butter – Melted butter adds richness. Let it cool slightly before mixing to avoid curdling.

For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.

Variations

Pancake Toppings – Make your pancakes special with whipped cream, fresh berries, chocolate, caramel, or strawberry sauce as tasty options alongside syrup.

Buttermilk Substitute – If you’re out of buttermilk, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

How to Make Buttermilk Pancakes

Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 2: In a small mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Lightly beat until combined.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being sure not to overmix. Lumps make for fluffy pancakes!

Step 4: Place a pan over medium heat and add ½ tbsp. of butter. Scoop the batter out using a ¼ measuring cup and pour it into the center of the heated pan. Allow the pancakes to cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until you see small bubbles on the surface of the pancake. Flip, and cook pancakes for 1 additional minute. The pancakes should be lightly golden brown in color.

Buttermilk pancake wedges on a fork.

Expert Tips

Avoid Overmixing – To prevent flat or dense pancakes, mix the pancake batter gently until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing can lead to tougher pancakes.

Let Batter Rest – Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes before cooking. This helps improve texture and can offset accidental overmixing, giving you fluffier pancakes.

Stack of pancakes being drizzled with warm syrup.

FAQs

How can I tell when it’s time to flip the pancakes?

Pancakes are ready to flip when bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to set. Use a wrist motion while flipping to keep them intact and perfectly shaped.

Do I need a griddle to make these pancakes?

No, a griddle isn’t required! You can use a non-stick skillet or frying pan instead. However, a griddle’s larger surface and even heat make it easier to cook multiple pancakes at once.

Storage Information

To STORE leftover pancakes, let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, place wax or parchment paper between the pancakes and store them in a Ziploc bag or airtight container. You can also arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, FREEZE them until solid, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Pancakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.

To REHEAT, microwave frozen pancakes for about 20 seconds per pancake. For a larger batch of pancakes, place them on a sheet pan covered with aluminum foil and warm in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes.

Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

Pancakes stacked on a plate, drizzled with syrup.

Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe

Start your morning with these dreamy Buttermilk Pancakes—soft, fluffy, and irresistible. Pile them high and add your favorite toppings for a breakfast worth waking up for.
5 from 3 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 126kcal
Author: Andrea
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tbsp butter - melted
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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Instructions

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a small mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Lightly beat until combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being sure not to overmix. Lumps make for fluffy pancakes!
  • Place a pan over medium heat and add ½ tbsp. of butter. Scoop the batter out using a ¼ measuring cup and pour it into the center of the heated pan. Allow the pancakes to cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until you see small bubbles on the surface of the pancake. Flip, and cook pancakes for 1 additional minute. The pancakes should be lightly golden brown in color.

NOTES

Recipe Source: Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen, Buttermilk Pancakes
-Can make 8-10 pancakes, depending on how big you make them.
-For a healthier option, try substituting ½ c. of all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. Adding 1-2 additional tablespoons of buttermilk might be necessary.
-Blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, or bacon can be added to the batter as the last and final step (before cooking them).
To STORE leftover pancakes, let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, place wax or parchment paper between the pancakes and store them in a Ziploc bag or airtight container. You can also arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, FREEZE them until solid, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Pancakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.
To REHEAT, microwave frozen pancakes for about 20 seconds per pancake. For a larger batch of pancakes, place them on a sheet pan covered with aluminum foil and warm in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 333mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 179IU | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

5 from 3 votes

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    Had some buttermilk that I needed to use so decided to try this recipe for pancakes. I added a cup of blueberries I also needed to use to the mix. These were fabulous!! Moist and mouthwatering delicious. Keeping this as my go-to buttermilk pancake recipe. My husband loved them too so that’s a bonus.

  2. Pretty good pancakes. I have tried a lot of recipes and it was a good one but not the best … they still are delicious haha !