Best Ever Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

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This easy homemade pancake recipe is a keeper! Learn how to make big, fluffy and beautiful buttermilk pancakes from scratch.

This old-fashioned buttermilk pancake recipe is without a doubt the tried-and-true favorite in our family.

It’s a simple, classic recipe you’ll want to keep in your recipe box.

Or better yet — learn it by heart — just like I have after making it on repeat practically blindfolded (well, more like in a sleepy morning stupor).

Light and fluffy pancakes

I’ve tried sooo many other pancakes over the years.

But they just don’t measure up to these big, puffed, tender and buttery beauties.

I grew up with my mom’s good old Bisquick pancakes, and I swear she must have worked some kind of magic into them besides following the recipe on the box.

They remain the standard against which I measure all pancakes, now until forever.

It took years to find the perfect, made-from-scratch pancake recipe that equaled those light, comforting stacks from childhood.

It must be the mom in me, but I sometimes add a tablespoon or so of ground flaxseed or wheat germ to the mix (ssshhh).

Somehow that makes pancakes seem more wholesome and less like a pillowy pile of carbs.

Seriously though, who are we kidding?!

Pancakes ARE SUPPOSED to be a carb dream.

Warm, griddled and dripping with butter and syrup, puffy pancakes are slightly indulgent and approachable at the same time.

In other words, pancakes are the ultimate comfort food.

This basic pancake recipe makes delicious plain pancakes.

But you can also use it as a base for mixing in all your favorite pancake embellishments.

What to add to pancakes

Fold in about 1/2 cup of any one:

• Chocolate Chips
• Berries! Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries…etc.
• Bananas

Add some spice (1/2 – 1 teaspoon)

• Cinnamon
• Ground ginger
• Vanilla extract

Are pancakes better with buttermilk?

I think buttermilk adds something magical to plain pancake batter.

The buttermilk adds only a slight tang, so if you’re worried your pancakes will taste sour, rest assured they won’t.

What actually makes buttermilk so good in pancake batter is that it produces a more tender, puffed pancake than plain milk does.

The acidity in buttermilk activates the leavening power in the baking soda and baking powder, which helps the batter rise higher when heated.

Sure, you can use regular milk (or even sub with a plant-based milk like homemade almond milk).

But every pancake I’ve made with milk compared to the ones made with buttermilk are flatter, less fluffy and all-around just meh.

Once you’ve tried real buttermilk pancakes, it’s hard to go back to making them any other way.

Tips for making light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes

There’s nothing more basic than pancakes, but there are a few key things to keep in mind if you want a perfectly light, fluffy and buttery stack:

Heat your griddle over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until it’s evenly hot but not smoking.

Use a flat griddle with a nonstick surface, or a well-seasoned cast iron pan rubbed with a little oil.

This is important! I know you’re in a hurry to dig right into the stack with your fork.

But if the griddle isn’t hot the batter will literally just sit there like a sad puddle.

No pancake for you.

On the other hand if you put the pan over a raging high heat, the pan will get too hot, causing the surface of the pancakes to brown (or burn) before the inside is finished cooking.

You’ll know when the pan is ready when you can flick a few drops of water on the pan and they sizzle, sputter and disappear after a few seconds.

Of course, you can always use a handy electric griddle set to 350 degrees, which will make the cooking step just about foolproof.

Check the date on your baking powder and baking soda.

If either of those have been sitting around in your pantry for some unknown amount of time they’re most likely stale.

Order some fresh containers and watch your pancake batter rise like a charm.

Flip the pancakes with spatula when small bubbles form and then burst on the surface, and the edges begin to set.

Can pancakes be frozen?

Yes, absolutely!

They won’t be exactly as soft and tender as freshly made pancakes, but they’re still delicious and so convenient on a busy morning (or a breakfast-for-dinner situation).

How to freeze leftover pancakes:

Cool the pancakes completely.

Place them in a plastic freezer bag or other container with a lid, preferably in one layer.

To serve the frozen pancakes, brush them with butter or oil and heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

You can also use a toaster or toaster oven to heat them, but use a medium setting so they don’t burn.