This is the best Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe you’ll ever make! With simple ingredients, it’s easy to make and always turns out soft, fluffy, deliciously rich, and tangy.
I love pancakes for breakfast! And with endless options like Mini Pancakes, Easy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, and Nutella Stuffed Pancakes, I never get bored.
However, you can never go wrong with classic options, and this homemade buttermilk waffles recipe always hits the spot! Easy to make, it’s far better than any box mix option you’ll find.
Plus, all you need are a handful of simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. Then, with a few easy steps you can have breakfast on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Serve them warm with all your favorite toppings, and everyone will be jumping out of bed in the morning. Plus, you can easily make extras to store for later. Then, just reheat them for easy options throughout the week. Mornings don’t get better than that!
What is Buttermilk?
Traditionally, buttermilk was the thin, non-fat liquid left in the churn after making butter. Nowadays, buttermilk is cultured milk that is similar to natural yogurt and kefir. Today, dairy farms inoculate pasteurized milk with bacteria cultures. This is what transforms it into the buttermilk.
Why Use Buttermilk in Baking?
Buttermilk brings beautiful flavor and tenderness to sweet and savory recipes like Buttermilk Pound Cake, Buttermilk Waffles, and Classic Buttermilk Biscuits. This is largely due to its high acidity.
The acid content gives baked goods a light, flakey texture and adds a subtle tanginess to pastries. As a result, it works well in a variety of recipes! I love to use it with biscuits, cakes, pancakes, waffles, and quick bread. However, it’s also great with fried chicken, salad dressings, and mashed potatoes.
Recipe Ingredients
To print: see recipe card below
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg – Let it come to room temperature for easy mixing.
- 2 cups buttermilk – Use store-bought or homemade buttermilk.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted – Feel free to substitute vegetable oil if preferred.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract – This is optional but highly recommended to add extract depth and a subtle sweet flavor to the batter.
Variations
- Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Add a teaspoon or two of cocoa powder to make chocolate pancakes.
- Include mix-ins like blueberries, strawberries, banana slices, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, lemon zest and poppy seeds, shredded coconut, dried fruit, or cranberries and orange zest.
Buttermilk Substitutes
Don’t have any buttermilk? Here are buttermilk substitutes you can use in place of real buttermilk. These substitutes will make a substitute for buttermilk equal to one cup. You will need to double it to make this buttermilk pancakes recipe.
- Mix equal parts plain Greek yogurt and water.
- Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to enough regular milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, and let stand for 5 minutes.
- 1-3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar plus 1 cup milk
- Mix equal parts sour cream and water.
Quick Tip
Be sure not to substitute or omit the baking soda! It acts as a leavening agent, interacting with the buttermilk (or substitute). This helps the pancakes rise and become fluffy.
Directions for How to Make Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, melted butter or oil, and vanilla.
- Combine: Use a measuring cup or spoon to make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Then, pour in the wet ingredients, and gently stir until the dry ingredients dissolve. You’ll still have some small lumps in the mixture!
- Rest: Set your buttermilk pancake batter aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Heat: In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Or, preheat an electric griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease the pan with butter or vegetable oil.
- Cook: Spoon 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot surface. Cook the pancakes until small bubbles form and the bottoms are light brown. Then, flip, and continue to cook until the batter sets and the pancakes are golden.
- Serve: Transfer the pancakes to a plate or wire rack. Then, repeat the process to use all the batter, and enjoy warm!
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve my buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup or pancake syrup! However, you can also add toppings like peanut butter, fresh fruit, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or whipped cream.
Then, pair them with options like basted eggs, scrambled eggs, bacon, or a Green Goddess Smoothie for a complete meal!
How to Store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze leftover pancakes for up to 3 months. To do so, arrange them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a sealable bag or airtight container to store. Place a sheet of parchment paper between each pancake to prevent them from clumping together!
- Reheat frozen pancakes in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Or, warm them thawed in 30-second intervals in the microwave.
Quick Tip
If you’re making a large batch, place the cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. This will keep them warm while you finish cooking! Then, you can serve everyone at once without standing over the stove during the meal.
Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 (1/4) cup
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.2 cups All-purpose flour, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, butter or oil, and vanilla.1 large egg, 2 cups buttermilk, 2 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, gently stir until all traces of the dry ingredients disappear. There will be small lumps.
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
- While the batter rests, heat a large skillet over medium-heat or preheat an electric griddle to 350°F.
- Lightly grease the pan with butter or vegetable oil.
- Spoon 1/4 cup portions of batter onto the hot surface.
- Cook the pancakes until small bubbles form on the tops and bottoms are light brown (about 1 to 2 minutes).
- Flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until the bottoms are brown.
- Serve with butter and pure maple syrup.
- Freeze leftover pancakes on a baking sheet. When you are ready to use, reheat them in a 250°F oven.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes recipe? Let us know how it turned out with a rating and comment!
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Delicious, much better that any pre-made pancake mix.
Thank you!
Thank you for this recipe! My family and I loved them. So delicious! I made these this morning for my family after redeeming myself from the Bisquik attempt on last weekend.
Best pancakes I’ve ever made!