Buttermilk Pancakes
Deliciously buttery and fluffy with golden, crisp edges. A steaming stack of these and weekends will never be the same again — ready in just 25 minutes.
- 2 cups all-purpose or plain flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus up to 1/4 cup extra if needed
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk, slightly cooled melted butter, vanilla, and eggs.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together first with a wire whisk, then slowly fold them into the dry ingredients, mixing until smooth — a couple of small lumps are perfectly fine. The batter should be thick and creamy; if it's too thick to pour smoothly off a ladle or measuring cup, fold in a couple tablespoons of extra buttermilk at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Let the batter rest for a good 10 minutes while you heat your pan or griddle. This rest gives the baking powder and soda time to activate and the flour time to hydrate fully, which is part of what makes these pancakes so fluffy.
- Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over low-medium heat and wipe it with a little butter to lightly grease. Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto the pan and gently spread it into a round shape with the back of your ladle or measuring cup.
- Cook until the underside is golden and bubbles begin appearing across the surface, then flip with a spatula and cook until golden on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve warm with honey, maple syrup, fresh fruit, ice cream, or frozen yogurt — or enjoy them plain.
Chef's Note: The 10-minute rest before cooking is one of those steps that's tempting to skip when you're hungry, but it genuinely matters — it gives the flour time to hydrate and the leaveners time to start working, which is a big part of what separates a fluffy pancake from a flat, dense one. Keep the heat at low-medium rather than cranking it up; too-hot a pan will brown the outside before the inside has a chance to cook through.
The batter's thickness is meant to feel rich and almost too thick at first — that's what gives these their signature fluffiness, so resist the urge to thin it out unless it genuinely won't pour off your ladle or measuring cup. Buttermilk is what gives these their tang and tender crumb, so it's worth seeking out rather than substituting with regular milk if you can.
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