Fluffy, homemade Buttermilk Pancakes are the perfect breakfast. These pancakes are super soft and airy inside and with a beautifully buttery crisp edge. After trying this recipe, you won’t want the pre-made mix again. The best part is that they are so quick and easy to make (done in under 30 minutes).
We love homemade pancakes from Banana Pancakes to Ricotta Pancakes. If you are a fan of pancake recipes, this Buttermilk Pancakes recipe is a must-try. Watch the video tutorial and get all of our tips and tricks for making the best pancakes.
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The Best Pancake Recipe
Your search for the perfect pancakes is over! My mother-in-law shared this recipe with me early on in our marriage and we’ve been making it for years. Making pancakes from scratch always gets two thumbs up from everyone in the family and it’s one of those ‘regular rotation’ types of recipes. Here’s why you will love this recipe:
- Easy – it’s literally stirring together wet ingredients and dry ingredients. It’s hard to mess up.
- Fluffy – these puff up beautifully which means they go down easy. They feel light and satisfying.
- Make-ahead – although I think the batter puffs up the very best the same day it’s mixed, we have kept leftover batter to sautee the next day and it works. You can also reheat leftover pancakes in the toaster.
- Crisp edges – this is my favorite part. Biting into a crisp edge is so satisfying. The butter in the recipe and on the skillet crisps up the edges and adds a nice texture dimension.
- Versatile – you can serve these up with any pancake toppings.
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes Video
Watch Natasha make this Pancake Recipe and see how easy it is. Now go forth and cook up your new favorite pancakes. Don’t forget the Honey Butter and Raspberry Maple Syrup. Yum!
Ingredients
- Flour – I recommend using all-purpose flour for the right batter consistency
- Sugar – granulated sugar isn’t just to make the pancakes sweeter. It helps with the browning in the pan and crisping up the edges.
- Baking powder & baking soda – both of these leavenings combined give these amazing rise and lightness. The baking soda is activated by the buttermilk to make the pancakes extra fluffy.
- Salt – brings out the sweet flavors of the pancakes
- Buttermilk – adds a wonderful tang to add depth of flavor and activates baking soda to give the pancakes a lift.
- Eggs – use large eggs. They can be straight out of the refrigerator.
- Vanilla extract – adds a nice flavor and aroma. Homemade vanilla extract is even better.
- Butter – melted and whisked in at the end to add richness and moisture to the pancakes.
Pro Tip: To sautee pancakes, we love using either light olive oil, or for an added layer of flavor, try unrefined coconut oil. It has a higher smoke point than butter and it’s the secret to the best tasting pancakes!
How to Make Buttermilk Pancakes
- Dry Ingredients – in a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt.
- Wet Ingredients – in a second bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla
- Combine – pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk just until moistened.
- Add melted butter – while stirring, add melted butter and whisk just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Sautee – Preheat a large non-stick pan or cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat (325 – 350˚F on a griddle). Add 2 Tbsp oil and drop heaping spoonfuls (about 1/4 cup or 2 oz ice cream scoop full) of batter for each pancake, keeping some space between pancakes for easy flipping. Sautee 3 minutes per side. Flip when you see bubbles form and start to pop.
Pro Tip: Do not overmix your pancakes. Mixing develops gluten so overmixing will result in tough and dense pancakes. Don’t worry about lumps in the batter.
Common Questions
Regular pancakes are made with milk while buttermilk pancakes are made with buttermilk. The buttermilk adds a comforting tang and makes the pancakes more moist, fluffy, and tender.
You can make your own buttermilk by combining milk and vinegar or lemon juice. To make 2 cups of buttermilk, fill your measuring cup with 2 Tbsp of vinegar and add enough milk to reach 2 cups. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes then use it in the recipe.
Use either a griddle or a heavy pan with even heat distribution. We love using our cast-iron pan or
Place ready pancakes on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200˚F oven for up to 45 minutes before serving.
Tiny bubbles will form on the surface of your pancake. Wait until you see those bubbles start popping and forming tiny holes on the surface of your pancake then flip. This takes about 3 minutes.
To Serve Buttermilk Pancakes
We love to serve this with whichever seasonal fruits and toppings we have on hand. You can keep it simple with maple syrup or load on the berries and toppings on special mornings.
- Fruit – all berries, sliced stone fruit, bananas,
- Butter – a thin pat of softened butter melts beautifully over warm pancakes
- Syrup – use real maple syrup, honey, agave or your syrup of choice
- Sauce – Strawberry Sauce, Cherry Sauce, or melted chocolate
- Nuts – chopped toasted nuts or shaved coconut
- Bacon – chopped Baked Bacon for a sweet and savory combination
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: The pancakes will be the fluffiest if cooked the same day, however, you can cover and store leftover batter in the refrigerator overnight and cook the following day.
- To Reheat: Warm leftover pancakes on a skillet, in a toaster, or in the air fryer just until heated through.
I hope these buttermilk pancakes make it on your regular breakfast rotation. They are well-loved in our family. Let me know what is your favorite topping for pancakes in the comments.
More Pancake Recipes to try
If you love these fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes, then you won’t want to miss these top-rated pancake recipes.
- Dutch Baby (German Pancakes)
- Crepes (French Pancakes)
- Sourcream Pancakes
- Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Mashed Potato Pancakes
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil, plus more as needed to sauté
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until blended. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk everything together by hand until just moistened.
- While whisking, add melted butter and stir until incorporated. The mixture will still be lumpy. Do not overmix.
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, or a griddle between 325-350˚F. Add 2 Tbsp oil. If you plan to keep cooked pancakes warm, preheat the oven to 200˚F.
- Add about 1/4 cup or a 2 oz ice cream scoop full of batter to the skillet for each pancake and saute about 3 minutes per side. Flip once the pancakes are golden brown on the first side and you see bubbles forming and popping on the surface.
- Transfer pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200˚F oven for up to 45 minutes or until ready to serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
This buttermilk pancake recipe was originally published in 2013. We updated the recipe to make them fluffier than ever and added a video tutorial. Here is the original photo.
Hi Natasha, I made your wonderful Buttermilk Pancakes this morning & they were simply marvelous. Light & fluffy just like you said. They were easy to whip up. I never used olive oil in the pan before when I have made pancakes & from now on I will use olive oil. It was so much more easy to cook them. No more box mix for me thats for sure. Last week I made your Dutch Baby pancake and they came out fantastic too. I use so many of your recipes and they are all a hit. Thanks Again, Robin
That’s wonderful to hear, Robin!
There is a restaurant here, Black Bear. They serve my favorite pancake 🥞 one of those places where they have a great menu but all you can think about are the pancakes! They are sweet and I’ve decided that’s what makes them extra special. Can you figure out how we can make a “sweet” cake? Love your videos and have learned much from you. Thanks 😊
These sound delish, but I am wondering if I can successfully substitute a good gluten free 1:1 flour?
Hi Ellen, I haven’t tested this one with gluten free flour so I’m not sure if any other modifications would need to be made. We did discover a really really good pancake mix recently called Pamelas and it is gluten free. We’ve been making them because our son is going gluten free for a few months. I hope that’s helpful!
The best buttermilk pancake recipe out there!!! All your recipes are a win all the time. Thank you Natasha 🙂
Where i live in uganda pancakes are not so common but whenever i make them using your recipes it’s a win and everyone wants to have more ,they are never enough .Everyone in my home and friends knows Natasha.whenever my daughter wants me to cook she tells me:”Mummy let’s see what Natasha is making today”your recipes are our favorite. Thanks for this platform
I’m so glad to hear that, Ange! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback.
I have been using this recipe for a few years and we love it. Easy and so fluffy. Any idea how I can turn them into waffles?
Love your cookbook too
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad you love the recipe. Please reference my Fluffy waffle recipe which is very similar to this pancake recipe.
And yet another Natasha amazing recipe! I share so many of your recipes with family and friends. My husband always says that if it is a Natasha recipe, it will be a keeper, and he is so right! Have you ever tried freezing the leftover pancakes? I always make a whole batch since he is a pancake addict, but it makes so many and it would be convenient for him to pull them from the freezer. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes and your fun and sweet personality. Your smiles are contagious!
Aw, thank you so much, Susan! You are so sweet.
I have been freezing these since I first made these too. They are so good every time. I love pulling out some on mornings the grandkids are here…..they always quickly spear some for their plate.
Natasha,
Your such a Blessing! Thank you for such delicious recipes.
I made these Buttermilk pancakes again, and of course they were yummy. I wish you safety in your travels.
I’m so happy you love our recipes! Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment
Can you add blueberries to this buttermilk pancakes recipe? Fold in at the end?
I think that will work!
Ok, I have to admit these are the best pancakes I have ever tasted. I made them this morning and have already told a friend about them. They said they were going to try them tomorrow. I made a full batch which means I will have pancakes again tomorrow morning plus cook the rest of the batter for the freezer. I also just made a fresh batch of maple syrup and it is cooling now. Am tempted to make some pancakes now but it is late. Will force myself to wait until tomorrow morning….
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Bob! I hope you friend loves them too!
I’ve made this recipe several times already, and made them again for breakfast for my mom and myself today. My friend also loves your recipe for pancakes, and she used to be a boxed pancake girl. I am able to halve the recipe pretty easily. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing!
Love ALL of your recipes, I have made many of them. These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had! They were better than going out to a restaraunt!! I covered them with the strawberry sauce from your website and the family loved them. The only change I make is I add 1 tsp vanilla and pinch salt to the sauce and the whole family loves it. Thanks for the awesome recipes.
THank you, Mike for your wonderful comments and feedback. So glad that you enjoyed it!
Best and fluffiest pancake recipe ever, everyone loved them!💯
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Rosa!
Very tender pancake. Made recipe as written. The real buttermilk and vanilla extract make them so good. Thank you.
You’re welcome! Thanks too for following the recipe as written, we always appreciate it!
Hi Natalia, I did not see the Vermont maple syrup link. Would love if you share. My apologies if I just missed it.
Patty
Hi Patricia, we get that from a local grocery store, but most stores should carry Vermont Syrup.
Hi Natasha,
I love all your recipes so far. They’re always a hit.
Can I substitute the sea salt for Kosher?
Hi Pati, we prefer it with fine sea salt but it should work with kosher salt. Kosher salt and sea salt can be used interchangeably most of the time.
Hi! I ran out of milk, and I only have heavy cream. Do you know if that’s okay? Thanks!
Hi Sam, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, we’d love to know how it goes.
can I make these with ground flour? I’m not able to use all purpose
Hi Raegan! I think you could but I have not tested it myself to know how it would affect the texture. You may need to add more liquid if the flour absorbs too much moisture.
most of the time i burned my pancakes how can i not burn them without turning the temp to low
A good quality pan that distributes heat evenly as well as finding a good med-high range to cook then on your stove top.
Do you know how long the batter can stay in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Selena, we prefer the batter best fresh.
Thank you for wonderful recipe! My family loved it for breakfast to that point that we were full for lunch!
Quick question: what kind of vinegar to use to substitute buttermilk with milk? I tried buttermilk but I don’t know what to do with the rest of buttermilk bottle and probably will try milk next time to avoid waste:)
You can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.