Best Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes (Easy American Style)

If you are looking for the Best Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes, you can stop looking. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes, they are perfect for classic weekend breakfasts or brunch with the family. No complicated techniques, no box mix, just truly fluffy pancakes that actually taste like something.

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This really is the Best Buttermilk Pancake Recipe ever because it is a recreation of the one my father made for me almost every Sunday morning. When I had my own family, I wanted nothing more than to replicate my Dad's recipe, and I finally figured out exactly how he created his tall, fluffy buttermilk pancakes.

After a lot of recipe testing, to the joy of my husband, I can finally say I make the best pancakes! I use the right ingredients, in the perfect ratio, along with techniques that bring me light and fluffy pancakes every time, just like Dad's.

Now I can add my Dad's perfect pancakes to our family's favorite breakfast recipes with pride. We love them so much, that even when we've made something else, we often make a small batch of pancakes for everyone to share!

What Makes These The Best Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes?

If you tried to make the best buttermilk pancakes and still ended up with flat, dense, or rubbery results, here is exactly what sets my Dad's recipe apart:

• Perfect rise - The balance of baking powder and baking soda works with the acidity of buttermilk to create maximum lift without tasting metallic or bitter.
• Thick but tender texture - This is a slightly thicker batter that produces tall pancakes with soft, airy centers instead of thin, limp ones.
• Rested batter - Letting the batter sit for at least 15 minutes, up to an hour, hydrates the flour and allows the leavening to activate for better structure.
• Proper heat control - Cooking on medium-low ensures golden brown outsides and fully cooked, fluffy interiors every time.
• Classic American pancake flavor - A touch of vanilla and real butter gives these that diner style pancake taste people expect from the best buttermilk pancake recipe.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Simple ingredients are all you need to make this easy pancake recipe. Below is a bit of info on each one and a few swap outs you can make in a pinch.

• All-purpose flour I've seen some complicated pancake recipes that call for bread flour, or pastry flour, or even cake flour, but for me all-purpose flour makes perfect buttermilk pancakes. If you have self-rising flour leftover from making my cream biscuits, you can use that. Just eliminate the baking powder and salt, as it is included in this flour.
• Sugar You can reduce the sugar to one or two tablespoons, but you should have at least one tablespoon to get the moisture and browning that you want.
• Baking powder and baking soda These rising agents give you the lift you need to be able to call these fluffy, otherwise you're making homemade crepes, which is great, but not this.
• Buttermilk If you don't have buttermilk, you can try my yogurt pancake recipe, if that's what you have on hand. What I ask, what I beg, is that you not try the "make your own buttermilk" hack of adding lemon juice or vinegar to milk. The flavor, and the texture it makes in the pancakes, is absolutely not the same. If you really want to use milk, try my pancakes made with milk. They're delicious!
• Eggs Two eggs are just enough to give the pancakes structure and help them rise, without making them custardy. If you don't have eggs, try my no egg pancake recipe.
• Butter I love the flavor that butter brings to pancakes, but you can replace half, or all of the butter with your preferred neutral oil. If using salted butter, reduce added salt by half.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Why Buttermilk Matters

If you have ever wondered why buttermilk tastes so sour, but fluffy buttermilk pancakes taste better than any other pancakes, here is why. The acid in buttermilk reacts with baking soda to create extra carbon dioxide bubbles. That leads to a lighter and softer texture. The acid also adds a subtle, savory tang and rich flavor profile that prevents the pancakes from tasting boring. No one wants a flat boring pancake.

Variations

One of my favorite things about pancakes is they practically beg for you to add to them. Here are a few ways we love to play with our pancakes:

• Kid friendly - Forget the kids, my in-laws will knock you down trying to be the first in line for pancakes loaded with chocolate chips! Use the leftover chips to make my chocolate chip yogurt muffins!
• Citrus - My Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are melt-in-your-mouth delicious, with a nice tang from fresh lemon juice and zest. Add blueberries or your favorite fresh fruit for a bright pop of flavor.
• Fuss free - For the simplest homemade pancakes, try making my Strawberry Sheet Pan Pancakes that bake all in one pan, for easy cleanup, and no stove time!
• Griddle it - For a delicious change of pace, try adding some cornmeal to your batter and cooking it in a hot cast iron pan. My Southern Hoecakes are a treat to make for breakfast or as a savory side.
• Holiday - Give these pancakes a complete Holiday makeover by adding eggnog in place of the buttermilk. Eggnog pancakes are here and I'm obsessed!

Quick Recipe Video

Instructions

Don't fear the pancake. Follow my simple instructions and great pancakes are practically guaranteed.

• To start, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and set aside to cool. If your eggs and buttermilk are not at room temperature, place your eggs in a cup of warm water for 10 minutes and microwave your buttermilk for 30 seconds.

Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together; flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, or a large measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Step 2: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold together until mostly combined, but some dr flour is still visible.

Step 3: Finish mixing while drizzling in your melted and cooled butter. You should still see some small lumps. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

Step 4: Heat a large skillet, or electric griddle, over medium-low heat. When warm, add a teaspoon or so of butter or oil. Drop ¼ cup scoops of pancake batter into the melted butter. It will spread out a bit. After 2 to 3 minutes, bubbles will start to form and pop on the surface of the pancake.

Hint: If your batter is very thick (which I love) you can place a lid on the pan while the pancakes are cooking to ensure that they cook all the way through. Flip and then place the lid again, checking for browning on each side at about 2 minutes.

Step 5: When the bubbles on the edges look dry and airy, use a thin spatula to gently lift one side and peek underneath. If the pancake is golden brown, flip and cook on the other side for another 2 to 2 ½ minutes, or until the bottom of the pancake is golden brown.

Step 6: Stack them up and serve with butter, warm pure maple syrup, or your favorite pancake toppings.

Tip: This is a thicker batter that makes nice fluffy pancakes. If you prefer a thinner batter, add a couple more tablespoons of buttermilk, up to ¼ cup, until you get the consistency you prefer.

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