Fluffy, golden, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious — these buttermilk pancakes are the ultimate breakfast indulgence. Made with tangy buttermilk for that perfect tender crumb, they cook up with crisp edges and pillowy centers. Stack ’em high, drizzle with warm buttermilk syrup, and prepare for the best pancakes of your life.
“I make pancakes a lot, but tried this recipe this morning for the first time and the kids deemed them the BEST PANCAKES EVER! “
– OSB Reader
It’s finally here!!!! After testing, and testing, and testing all sorts (literally hundreds!!) of buttermilk pancake recipes, we’ve finally come up with what Cade and the girls say is finally the award winning, melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk pancakes recipe!!
This recipe for fluffy buttermilk pancakes truly took us months of testing, but I just know you’ll love it too so it was worth every disaster and every re-do.
We tried all sorts of different techniques, like adding oil instead of butter, sifted flour or regular flour, egg whites beaten to stiff peaks, an extra egg yolk, whisking versus stirring, baking powder, both baking powder and baking soda and blah blah blah.
Everyone swears by the egg white method, but we actually found that not only did it take too much time, but the pancakes were surprisingly too airy for us. We wanted a light pancake but we still wanted it to melt in our mouths, which means we had to ditch the egg white and change up our baking soda and baking powder method. Let me go into more detail on the ingredients you need…
Buttermilk Pancake Ingredients
Making buttermilk pancakes from scratch only takes basic ingredients:
- Flour: just regular all purpose flour works great
- Eggs: slightly whisk them before adding to the batter
- Buttermilk: adds flavor and fluffiness to the pancakes but keeps them tender
- Salt: enhances all the ingredient flavors
- Leavener: you’ll need baking soda and baking powder
- Sugar: adds a little touch of sweetness
- Butter: melted butter to be exact
The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
What is Buttermilk?
If you don’t often cook with buttermilk, you may not understand why it’s an essential ingredient in these pancakes, or even what it is.
Real buttermilk is the fat-free, flavorful liquid that’s left over after you’ve churned a batch of homemade butter. Buttermilk is full of natural cultures and is slightly tangy, which makes it great for tenderizing meat and adding to baked goods.
Can I Substitute Powdered Buttermilk?
You can use buttermilk powder, however I HIGHLY recommend sticking with the liquid as it is absolutely better, thicker and fluffier. If you need to use powdered, I suggest our Homemade Pancake Mix.
Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute?
I know a lot of you, much like ourselves, don’t keep buttermilk on hand so you may be wondering how to substitute buttermilk in pancakes, but this is one of the few times I’ll plead with you to use the real stuff.
A homemade buttermilk substitute:
1 cup of milk to 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
However, while the vinegar gives the milk a similar tang, it doesn’t make it thick and creamy like true buttermilk. So use the real stuff please!
Carrian’s Notes
The key to making the best pancakes isn’t the ingredients, but rather the method. If you follow this homemade pancake recipe exactly as it’s written, your buttermilk pancakes will turn out beautifully!
Please remember, the more you stir pancakes the more flat and tough they will be so please mix until a few streaks of flour are remaining.
How to Make Pancakes {Buttermilk Pancakes}
Skip the store-bought pancakes mixes! Making homemade pancakes are so easy and honestly don’t take much more time to make. Here are the basic steps:
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.
- Combine: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the wet ingredients. Stir everything together until just combined using only a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Fold: Once the flour is almost incorporated add the butter and fold together.
- Cook the Pancakes: Butter the griddle after heating to medium or 350℉ and pour on the pancake batter, spreading each pancake a little bit with the back of a spoon. Flip the pancakes once air bubbles begin forming on the top. Cook until golden brown on each side.
This buttermilk pancake batter should be very, very thick. That means you made it right! Your batter should be so crazy thick you have to spread it a little on the pan with the back of your spoon. Don’t worry, they will melt in your mouth and not taste thick and dense at all.
How Do You Know When Pancakes Are Done?
Well, it takes practice, but definitely start with the bubbles popping on the batter side of the pancakes, at which point you should flip the pancakes. After that, I gently press on the top or gently push the top from side to side and watch for batter to press out or the middle to sink in. If that doesn’t happen, then the pancake should be done!
What to Serve with Buttermilk Pancakes
When you make these buttermilk pancakes, be sure to make a batch of our Buttermilk Syrup — the combination is ridiculously amazing and delicious! If you’re a coconut lover, try our coconut buttermilk syrup. It is actual heaven!
I also love to balance out a sweet breakfast with something savory like perfectly cooked crispy bacon.
Why Did My Pancakes Come Out Flat?
Over-mixing pancake batter develops the gluten, which will make the pancakes rubbery and tough. For light, fluffy pancakes, you want to mix just until the batter comes together—it’s okay if there are still some lumps of flour.
Our Favorite Pancake Toppings
I’ve already mentioned our all-time favorite pancake topping: buttermilk syrup. But we like to switch things up on the weekends. A few of our other favorite pancake toppings are:
- Meyer Lemon Syrup
- Creamy Buttermilk Maple Syrup
- Peanut Butter Maple Syrup
- Blender Lemon Curd
- Raspberry Sauce
- Fresh Mixed Berries
- Sliced Bananas
Or just keep things simple with pure maple syrup and butter! It’s a classic combo for a reason, after all.
Pancake Add-Ins to Try
Once you’ve made these classic buttermilk pancakes a few times, you may want to play around with different flavor combinations and add-ins. Although we love these homemade buttermilk pancakes as is, we sometimes like to add in the following, just because:
- Chocolate chips (white, dark, or milk!)
- Chopped nuts (pecans and walnuts work really well in pancakes)
- Frozen or fresh fruit
- Lemon zest
- Chopped dried fruit
- Nut butters
Most pancake add-ins can be individually sprinkled atop the pancakes right after you’ve poured the batter onto a hot griddle. Nut butter can be gently swirled into the pancakes (you may need to warm it in the microwave first to make it easier to swirl), or just spread it on top afterward.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for 4-5 days. If you want them to last longer, freezing them is a great option!
Freezing pancakes is incredibly easy. If you love having pancakes in the morning but don’t often have time to whip up a new batch, frozen pancakes are the way to go. To freeze these homemade buttermilk pancakes (or any pancake, for that matter!), let them cool to room temperature on a wire rack and then place them on a rimmed baking sheet to freeze.
Once they’re hard enough, remove the frozen pancakes from the baking sheet and stack them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. This will prevent the pancakes from getting squished when they’re first stored in the freezer. They will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
When you’re ready to eat the frozen pancakes, pop them into the toaster oven, microwave, or a warm oven. You don’t need to thaw them first, they can be reheated immediately after they’re taken out of the freezer.
Your search for the best buttermilk pancakes recipe ends here! Just ask John Legend! We got a shout out from the music icon once upon a time! Whoop whoop! But seriously, these pancakes are fluffy and melt in your mouth!
More Easy PANCAKES Recipes:
- Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
- Dutch Baby Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
- Homemade Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Brown Sugar and Peach Pancakes
- Easy Carrot Cake Pancakes
- Blueberry and Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes
- Classic Sour Cream Pancakes
- Blueberry Pecan Pancakes
- All our SWEET BREAKFAST RECIPES here!
Watch How These Pancakes are Made…
Best Buttermilk Pancakes
Description
Equipment
- Electric Griddle, (needed for fluffy pancakes!)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 Cups Flour, sifted
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 Eggs, slightly whisked
- 2 Cups Buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted and melted
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle to medium heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the salt, baking powder, baking soda, flour and sugar.1 teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, 2 Cups Flour, 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.2 Eggs, 2 Cups Buttermilk
- Switch to a wooden spoon and make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
- Pour in the wet ingredients and stir until almost completely combined.
- Once the flour is almost incorporated add the butter and fold together.2 Tablespoons Butter
- Please remember, the more you stir pancakes the more flat and tough they will be so please mix until a few streaks of flour are remaining.
- Butter the griddle and scoop 1/3 cup of batter and cook until bubbles begin to form, flip and cook until golden.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Recommended Products
Deena
Hey I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you for sharing this incredible recipe. I’m from the UK, I live in London and I’m always checking out different breakfast/brunch spots hoping to find buttermilk pancakes served to this level of perfection..and everything always is so below average. Thanks to you I can stop searching. These were so incredibly easy to make and sooo delicious. Thanks A LOT!!
Sweet Basil
No way!! Ahhhh thank you so much for the sweetest comment! xoxo
Laura Eve
Oh my goodness! We made these last night for Mardi Gras dinner with the kids…Best. Pancakes. Ever!! I was worried when the batter was so thick, but I resisted the urge to thin it out and
I’m so glad I didn’t. They took a while longer to cook all the way through, so the first couple were a bit scorched. But I reduced the heat a little and they turned out like a dream! Light and fluffy but not airy. Perfect cloud-like texture and flavor. I used jumbo eggs because that’s what I had on hand. We had a variety of syrups and toppings, but everyone’s favorite was sliced sweetened strawberries and whipped cream. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Sweet Basil
YES!!! Success!! I always try to encourage people to resist thinning them out but they always do, haha! Thank you for resisting!! xoxo
Angie @ Infinite Health & Wellness
I never make pancakes because they never ever turn out for me! However, I just made yours and I realised I forgot to add the butter to the batter – but it still turned out awesome!!!
Sweet Basil
Oh that’s awesome!!!
Colleen
Add chocolate chips and or peanut butter, rolled oats as well or apples and cinnamon, bananas, ground clove and walnuts…you can do pretty much anything. Mmmm
Sweet Basil
So true!!
Pauline
I grew up having pancakes from a VERY similar recipe to this. Mum would modify it somewhat, i.e. used normal milk.
The recipe was from the 1950’s Scottish “Dundee Recipe Book’. They were called Dropped Scones, or sometimes Griddle Cakes.
YUMMO!
Sweet Basil
Oh yum!!! I need to see if I can find the recipe and try it myself then!
Kech
I followed the recipe exactly this morning. The batter was too thick for me to do my normal method of putting the batter into a measuring cup and pouring from there. I thought maybe I did something wrong, like maybe I should have measured the flour after sifting. Or maybe I did not mix enough, since I was really trying to NOT overmix.
So, I used the 1/3 c to scoop the thick batter for the 1st three pancakes and they were so thick and did not flatten out. I was worried about underdone parts, especially those uneven edges. After turned and seeming mostly cook, I them in half to make sure not raw in the middle. I did have to cook longer for the edges. So to make the rest simpler, I added 1/3 c of milk and stirred just enough to incorporate.
Meanwhile, I cut the rest of the 3 thick pancakes into strips and took a bite… OMG YUM!!! Like light airy muffins, in a way. I got a small bowl out for the syrup and decided to serve them to my son as pancake strips he could dip. They tasted even better with syrup and had a better than restaurant taste,
I continued with the slightly thinner batter, which was flattening out better now with the added milk. They were still fluffy since I did not over mix
My son was LOVING his strips. I cut the thinner pancakes too and told him the difference. He preferred the thicker ones, but probably more for the dip-ability. I think I like the thicker ones too.
Anyway, I don’t think I will be stopping at anymore pancake recipes, because this one is IT.
Also, I read most of the comments and noticed some people thought it was salty with 1 tsp. I think if you use regular table salt that may be the case. I only use Himalayan sea salt. Those are not as finely ground so I don’t think a tsp of that is the same as a tsp of regular salt.
Sweet Basil… A few questions.
1) What were the results with another egg or two added? Sometimes I like to add more eggs when my son is avoiding eggs, so he gets his protein. He’ll snack on leftover plain pancakes all day.
2) Would more butter hurt the batter?
3) How would you alter for pumpkin pancakes?
I’ll try out the different buttermilk option because I don’t always have it either. I do have the dried powder and I do know about the options, which my fav is milk or half/half with cream of tartar. And I’ll have to search for this elusive “real” buttermilk at Whole Foods. And of course I will try some spices. My son is going to love all the experiments. Thanks for all your pre-work. You’ve saved me years of research.
Sweet Basil
Isn’t Himalayan salt the best? We have a yummy hawaiian pork recipe on the salt that uses the pink salt. So good!!!
1. They became rubbery with more eggs though I have added vanilla protein powder from complete nutrition (not muscle milk) and we all love those. Just take a little flour out. Not as fluffy but still wonderful.
2. More butter also led to not as fluffy, but buttering the pan and then the cooked pancakes is never a bad thing 😉
3. Already made a pumpkin version! You can do all white or the whole wheat version. https://ohsweetbasil.com/whole-wheat-pumpkin-pancakes.html
Janelle C.
I made your recipe this morning and the pancakes were delicious! This will be my new buttermilk pancake recipe……it’s a keeper. Thanks for stressing about not over mixing the batter because I do think I do that sometimes.
Sweet Basil
Oh I totally used to do that too, and let’s be honest Cade still does haha!! Thank you for the sweet comment!
m.w. gilmore
I did not see how many eggs were needed in the instructions.
Sweet Basil
2 Are listed in the ingredients. 🙂
Jeanne Lawson
I spotted this pancake recipe this morning and decided I needed to make them for breakfast. I have made from scratch before with mediocre results so I count on the package mix method. I now think I have the best recipe for pancakes so no more boxed mixes. They came out perfect and looked just like the picture. I can’t remember when I had such delicious pancakes. We always make a few for our dog as a treat. I have never seen her eat pancakes so fast. Thanks for the recipe!
Sweet Basil
Oh my goodness!! I’m so happy to hear that. We’ve had some pretty awful homemade pancakes so we knew we had to work hard on this recipe.
Paula
I saw comment about corn starch. What does that do and how much do you add? My husband loves pancakes. Think I will make these for him this weekend.
Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Paula, I haven’t tried the cornstarch yet, so I’ll have to experiment first.
Charles
Thought we were out of mix so Googled and found your recipe and decided to try it. Phenomenal. My first time from scratch and you made it worthwhile. Then I found a new box. Oh well.
I have been adding chocolate chips to pancakes since my daughter was a toddler. Made some for her today. She’s 23 and still likes dad’s cooking.
This recipe is not much more difficult than following “the box” so I may stick with it and play. Will try the corn starch variation some time. Doesn’t really need vanilla (which I usually add).
Thanks a stack (or two).
Sweet Basil
Charles,
We are so thrilled you enjoyed them! I can’t wait to try it with the cornstarch as well. And yes, we have ditched the box unless it’s Kodiak for a really quick breakfast. Thank you so much and happy Tuesday!
Kathleen W.
These were delicious pancakes…family approved ! I added a few blueberries to mine and boy were they good. Thanks !
Sweet Basil
Fantastic!! I’m so thrilled!
Jules Koussa
These are very light textured pancakes. Delish. I added 1 tsp of vanilla, I add it to all my pancake recipes.
Sweet Basil
A small touch of lemon or almond is good too!
Nora Bakhsh
Hello, I don’t have a griddle,would that affect the pancakes?
Sweet Basil
No, you can just use a skillet
Valerie
Do I sift the flour first then measure out 2 cups?
Sweet Basil
You just measure the flour, then sift into a bowl. Most flours are presifted though so it’s ok if you ever forget to
Eddie
These are great! I was going make the night before this next try, how long does the batter stay good for? Also have u tried adding some corn starch for a “crunchier” exterior? I’m going to try. Let’s see… lol
Sweet Basil
I have used corn starch for waffles but not pancakes. We would love to hear how it goes! We really feel like the batter doesn’t keep well so we cook them all and reheat in the microwave or toaster the next day.
eddie
I used the corn starch and really liked it the edges felt crunchier, created a crunchy “ring” which I really enjoyed. I’ve recently made this same recipe with a twist with 2 different variations. 1, substituting the white flour with whole wheat flour and the 2nd way using the whole wheat pancake box mix from aunt jemima as the flour and plugging everything else in as I’ve been on a strict diet and a total success! family really loved it, Im glad as I can still have my delicious pancakes without some of the quilt. 🙂
(added cinnamon and pinch of brown sugar, also pumpkin spice since its the season!) perhaps you can give it a try!
lita poppenberg
Corn Starch in addition to or replacing and How much thanks
Eddie
I added in addition. I use 3 teaspoons
Zeresh
Was craving some pancakes this morning. Thank you sooo much for this recipe..can’t wait to make it this weekend!!!!!
Cheers.
Sweet Basil
Oh good! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Robin
Thank you, thank you!! These pancakes were better than any I have ever made in my life!! I did read some of the comments first, and decided to use only 1/2 tsp salt; other than that, I followed the directions exactly.
Sweet Basil
So glad to hear that!
Barbara
Good recipe. They have a nice texture and cook well. I added a few chopped cherries to the top of each after I poured the batter on the griddle. Next time I make them I will change one thing. I will only add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. They were too salty for my personal preference like I read in another review. I used iodized, regular table salt and used 1 teaspoon as the recipe called for. I also whisked the dry ingredients very well so I know it’s not a problem not being mixed up well.
Sweet Basil
I love the addition of cherries!
Barbara
Good recipe. I added a few chopped cherries to the top after I poured the batter on the griddle. I will change one thing though the next time. I will only add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Like I read in another review, they tasted a little salty to me. I used exactly one teaspoon of regular iodized salt and it just seems like too much for my personal preference. They have a really nice texture and cook very well though.
Dan
I’ve been looking for a Good pancake recipe. And I just found one .And it looks simple enough for me to try. And the thing about the buttermilk pancake recipe is no sugar. it’s just myself now, cooking for one is hard. my wife one year ago and this is new to me. I cannot wait to try it. Dan.
Sweet Basil
Hi Dan,
Thank you so much for your comment. Cooking for one certainly is hard. I hope you enjoy the pancakes!
Roxane
I agree, best buttermilk pancakes I have ever made! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Sweet Basil
MWAH!! Thank you so, so much!
kelly
I’ve tried lots of recipes that claim to produce the world’s best buttermilk pancakes. But I’m thinking they just have never tried these!
This is my go to pancake recipe.
Sweet Basil
YES!! Oh, that makes us so incredibly happy since we worked so hard on this one. Thank you Kelly!
Sarah
I just made these, and they have great height, the most i’ve gotten on a pancake before, but they were very very salty, not inedible salty, but i had to use a lot of maple syrup to mask the salty flavour…not sure quite what happened as I followed the recipe exactly, I guess next time I will just add a very small pinch of salt…I’m also contemplating if it was the baking soda which gave it that salty flavour
Sweet Basil
Hi Sarah,
The baking soda wouldn’t have led to that flavor but there isn’t enough salt to be tasted in the pancakes either. Hmmm, I’m not sure what happened unless you somehow used extra salt. We haven’t ever had this issue arise before. Maybe try 1/2 teaspoon? I hope it turns out awesome next time!
matt I
OK, where the heck are all you folks getting real buttermilk, and not the fake cultured stuff they sell at most supermarkets???? I live in Chicago and let me tell you, finding “REAL” buttermilk is NOT POSSIBLE. Literally. Is everyone here using “Kate’s Real Buttermilk” for this recipe? That’s the only real buttermilk product I know of, however I’m given to understand it is only available in Maine? Anyone care to shed some light on this subject?
Sweet Basil
Well, it’s not from the dairy real buttermilk, we just use a great brand for buttermilk from the store. 🙂
Tim Branyen
Yeah I’m using Kate’s Real Buttermilk, is that not available outside of Maine? It’s in almost all our supermarkets and corner stores here.
Becky
In Maryland, I can get ‘real’ buttermilk at one of the Amish markets. So much better than the stuff in the grocery stores!
Tim
Have made these twice now. First time I didn’t have baking soda on hand, so I just ignored it. I also used a regular pan. They came out nothing special, basically the same as any other pancake I’ve made (lifeless).
Flash forward to today where I made them exactly as written (with baking soda). I also used a new pancake griddle pan that allowed me to cook four pancakes at once. Well the verdict is in, these are perfect. I’ve never made a pancake like these before.
Cheers to the end-all recipe!
Sweet Basil
WOOOHOOOO!!! That’s what we like to hear!
thalia
Thank you for this recipe! I made it for my son’s birthday today and he was in heaven. I converted to metric as I find measuring by cups a challenge. Used 256g of flour and 30g of melted butter, 480 ml of buttermilk. Perfect.
Next time I’ll use a bit of whole wheat flour as we tend to prefer a bit more texture. Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Oh, thank you for the metric measurements! And here’s the whole wheat version, I kind of like the texture too 😉 https://ohsweetbasil.com/whole-wheat-buttermilk-pancakes-recipe.html
Pat
Finally!….. A great buttermilk recipe. No need to look any further.
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Pat!
Patrycia
Oh. My. God. These are the best pancakes I have ever had or made. I have been searching for a fluffy perfect pancake recipe for years. I have tried several different recipes. Some came close but I didn’t know how to take them all the way to perfect. Thank you for being so ambitious in your trial and error efforts and coming up up with this perfect recipe!
Sweet Basil
It was definitely a long process but every comment makes me so glad we did it! Have you tried the buttermilk syrup with them? SO yummy!
Karol
I just made these for my family and, hands down, these are the best buttermilk pancakes I’ve ever made. Thank you for saving us the time of trying different recipes. This is now one of my go-to breakfast recipes.
Sweet Basil
Karol,
That’s so wonderful to hear! Thank you!
Andrea
Super yummy! I didn’t have buttermilk so I used milk+lemon juice. Loved the texture and the flavor, overall. It tasted a little eggy (I only used large eggs). But I had the same problem as a different recipe I made last night (with the same milk/lemon juice substitute). Your recipe had better texture though. Again, overall the texture was great and flavor was good. I wonder if my buttermilk substitute or the buttermilk recipe vs regular pancakes just has a little more eggy flavor?
Sweet Basil
Hi Andrea, You are exactly right, the substitute helps recreate the tanginess of buttermilk but not the correct texture and the flavor wont be as creamy. It works ok, but I totally prefer buying the real thing for these pancakes. Thanks for your comment! Hopefully it helps others too!
Lynda Verhelst
I have to tell you first that at 71 years old most of the recipes I come across from young ladies never ‘have it’, you proved me wrong I found this buttermilk pancake recipe yesterday on your site made them this morning
for my 15 year old grandson and husband and first words out of their mouth was these are awesome Grandma. Your recipe now has a forever spot in my recipe box. Thank You.
Sweet Basil
Lynda, what a sweet comment and thank you for taking the time to leave it. Best to you and your family!!
Tracey E
I have been looking for a long time. The Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes are the BEST I have come across! You are a true artist! Yum! Yum! My family LOVES them! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
So glad to hear that!! I definitely can’t wait for the day I can start enjoying them again.
Shari Lewis
I’m. Tirrd of trying to get the fabulous pancake recipe
Polly
Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe. I just made a batch, and they are fantastic–light, and airy with a touch of sweetness :o)
Sweet Basil
Oh good! So glad you enjoyed them!
Polly
Just made a batch and they are fantastic–so light and airy. Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe :o)
SteveInChicago
I’ve been making different pancake recipes to find one that I really like. I’ve been looking for a recipe that made nice, fluffy pancakes where you could actually taste the buttermilk, and these were perfect!
Sweet Basil
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Sarah
I just had to leave a comment to tell you how grateful I am for the time and hard work you put into perfecting this recipe. These truly are the BEST pancakes I’ve ever had! I’ve tried out so many other pancake recipes and none of them even come close to this one. Perfect thickness, super fast and easy batter to whip up and the most amazing touch of butter taste that live up to the melt-in-your-mouth description. My husband is obsessed with these too, and we made them three times in one week. Thank you for the only buttermilk pancake recipe I’ll ever need again! 🙂
Sweet Basil
That is such a sweet comment! Thank you so much for taking the time to come and write, and hooray for Saturday pancakes at both of our houses now. 🙂
Monica
These pancakes are so incredibly delicious that I felt compelled to leave a comment after discovering this recipe via a Google search– thank you! (For an exotic taste, I added 3 tablespoons of orange blossom water to the batter)
Sweet Basil
Oh my goodness, orange blossom water?! That sounds awesome!
Lenin
Realmente espectaculares y sumamente deliciosas me encantaron hacerlas…
Really spectacular and extremely delicious loved them , successes!!!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much!
Dominic Marrese
Really enjoyed these cakes! Light & fluffy. Appreciate the tip on over mixing. This will be my go to recipe. Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Yes, those pancakes can quickly become over mixed for sure. THank you for the sweet comment!
Miranda
THANK YOU THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe! We’ve made it twice in two weeks and they are just so good. I’m not normally a pancake person, but this recipe has converted me. Thank you!
Sweet Basil
YES! I love hearing that! Thank you so much for your sweet comment!
Debbie
I have been looking for this recipe for years! This is by far the best buttermilk pancake recipe I’ve come across.
I’ve tried every pancake recipe known to man. Too Thick! Too Thin! Are these even pancakes? Why aren’t they rising? No more! This is a fantastic recipe. Light, fluffy and thick and tasty.
I did change a couple of things, but not much. I’ve been to a diner called Richie’s Diner and their pancakes are also fantastic. Their secret is that they make their pancakes out of buttermilk donut mix. I added 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. It gave the pancakes that old fashioned buttermilk donut taste.
This one is also going into our family cookbook as “The” pancake recipe.
Thank you!
Sweet Basil
I love that idea Debbie! I’m going to try it next week!
Kathryn M
I went to make pancakes for Shrove Tuesday and found my box of mix almost empty. Dreading the mess and bother of whipping egg whites and such, I searched the net and happened upon this recipe. So easy and delicious, I may never buy mix again. This one’s definitely going in the family cookbook. Thanks so much!
Sweet Basil
Ugh, I hated the recipes with egg whites. Not because they weren’t good but because it was a total hassle. So glad you enjoyed these and I look forward to hearing from you again!
Que
Pancakes are my absolute fav! After trying several diff recipes I came across this one…and it is delicious especially with buttermilk syrup! I made these for my son and a couple of his friends for breakfast and they keep asking when will I make these again! Thanks so much…this is the best one yet!
Sweet Basil
I love that! If boys approve of them it’s always a winner as they are definitely hungry and know their food. haha
Cynthia
I grew up eating LOTS of pancakes because my dad is a breakfast man. There were many other things too like eggs of every variety, waffles, hash browns, sausage & bacon, chorizo burritos, biscuits & gravy (OMG this is a collaborative effort between Mom & Dad; my absolute favorite! ). Anyways… point is, I consider myself a connoisseur of breakfast dishes. This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE pancake. I can’t tell you how delicious they were. I made heart-shaped molds out of foil for our Valentine’s Day breakfast & the pancakes held the shape beautifully. I wish I could pay a picture for you! My daughter was on heaven! Thank you so much for doing all the leg work to make the perfect recipe! This one is going in my family cookbook.
Sweet Basil
Cynthia, thank you for your sweet comment! I love that breakfast will always be associated with your dad now. My dad is the same way and I can’t wait to make these for him. So thrilled that you enjoyed them so much!
Alastair
I never leave comments for anything, but I just made these pancakes (in heart shape cookie cutters) for my family as a valentines breakfast. They were amazing and easily the best pancakes I’ve ever made or eaten. The heart shapes didn’t work out well but I tried. Thanks for the recipe; it’s a keeper!
Sweet Basil
I’m so happy that you did come leave a comment! It is so important to us to hear that people really are making and enjoying our recipes. Thank you so much!
Cynthia
I spayed my molds with Pan spray. I still had to run a knife along the edges to separate the pancake, but they held together pretty well. Try that next time!
Sweet Basil
Great tip!
Melissa Johnson
I made these on Christmas Day this past year for the first time. I had never made pancakes from scratch and this turned out to be the perfect recipe to try. (Thanks for doing all the testing for me:)) My pancakes turned out golden, fluffy and tasted delicious.
P.S. I had no clue about over-mixing pancake batter so thank you for adding that note in the recipe.
Sweet Basil
Woohooo!!! I’m so glad! And you’re so welcome 😉
Farhana
Awesome recipe!!! Made them this morning. Had them for dinner as well! LOL!
Sweet Basil
Hey, that’s always a good day then! Thanks!
Carol Brown
I’m anxious to try this recipe but I have one question. I only have salted butter. Should I cut down on the salt added ?? I’m afraid pancakes will be too salty. Thanks
Sweet Basil
Absolutely. I would try using half the salt and adjusting as necessary.
Swecha
I made buttermilk pancakes today. OMG!It was so good. Thanks for the recipe.
Sweet Basil
Thank you for coming to leave your review! We very much appreciate it!
selvi
Can we substitute the flour to whole wheat flour? Any recommendation what else to adjust if we use the whole wheat? And can we use this recipe for waffle? Sorry for such long queries…
Sweet Basil
Hi! No problem, we can answer all of the questions. It may be too light for waffles, but now we are dying to try so stay tuned. And we posted our whole wheat version though you could certainly do all whole wheat instead of split. Here you go! https://ohsweetbasil.com/2014/12/whole-wheat-buttermilk-pancakes-recipe.html
Lauren
I’ve made these before and they are great but I was wondering if I could make the batter the night before?
Sweet Basil
Hi Lauren,
We haven’t had great success with making the batter the night before, but you could always mix the dry ingredients and seal in a bag, then the wet except the butter in a tupperware then finish them off in the am.
Phoebe
Should the batter be very lumpy after mixing?
Sweet Basil
Yes, and very thick.
Kristina
I just made these. WOW is all I can say! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
kristina, So glad that you liked them! Thanks for the comment!
Phoebe
These are the best! Just made them for my kids supper. Clean plates and they want them again tomorrow! Thanks! 🙂
Sweet Basil
YES!! Win! Thanks so much Phoebe!
Josh
I found this after googling buttermilk pancakes because I had some buttermilk to use up.
Soooo good. Thanks for trying so many variations in order to find the BEST.
Sweet Basil
Thanks Josh! I am not kidding, we made a gazillion pancakes. So glad you enjoyed them!
Pancake Lover
This is a very good pancake recipe. The pancakes are very light and fluffy. One of the biggest mistakes people make with pancakes is to grease or butter the griddle. Unless you are using an old cast iron cooking surface, it is not necessary to butter or grease. A good pancake will not stick to a proper cooking surface. The pancake does not taste greasy and looks better on the plate.
Sweet Basil
Oh, I love that extra buttery flavor though! 🙂
Kimbelly
I’ve been cooking from scratch for a long time but have never been able to find a good buttermilk pancake recipe. These were the best I’ve had. I made zero modifications like I normally would. Thank you. 🙂
Sweet Basil
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them. I’m like you and I tend to always want to modify a recipe, but I’m working hard on trying it the original way first.
Judy
Made these this morning with 1.5 cups of greek yogurt, 1/2 cup milk and 1 tsp lemon juice instead of buttermilk. Decreased salt to 1/2 tsp and added a splash of vanilla.
They were amazing. I’ve always done the whipped egg whites, which is so much work…and these were soooo much better. This is my new go-to recipe (and the yogurt substitution was excellent and always necessary since I never have buttermilk when I want pancakes.)
Thank you!
Sweet Basil
We love using greek yogurt as well. Sometimes I do that with milk if we are out of buttermilk and they are still so good, but wait until you try it with the buttermilk! So yummy!
Judy
They are even better with buttermilk!!! (which I found out has a pretty long life in the fridge…pancakes all the time!!!)
Sweet Basil
I totally agree!
Dot
I just made these and my only complaint is that they are way too salty!!! I checked the recipe and my measuring spoon afterwards and I think maybe with the buttermilk it’s just too much salt!
Sweet Basil
Hi Dot,
Thanks for commenting. Are you sure you used the correct salt? It should be very fine, if it was thick sea salt flakes or large granule kosher salt then you would have salty pancakes, however with the amounts there isn’t any way you should be able to taste the salt at all.
lisa
Hi! My kids are all grown, and pretty much every weekend, we had homemade pancakes. Now that I have a little more time to experiment, I try a different recipe every time I make them for myself. I might not see a reason to try any others, as these were amazing!
I was skeptical when the batter was very thick, but I didn’t add extra liquid. I wanted to add vanilla, but tried the ‘straight’ version first. These were the thickest fluffiest kind I’ve been trying to make my whole life. No soggy uncooked center. (Note: I didn’t have enough buttermilk, so I used 1 cup, plus one cup milk. And I did add blueberries after one side was cooked.) Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Lisa, that is so awesome! I love the addition of blueberries as well. That batter really can throw people since it looks soooo thick, but it always turns out!
lixys
can i have the measurement for ‘1 cup’ as mentioned in the recipe. seems like there are many definitions in terms or weight/volume. im confused 🙁
thanks in adv!
Sweet Basil
Hi, 1 Cup is just a measuring cup, or 4 1/2 ounces in weight. Thanks!
Leslie
Delightful recipe. I separated the egg whites, whipped until stiff peaks formed, then folded in at the end. A trick I learned long ago. It makes for super light, airy cakes. I served mine with a drizzle of maple syrup, banana slices and toasted pecans. I’ve pinned this recipe for latr use. Thank you for sharing. It’s wonderful.
Sweet Basil
So glad you enjoyed them! We used to whip the egg whites as well but found that this recipe turned out lighter without needing to do it so i’ve stopped. Glad it still worked out!
Ron Bretschneider
This is very similar to the pancakes my mother made when I was a child which I still make. An excellent variation is to add apple slices. McIntosh are preffered but any apple except delicious will work. Add the slices directly to the uncooked batter.
Sweet Basil
Ooooh, we can’t wait to try it with apples! Thank you so much for the idea!
Bruce Schechter
Oh, sweet mystery of life. I don’t usually wax rhapsody about the recipes I find online, and many of them are darn good. But these pancakes! Easily the best I ever had. One of the greatest things about cooking is making people happy, and I certainly did that this morning.
I should add that I also made your buttermilk syrup since I now had some spare buttermilk. Again, amazing and shares equally in the kudos above.
I’m dying to try your Meyer lemon syrup on these pancakes too, but it will be hard passing on the buttermilk. I know! I’ll make them both.
So glad I discovered your site. Thanks!
lisa
These were amazing!! i added a tablespoon of vanilla b/c i always add vanilla to my pancakes recipes. Simply divine!! thanks!!!
Sivas
Dude, awesome!
Emma
Made these today and they were wonderful! Didn’t look quite as pretty as yours, but delicious nonetheless!
Sweet Basil
Emma, thanks for commenting! Want to know my secret? I use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to scoop the battter and it works every time
Katie
Hi: came across this recipe and it looks amazing! However, the last bullet on the ingredients list is just empty… I’m assuming it is supposed to have the eggs? (Since they aren’t listed) Therefore I don’t know what quantity to put in. 2? 3? Would love to know so I can make sure the recipe turns out! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Hi Katie,
The eggs are in the middle to end of the ingredients list, right under sugar. The blank space was just the end of the ingredients list. 🙂
Sarah
So…how many?
Sweet Basil
Hi Sarah, I’m not sure what you’re asking about. The eggs? There are 2 eggs listed in the ingredients, “2 eggs, slightly whisked”
Johanna
Thank you so much for this recipe, the best pancakes I’ve ever made!!! We have an American friend stay with us for a few days and I thought it would be nice to treat her with something she knows after having her try out a lot of traditional (weird) Icelandic food for the past couple of days and she loved them 🙂 The whole family loved them! They got 10 out of 10! I’m sticking to this recipe from now on 🙂 Best regards from Iceland xx
Jóhanna
Sweet Basil
Johanna,
That is so awesome! Are you originally from Iceland and I’ve never heard about the food, what is it like that makes it odd?
rob
I agree, these are impressive. The most “pancake house” pancakes I’ve ever had. Especially hot off the griddle these are great, even plain. Thanks.
Jessic
Perfect cake! Thanks for the recipe!! We loved them! 5 star!!
Sweet Basil
thank you!!!
Anna
This is my first comment ever because these are AWESOME! Actually the best I have ever had 🙂 I tried them this morning and me and my friends just instantly fell in love! Perfect taste and texture, I could have eaten them plain, but a little bit of butter and maple syrup made the perfect crime! Bravo!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so very much!! We love them and I’m so happy you did too!
Lindsay
Ok, I never write reviews but I had to on this one because they are just SO good! Fluffy, moist, perfect buttermilk pancakes that are worthy of a Pancake House. I halved the recipe and they turned out just fine. Definitely a recipe I will be returning to again and again.
Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much!! We love them and it’s so exciting to see when others agree!
Sammi
THANK YOU!!
My kids won’t stop saying how much they love these pancakes. They are so tasty and fluffy.
Thank you so much for FINALLY explaining why you shouldn’t over-mix the batter. Everyone tells you not to over-mix but no one tells you why. Thank you again!
Sweet Basil
Thank you!!! I cannot even tell you how happy it makes us to read your comment. Thank you so much for the sweet words!
Katy
WOW. My mouth is watering.
But I was wondering, would these turn out the same if I prepared the batter the night before, then cooked the pancakes the next morning straight out of the refrigerator? Should I mix it anymore in the morning?
Anyways, much love!!
~Katy
Sweet Basil
Thanks so much! We actually haven’t had great success with letting the batter sit overnight, but honestly we’ve only tried twice so maybe it was a user error.
Brianna De Lorenzo
Made these this morning and topped them off with the Buttermilk Syrup recipe I found below. Everything was amazing. I added a little bit of orange zest to the batter. It was light, and fluffy, and honest to God, melted in the mouth.
Sweet Basil
YES!!! Thank you so much for coming back to comment, and love the orange zest idea. Maybe in summer we could do white chocolate and lime zest for a light key lime action!
beal
I’ve always been reluctant to make pancakes over the years, because they don’t turn out consistently good. I tried your recipe this morning for my family. These were amazing! Light, fluffy, good flavor, just the right texture. Thank you — this recipe is a keeper.
Sweet Basil
Oh, I cannot tell you how much these comments mean to us. Thank you!!
Deb
Question: You probably use real buttermilk. Do you think the pancakes would be just as good using skim milk with the added tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to make it into buttermilk — I would be looking to cut down on the calories. Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Hi Deb,
We’ve done that and it didn’t turn out as melt in your mouth fluffy, but really it was still a good pancake. In my opinion 🙂
Deb
I’ll definitely be trying these….just found your link via P.Allen Smith’s latest email, in which he calls them The Best Buttermilk Pancakes! Wow!
Sweet Basil
Thanks! I wish I this Mr. Smith and could tell him thank you. Please do so for me!
Chadanse
Just made these exactly as told… AMAZING!! They came out fluffy and do melt in your mouth. Thank you for sharing!
Kendray
Made these this morning. I think it’s important to note that the batter will be very LUMPY. I made one with all the lumps, then freaked out and whisked the batter until it was lump free.
This was a mistake. The lumpy batter pancake puffed up beautifully – it was fluffy, melt in your mouth, and DELISH. The pancakes after I whisked were still tasty, but not so fluffy.
Moral of the story – don’t fear the lumps!
Holly
Can you use powdered buttermilk and will it turn out the same? Thanks.
Sweet Basil
I prefer the liquid, but you can definitely use it. 🙂
carolyn smith
Since I don’t always have time to read thru all comments I wish more people would comment after trying a recipe instead of before. I want to know if the recipe’s good not if it looks good. Just a thought.
Marissa
I just tried this recipe this morning for my family. They’re rather particular about foods and are very very honest critics. I followed this recipe to a T and the result was incredible. Exactly like the picture, the aroma is enough to draw the neighbors over, and these pancakes are truly delicious. WOnderful flavor and perfectly the fluffy. Don’t worry if the batter seems pretty thick, they cook up like a dream. I used a non stick pan too, perfect.
Sweet Basil
What a sweet comment, Marissa. Thank you!!
Mary
I usually make my pancakes from scratch and this looks about the same as my recipe, but I also add vanilla extract. Do you not suggest doing that for a reason? Thanks!!
Sweet Basil
You definitely can add a little vanilla and it wont hurt it. We just skip it because we like the flavor as is. 🙂
Shelby
Do you use all purpose flour or self rising flour? And how would you divide the ingredients if I wanted to make a single serving? These look absolutely amazing! Can’t wait to try them 🙂
Sweet Basil
Hi Shelby, I use all-purpose however I’d have to experiment before I suggested the measurements for single serving. You can try and let me know!
Susan
Delish! Made them this morning. I made sautéed apples to serve with them and used a little apple spice in the batter along with a few raisins.
Thanks for the recipe.
Sweet Basil
those apples would be perfect all fall long too!
Nick
Thank you! My partner and I got a beautiful new gas stovetop last year that came with a cast iron griddle top that’s interchangeable. Haven’t had the chance to use it yet so I cannot wait. Do things stick on cast iron without some type of oil or bacon grease?
Sweet Basil
I still use a little butter just to help it not stick. 🙂
Nick
Excellent. I made them this morning and they were AMAZING. Truly light and fluffy and so flavorful. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much!
April
I just mixed up a batch of these for dinner tonight, and noticed the batter is on the thicker side… Is this normal for this particular recipe, or should it be thinner?
April
No worries about my above comment… I ended up adding a little bit more buttermilk, and it brought it to the right consistency. This is an amazing recipe. My husband loved it, although I did tell him that it was time to purchase those iron skillets I’ve been nagging him about. My grandmother swore by hers. She actually cured hers with bacon grease, and it gave her pancakes and meats a wonderful flavor. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Sweet Basil
Oh, bacon grease. Pretty much the best thing ever to cure those skillets with. In fact, I need to do mine!
Sweet Basil
It should be very thick. But you can thin it out if you prefer. 🙂
Amy McDermott
Made these this morning for my dad’s birhday and they were AMAZING. I added blueberries but loved how light and fluffy they were. This will for sure be my go to pancake recipe now. What type of griddle do you use? Ours was Teflon and I don’t think it made the outside crispy but still they were wonderful. Thank you!!!
Sweet Basil
We love cast iron or we use a hamilton beach griddle. 🙂
Amy McDermott
Made these this morning for my dad’s birhday and they were AMAZING. I added blueberries but loved j
Trypheana Young
First, I must say my husband LOVED these pancakes! He said they were perfect and I agree. I have left over batter, and was wondering how do I store it and how long is it good for?
Sweet Basil
We generally make the pancakes and freeze them then reheat whenever but you could place the batter in a jar for a day. We just feel like the consistency is a little different a day later
Denise
Made these this am for overnight guest and they said they were THE BEST pancakes they ever had! I have to agree! So fluffy and yummy!
Thanks for sharing!
Denise
Sweet Basil
YAY!!! Thank you so much, Denise!
Lauren @ Living the Savory Life
I have a bottle of Vermont maple syrup in my pantry just waiting for pancakes like these!
Sweet Basil
Oh, you lucky duck! I need some good syrup!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
mmmmmm these look so tender and like “melt in your mouth” is the perfect descriptor!!!
Sweet Basil
Thanks girl!
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
Holy cow! You’re making me want pancakes for lunch and dinner…and then breakfast tomorrow again! These look so yummy, definitely going to go buy some buttermilk to try these!
Sweet Basil
That’s our life story. Every darn time I see pancakes I suddenly can’t resist.
Gaby
Nothing beats a perfect stack of pancakes and these look fabulous!
Sweet Basil
my thoughts exactly!!
Amanda
I’m ashamed to say we never make pancakes from scratch. I have no idea why when it’s so simple. These look fluffy and delicious!
Sweet Basil
We never used to either, but in reality they take almost the same amount of time!
cheri
This looks like an amazing recipe, pinned for this week-end!
Sweet Basil
YAY!! I hope you love them like we do!
Tom @ Raise Your Garden
Wow, I haven’t eaten breakfast yet here in Buffalo, NY yet I know what I’m having. Peanut butter syrup on top? Is this a little of heaven on earth?
Sweet Basil
It is in our book!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
I have literally been working on a pancake recipe everyday FOREVER, why is it so hard to make the perfect stack?
But, since you have done it, that means I get to stop and just face plant right into yours instead. YES.
These look amazing girl! Pinned!
Sweet Basil
Right?! UGH!! It’s so hard to create the perfect recipe and flip on the griddle!