Making buttermilk pancakes from scratch is simple and quick. This tested recipe gives tall, tender pancakes every single morning, with crisp edges and a custardy middle that soaks up maple syrup without falling apart.
Ingredients Overview
Buttermilk reacts with baking soda for lift, so do not substitute regular milk without adding a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. Rest the batter five minutes before cooking; the flour hydrates and the griddle cakes turn out more tender than if you rush this step. Lumps in the batter are completely fine, and honestly preferable, because overmixing develops gluten and makes chewy, flat buttermilk pancakes instead of cloud-like ones. Use a standard soup ladle for evenly sized rounds, and keep cooked pancakes warm on a wire rack set over a sheet pan in a low oven while you finish the batch.
How to Cook Them
Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add a small knob of butter. Ladle the batter, wait for bubbles across the surface and slightly dry edges, then flip once and cook until golden on both sides. Resist pressing down with the spatula; that squeezes out the air you worked to create.
For variation, try our chocolate chip cookies and read this baking science guide for deeper explanations of how chemical leaveners work.
Troubleshooting Tips
Why are my pancakes flat?
If pancakes spread thin, your baking soda is old and has lost its punch, so replace it. If the middles are raw while the outsides brown, lower the heat and give each side more time; thick batter needs gentle, patient cooking. For the best easy breakfast, serve warm with maple syrup, salted butter, and a handful of berries for color and acidity.
