Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Heavenly buttermilk pancakes, made from scratch. Soft and fluffy with golden, buttery edges, these homemade pancakes are completely irresistible and SO easy to make. Just top them with a drizzle of maple syrup, fresh berries or your favourite toppings for the perfect sweet breakfast!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• No packet mixes – forget the store-bought pancake mix. These homemade pancakes taste so much better!
• Thick and fluffy – this recipe makes the fluffiest, softest and most tender pancakes.
• Quick and easy to make – with just a handful of simple pantry staples. No electric mixers, no packet mixes and no complicated ingredients.
• Perfect for any occasion – serve them for breakfast, Mother’s Day, Sunday brunch, special gatherings (or dinner!).
• Versatile – make large pancakes for breakfast (or dinner!) or make smaller pancakes for snacking or lunchboxes.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Buttermilk – the key ingredient to making your pancakes tender, soft and fluffy. The acidity in buttermilk breaks down gluten and proteins and reacts with the baking powder to create a light and airy texture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by mixing 2 tablespoons of white vinegar (or lemon juice) into every 1 cup of full-fat milk. Stir and leave to sit for 5-10 minutes to curdle before continuing with the recipe as normal.
• Plain flour – plain (all-purpose) flour forms the structure of the pancakes. For a smooth batter, sift the flour before adding the wet ingredients and weigh the flour for best results.
• Baking powder – the raising agent in the pancakes. Check the freshness of your baking powder before use (expired baking powder won’t work and your pancakes will be dense and flat).
• Eggs – three large eggs, at room temperature.
• Vanilla – for the most flavourful pancakes, don’t skip this ingredient! Use vanilla bean paste or extract rather than synthetic vanilla essence, for best flavour.
• Butter – for frying. Use real, unsalted butter for best flavour and golden, crispy edges.

Step by step instructions

Full ingredient notes and quantities can be found in the detailed recipe card below. But here is a brief overview of what you can expect;

1. Mix the dry ingredients (plain flour, baking powder, sugar) together in a bowl.
2. Add the wet ingredients (buttermilk, eggs, vanilla) and use a wire whisk to mix until mostly smooth and just combined.
3. Rest. Cover the pancake batter and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes while you prepare your frying pan, butter and toppings.

Don’t overmix the batter and make sure there are no pockets of dry flour in the bottom of the bowl.

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat, until bubbling.
2. Add a scoop of pancake batter (I use ⅓ cup per pancake) and use a spoon to gently smooth the batter into a circular shape.
3. Cook until the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface.
4. Flip with a spatula and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, until fluffy in the middle.
5. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan between each pancake.

Don’t flip the pancakes until you see little bubbles start to form and pop on the surface.

Expert tips

• Check the freshness of your baking powder. Expired baking powder won’t react in the batter, meaning the pancakes won’t rise and will be tough and dense.
• For a smooth batter, sift the flour before adding the wet ingredients.
• Don’t overmix the pancake batter – the less you mix the batter, the thicker and fluffier they will be. A few small lumps of flour are ok. Overworking the batter will result in tough, rubbery pancakes.
• If you find the batter too thick (if it doesn’t easily fall from the measuring cup or scoop), fold a couple of tablespoons of extra buttermilk into the batter until you reach your desired consistency.
• Give the batter time to rest after mixing everything together. This allows the flour to absorb the liquid in the batter, dissolving any pockets of dry flour. It also lets the leavening agent (baking powder) release air bubbles, which will help the pancakes rise evenly.  While the batter rests, you can prepare your pan and cooking equipment and prepare the toppings.
• For extra indulgence, add some fresh blueberries or chocolate chips to the batter.
• Use a measuring cup or cookie scoop to scoop the pancake batter into the pan, so that you end up with perfectly sized pancakes.
• Serve immediately – pancakes are best served hot and fresh from the pan. They will harden as they rest, so enjoy them straight away!
• Wipe out the pan between batches to avoid bitter flavour from burnt butter.
• Weigh the flour, for accuracy. Too much flour will make dry, dense pancakes. Use kitchen scales for best results. Alternatively, fluff and spoon the flour into your measuring cup before levelling with a knife.
• This recipe makes 14 pancakes when the batter is measured and cooked in ⅓ cup portions. You can make them larger, or smaller to your desired size. For lunchbox sized pancakes, make small pancakes with heaped tablespoons (1-2 tablespoons) of batter.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in December 2018, but was re-published with new information and photos in July 2023.