Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

a stack of pancakes on a plate with blueberries.

5 from 8 votes

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!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Resting time30

Total Time1

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Australian

Servings: pancakes

Calories: 181kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

Pancakes

435 grams plain flour 3 cups, sifted
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup sugar granulated white sugar
pinch salt table salt
3 large eggs lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk 500 ml
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons butter for frying

To serve

maple syrup
fresh berries or your choice of toppings

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Combine the sifted flour, baking powder, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and make a well in the centre.
Add the beaten eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk into the dry ingredients. Mix together until mostly smooth and just combined, but don't overmix (a few small lumps are ok). Make sure there are no pockets of dry flour at the bottom of the bowl.
The batter will be thick in consistency but should fall from a measuring cup or scoop. If you find it too thick, fold in a couple of extra tablespoons of buttermilk until you reach your desired consistency.
Cover the batter and set it aside for 20-30 minutes to rest while you prepare the pan, butter and toppings.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat and add ½ teaspoon of butter to lightly grease the pan. Heat until the butter is bubbling.
Pour ⅓ cup of the pancake batter (or more or less, to your desired size) into the centre of the pan and use a spoon to gently spread out into a circular shape.
Cook until the bottom of the pancake is golden and little bubbles have started to appear and pop on top. Flip the pancake with a spatula and cook for a further 1-2 minutes on low heat, until the pancake is fluffy and cooked through in the middle.
Place the cooked pancake on a plate lined with paper towel and repeat (wipe the pan between each addition and add a further ½ teaspoon of butter for each pancake) until the batter is all gone.
Serve hot with maple syrup, fresh berries or your choice of toppings.

Video

Notes

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.
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 of batter.
Freezing; When stored correctly, pancakes can be frozen for 3 months. To freeze, allow the pancakes to cool completely before stacking the pancakes together, with a piece of baking paper between each pancake. Wrap them in a freezer-safe bag and then place them into an airtight container. To thaw, leave in the fridge overnight or leave at room temperature for an hour. Reheat on a plate in a single layer in the microwave until hot.
The nutrition information is based on the pancake batter being made into 14 pancakes, with one pancake being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the pancakes.
This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
This recipe was originally published in 2018, and contained instructions for toppings of caramelised banana, ginger crumble, caramel and cinnamon cream. If you would like the recipe for these toppings, get in touch and I'll send you a copy.

Nutrition