This is the recipe that will swear you off pancake mixes forever.
To be perfectly honest, I’ve never been a huge pancake fan. I usually prefer French toast or waffles.
I think that’s because pancakes at most restaurants are so boring and bland both in terms of flavor and texture.
But these babies are the opposite. I LOVE pancakes with crispy caramelized buttery golden brown edges. The contrast of those edges with the fluffy and tender interior is my favorite. Add a healthy dose of maple syrup and it’s heaven on a plate.
How to Make the BEST Pancake Recipe
Do I have to use buttermilk?
For best results, yes. And you want the best right? That’s why you’re reading about the BEST pancake recipe!
I’ve done extensive side-by-side testing on buttermilk vs. buttermilk substitutes or vs. regular milk. You can read about my experiments here: Buttermilk 101.
At the end of the day, I find nothing quite compares to the taste and thick texture of the real thing. So if you can, I’d recommend using real buttermilk.
If you can’t, you can use this substitute: 2 scant cups whole milk + 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar or lemon juice
How to Make Fluffy Soft Pancakes
There are two keys to fluffy pancakes. First, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are FRESH. You can learn more about chemical leaveners and how to test if they’re fresh here.
Second, don’t overmix the batter! There must be some lumps and even streaks of flour remaining in the batter. Be gentle here! Even a little bit of overmixing can produce pancakes that are rubbery and tough instead of tender and fluffy.
How to Cook Pancakes with Golden Crispy Edges
First, a large nonstick skillet or griddle or a cast iron pan are best for frying up pancakes. You want to make sure the butter is hot before you pour any batter into the pan, but you only want the pan heated to medium heat. This will help you get golden edges with pancakes that are perfectly cooked through in the center.
So start by heating the pan over medium until it feels hot. This will take a few minutes. Place pats of butter on the pan where you will pour out the batter. Don’t cook more than 3 pancakes at once if you’re using a 12-inch pan.
Allow the butter the melt completely and get hot before ladling the batter by the 1/4 cup into the pan. This will make sure you get those golden crispy edges. However, if you don’t like those edges, you may want to cook a little lower and slower.
Allow the pancakes to cook without touching until large bubbles appear all over the surface of the batter, about 3 minutes (less time for a paler pancake). Using a thin wide plastic spatula, flip the pancakes with confidence through the wrist and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until done. I find the first one or two pancakes are always the ugliest and they make great chef’s samples 😉
How to Make Pancakes Ahead of Time
If you’re making a big patch, keep the oven warm at 200°F and transfer the cooked pancakes to a cooling rack set over a rimmed sheet pan. The cooling rack helps prevent the pancakes from getting soggy. Only keep the pancakes warm for about a half hour using this method.
Freezing pancakes:
Place a sheet of parchment paper between layers of pancakes and place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave uncovered for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through.
I’d like to cut back on the sodium. How would the recipe turn out if I omitted the salt? There is a lot of sodium in the leaveners. Thank you.
Hi Barb – I wouldn’t recommend omitting the salt completely otherwise you’d be left with very bland pancakes.
I keep buttermilk ‘powder’ in my pantry. Can I use this or do i need to use the liquid? If I can, then how do I use it here?
Hi Brenda – please check out my Buttermilk 101 post where I address powdered buttermilk in detail: https://www.handletheheat.com/buttermilk-101/
Made these pancakes this morning for my 7 year old grandson. He said they’re “super good” & “Granny, you have to give my mama your recipe”! That’s the highest praise attainable!
Awe that’s so wonderful!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You have turned me into a rock star. This recipe embodies everything I love about pancakes and I am so happy I have found you! I have also made a couple of your other recipes and all winners. Thank-you so so much!!!
YAY!! What a wonderful comment!! xo
Thanks, very Nice.
Hi Tessa, I tried this recipe a while ago and my kids loved it. Its fluffy and tasty. The sweetness is jut right to pair with other toppings. This recipe helped me make my breakfast menu complete. Thanks tessa. Good job!
Woohoo!! So happy to hear this.
How do you get that malted taste you have in pancakes at the pancake houses? Thank you.
Too perfect thank you for sharing the secret of making such delicious cakes. 123movies
Light as clouds!! Amazing!!! I didn’t have buttermilk so I had to substitute 2 cups of milk & lemon juice. That had me worried. The pancakes are amazing.
These pancakes were delicious! Thank you for the recipe I will be sharing with family and friends like always.
Can I use a buttermilk substitute. I don’t keep buttermilk on hand and it’s 30 min drive to the store. Have Neve heard of buttermilk powder our stores don’t carry it.
So delicious and yummy!
Fabulous pancakes! So much better than a mix. I was surprised by how thick the batter was but they cooked up nicely & were delicious
Hi Tessa ! How delicious these pancakes are ? There are no words to describe them … they are fluffy, moist, sweet enough, rich, so flavorful, tender, perfect … Yes, I LOVE them. I found this recipe as good as another one. (A secret recipe) I added a few chocolate chunks, a few blueberries, a zest of a lemon… It was AMAZING. I truly recommend making this recipe (all weekends)
Thank you 🙂 Xo
This has become my Sunday morning breakfast go to recipe. My husband raves about these pancakes. They are light, fluffy and the sugar adds a nice, mild sweetness I highly recommend.
My batter turned out way too thick. It wouldn’t even pour into the pan. Had to kind of scoop it out with a spoon and spread it with a spoon. Even on medium and then low for the second one they were way too think to cook all the way through and burned long before the middle was done. I followed the exact directions. We ended up just kind of eating the edges which were done and it tasted fine.