Soft and fluffy buttermilk pancakes from scratch. With only a few simple ingredients and homemade chocolate sauce, this is the perfect breakfast!
Pancakes must be one of the most popular breakfast requests in the United States, although the U.S. isn't the only country to fall in love with the pancake. I grew up with fresh made pancakes often baked by my mom and spread with butter, I never had them with syrup like I would do now.
The best pancakes are those that turn out nice and thick, full of bubbles and ready to soak up generous amounts of melted butter and maple syrup.
How to make buttermilk pancakes from scratch
Like most baking recipes, there's a little bit of science behind making pancakes. To achieve those thick pancakes, a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda has to be used.
But along with the alkali, there must be an acid and in this case that comes from buttermilk. You also don't want to over mix the batter, it's okay if it's a little lumpy.
Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes and let science do its thing. As it rests, the reaction between the baking soda and buttermilk is creating bubbles and that's what will help to give the pancakes lift when they hit the hotplate.
What do I need to make this recipe?
- All purpose flour.
- Buttermilk.
- Baking soda
- Eggs.
- Vanilla extract.
FAQ's about buttermilk pancakes
Can I use regular milk if I don't have buttermilk? Yes you can but your pancakes won't be as thick as they would be if buttermilk had been added to the recipe. Homemade buttermilk is really easy to make with milk and lemon juice.
Can olive oil be used in the pan instead of butter? It can but I think the end result tastes as if the pancakes were fried slightly. Butter has more flavor and as long as you keep the heat low and wipe out the pan after every few pancakes you should be okay.
Can I replace the buttermilk with yogurt? Yes, because yogurt has lactic acid that means the chemical reaction will be able to happen and bubbles should form. You can use a 1-1 ratio of yogurt to buttermilk.
Can I make my buttermilk pancakes ahead of time? You can make them a few hours ahead and keep them covered to avoid them drying out too much. Reheat quickly in the microwave or a few minutes in a warm skillet.
What Can I add to my pancakes for extra flavor? Pure zest from lemon and oranges work well as do many fruits like diced apples, peaches, blueberries. You don't want to add too many heavy items though or the pancakes will struggle to lift when baking, so make sure anything you add is small or diced finely.
What can I serve my buttermilk pancakes with?
- Whipped heavy cream
- Chocolate sauce like this one!
- Pure maple syrup
- Honey
- Vanilla yogurt and fresh berries
- A pat of good quality soft salted butter
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