Buttermilk Pancakes
Whisk your dry and wet ingredients separately before folding them together until just barely combined. The secret to a light pancake is leaving the batter lumpy and resting it for ten minutes before hitting the griddle. Cook them over medium heat until the bubbles popping on the surface stay open, then flip once.
Don't overmix the batter.
Developing too much gluten makes pancakes tough rather than tender. If you see streaks of flour, stop stirring immediately.
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron griddle
- spatula
What goes in.
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 2 tbspsugar
- 1 tspbaking powder
- 1/2 tspbaking soda
- 1/2 tspfine sea salt
- 2 cupsbuttermilk
- 2 largeeggs
- 4 tbspunsalted butter, melted and cooled
Timing the Flip
Wait for bubbles to form across the entire surface of the pancake. When those bubbles burst and leave small holes that do not immediately fill back in with batter, the underside is set and ready to turn.
The method.
Mix dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in your large bowl.
Prepare wet ingredients
In a separate container, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter until smooth.
Combine
Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Use your whisk or a spatula to fold the two together until only a few dry streaks remain. Do not beat the batter.
Rest the batter
Let the bowl sit undisturbed for ten minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and the leavening agents to activate.
Heat the pan
Place your skillet over medium heat. Test it by flicking a drop of water onto the surface; if it sizzles and dances, the pan is ready.
Cook
Ladle 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the pan. Cook until the bubbles set, flip carefully, and cook the other side for one to two minutes until golden brown.
Other turns to take.
Blueberry
Drop a handful of fresh blueberries onto the wet batter in the pan immediately after pouring.
Lemon Zest
Whisk the zest of one lemon into the dry ingredients for a bright, floral note.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use room temperature eggs so the melted butter doesn't seize into hard clumps when added to the buttermilk.
Brush the pan with a tiny amount of clarified butter or high-smoke-point oil between batches to ensure an even, crisp edge.
If the pancakes brown too quickly before the inside is cooked, drop the heat to medium-low.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I substitute regular milk for buttermilk?
You can approximate it by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of milk and letting it sit for five minutes before use.
Why are my pancakes dense?
You likely overmixed the batter, which develops gluten and expels the air created by the baking soda.