The best buttermilk pancakes are light and fluffy with richness from butter, tang from buttermilk, and subtle vanilla-scented sweetness. A hot stack of pancakes is perfect for a special breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner!
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
Add the butter, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Whisk just to combine, being careful not to over-mix. The batter will be fairly thick. For the fluffiest pancakes, let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, brush the bottom with a little coconut oil or butter.
Scoop the batter into the hot greased skillet (about 6 tablespoons of batter per pancake), and let it spread out on its own. Turn the heat down slightly to medium-low.
Let the pancake cook on the first side without flipping until the bubbles that form on the surface pop and the pancake looks like it’s starting to dry out a bit along the outside (this takes about 3 minutes).
At that point, use a thin metal spatula to flip the pancake and let it cook on the second side until light golden brown (this takes about 2 minutes).
Repeat this process until all the pancake batter is cooked.
Notes
Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This makes about 8 pancakes; each serving is 2 pancakes for a total of 4 servings.
Nutritional Information: The information for this recipe was calculated without the optional serving suggestions.
Don’t Over-Mix the Batter: This is crucial to light and fluffy pancakes!
Let the Batter Rest: If you mix it up and let it sit for 10 minutes, you will have noticeably fluffier pancakes. For the most amazing flavor, let the batter rest in the fridge overnight.
Add-Ins: You can add in up to ¾ cup of chocolate chips, fresh berries, chopped nuts, coconut, or a mixture of any of these to the batter.
To Make the Cooking Process Go Faster: Use two skillets or a griddle to cook the batter.
Keep the Pancakes Warm: While you’re cooking the batter, you can put the cooked pancakes onto a parchment paper-lined tray in a preheated 200F oven until all the pancakes are made to keep them warm.
Make Waffles Instead: You can use this same batter to make waffles instead of pancakes.
Make-Ahead: You can store pancake batter covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Storage: Once they’re cooled to room temperature, you can store cooked pancakes wrapped well in the fridge for up to 5 days or up to 2 months in the freezer.
Reheating: You can reheat pancakes in a toaster, in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven. The toaster is super easy, especially if you’re only reheating one serving of pancakes!
To Reheat Pancakes in the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Arrange your pancakes in a single layer on the prepared tray.
Sprinkle a tiny bit of water on the pancakes. I like to wet my hand and just flick the water a couple times on the pancakes. This will steam the pancakes and help them stay moist!
Cover the tray with foil.
Put it in the oven until the pancakes are warm, about 8 to 10 minutes.