Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

I have tried a lot of pancake recipes over the years — boxed mixes, fancy restaurant versions, even one that asked me to whip egg whites at 7am on a Saturday (no thank you). This is the recipe I keep coming back to. It's the kind of breakfast you can throw together half-asleep and still end up with something genuinely impressive on the plate.

The secret isn't the ingredients, it's the resting. Five minutes on the counter lets the flour hydrate and the leavening get going, and you end up with pancakes that puff up tall instead of spreading flat. Once you notice the difference, you won't skip it again.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly combined.
2. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently with a spatula just until you no longer see dry flour. A few lumps are fine — overmixing leads to tough pancakes.
4. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while you heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. The batter should look a little puffy on top.
5. Lightly butter the pan, then scoop ⅓ cup of batter per pancake. Cook for about 2 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, then flip and cook 1–2 minutes more.
6. Keep finished pancakes warm on a rack in a 90°C (200°F) oven while you finish the batch. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and whatever fruit you have around.

Cooking tips

• No buttermilk? Stir 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into 2 cups of whole milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Medium-low is the right heat. If your first pancake is dark before the bubbles set, turn the burner down.
• Batter holds in the fridge for up to 24 hours — perfect for slow Sundays.

More like this

If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll find more of my favourite breakfast recipes in the archive, or browse the full collection.