Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe

There’s nothing like a batch of fluffy old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes on a slow Sunday morning! These fluffy buttermilk pancakes have a soft texture and wonderful crispy edges. Drizzled with maple syrup and served with a side of scrambled eggs, bacon, or fresh fruit this is a comforting family favorite breakfast!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.

Slow weekend mornings call for all the comfort food! This old-fashioned buttermilk pancake recipe is always my family’s go-to breakfast. Easier and tastier than boxed pancake mix, these are the best pancakes because they are so soft and delicious with a hint of sweetness. Homemade buttermilk pancakes are perfect for breakfast or to pack for easy snacks for your kids or as a grab-and-go breakfast. 

We love to serve our pancakes with scrambled eggs, oven-baked beef bacon, beef sausage patties, or simply with fresh fruits and maple syrup.  No matter how you serve them, this really is a comforting breakfast that everyone will love and enjoy at the start of a brand-new week!

Jump to:

• What is buttermilk?
• Ingredients for Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
• How to Make the Best old fashioned buttermilk pancakes
• How To Make Buttermilk Pancakes without Buttermilk
• Variations
• Recommended Tools
• Pro Tips
• How To Store/ Make Ahead
• Frequently Asked Questions  —
• Looking for more breakfast recipes?
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What is buttermilk?

Traditionally, buttermilk is the liquid left over during the butter-making process. When heavy cream is churned to make butter, buttermilk is what’s left over. It is a milky-looking liquid with a slightly tangy flavor. 

When used in baked goods buttermilk interacts with the leavening agents - baking soda/baking powder causing them to produce carbon dioxide. This helps to give your baking goods that nice fluffy and moist texture that we all love so much. 

Buttermilk is also a very popular ingredient used to marinate chicken. This is because the acids and good bacteria in the buttermilk help to break down the chicken causing it to be more tender and juicy. 

At the grocery store, you’ll find cultured buttermilk, which is the modern pasteurized version of traditional buttermilk. It looks like whole milk but it has a distinctively sour flavor. 

I used raw buttermilk from my local farm so it is a little more brownish in color, but store-bought buttermilk is just fine to use. If you run out of buttermilk I’ll also show you how to make some at home!

Ingredients for Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Flour - regular all-purpose flour.

Baking powder - a leavening agent used to give these pancakes a nice and fluffy texture. 

Sugar (optional) - Add a bit of cane sugar or white sugar if you want a sweeter pancake.

Salt - to balance out the other flavors.

Real buttermilk - gives the pancakes a flavor and a soft and tender texture. 

Egg - used to bind all the ingredients together. I used Happy Eggs. They are richer and more flavorful than regular or even organic eggs. 

Vanilla extract - adds a nice sweet flavor to the pancakes. Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for a bolder flavor.

Melted butter - to give the batter a buttery flavor and also to keep the batter moist and soft.

Vegetable oil - can also use ghee. Used for cooking the pancakes. Don’t use butter because it will burn. 

Serving - pure maple syrup, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, or sausage patties

How to Make the Best old fashioned buttermilk pancakes

All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step three. Preheat a large cast iron skillet on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Step four. Pour a  ¼ cup of batter into the hot skillet. You can get 2 - 3 pancakes in the pan depending on how large your skillet is. 

How To Make Buttermilk Pancakes without Buttermilk

If you ran out of buttermilk you can make your own buttermilk using regular milk and lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.

In a measuring cup add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and enough milk to reach the 1 cup measuring line. 

Mix until combined, then allow the mixture to sit for 5 - 10 minutes or until it starts to look a little curdled. Now you are ready to it in any baking recipe!

Variations

Mini chocolate chips

Rainbow sprinkles

Fresh blueberries

Ground cinnamon

Recommended Tools

Large cast iron skillet (10-inch or 15-inch skillets)

Spatula

Large mixing bowl

¼ cup measuring spoon for pouring the pancakes

Pro Tips

Use a room-temperature egg so it will mix with other ingredients more easily.

Let the batter rest for 10 minutes so it can thicken before cooking for best results.

If the pan starts to look “dry” I like to add in a bit more oil so the pancakes can get those nicely crispy edges.

Don’t overmix the pancake batter. Your batter will be a little thick with small lumps in it. Stir just until there aren’t any more streaks of flour. 

Don't cook your pancakes in butter because it will burn before the pancakes are fully cooked.

How To Store/ Make Ahead

Store leftover pancakes in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. 

Wrap leftover pancakes in plastic wrap then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container to freeze for several weeks.

Reheat pancakes wrapped in parchment paper in the 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through. 

Make pancakes ahead of time then place the cooked pancakes on a baking sheet. Place in a warm 200-degree oven for up to 30 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions  —

Looking for more breakfast recipes?

Click here to subscribe to The Midwest Kitchen Blog’s Newsletter for recipes straight to your inbox!

If you love this recipe, pin it to Pinterest for later or share it on Instagram by tagging me (@themidwestkitchenblog).

Don’t forget to leave this recipe a 5-star rating!

Have a blessed day!

Print

📖 Recipe