Buttermilk Pancakes

Buttermilk pancakes. Photo by Ellie Dean ’27.

These fluffy buttermilk pancakes are slightly crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside, and they make for the perfect weekend breakfast. I’ve been experimenting with pancakes for years, but I finally perfected my recipe. The cinnamon, the bread flour and a 2:1 ratio of baking powder to baking soda make the pancakes extra fluffy and the ultimate people-pleaser for family gatherings.  

Ingredients: 

  • 2 large eggs at room temperature  
  • 2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
  • 4 tbsp. butter melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract 
  • 2 ¼ cups bread flour (290 g)
  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar 
  • 2 tsp. baking powder 
  • 1 tsp. baking soda 
  • ½  tsp. ground cinnamon 
  • 1 tsp. salt 
  • 3-4 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2-3 tbsp. butter for cooking 

Instructions: 

  1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy (about three minutes on medium-high speed with an electric mixer).
  2. Add buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla into the eggs and beat until incorporated.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. 
  4. Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold with a spatula until about halfway incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold until just combined (the batter should be very lumpy). 
  5. Rest the batter for at least five minutes. 
  6. Preheat a griddle or frying pan to medium-high heat. 
  7. Before the surface has completely heated, take two paper towels and fold them twice. Pour enough oil to thinly coat your cooking surface, and use the paper towel to spread the oil evenly. 
  8. Take about 1 tbsp. (more or less depending on the size of the cooking surface) of cold butter, and use a knife to spread it evenly on the cooking surface. 
  9. Pour the batter onto the griddle, leaving enough space between each pancake to flip them. The pancakes can be any size, but I generally use about ½ – ⅔  cup of batter for each. 
  10. Use a spatula to lift a small section of the pancake. Once the underside of the pancake becomes a golden brown color, flip it. 
  11. To make sure the pancakes are cooked through, take one pancake and cut it in half. If there is liquid batter in the center, continue to cook the pancakes. 
  12. Serve with maple syrup.