These Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes are thick, soft, and irresistibly tender. Made with simple ingredients, they’re perfect for a cozy breakfast. Buttermilk is the secret to their melt-in-your-mouth texture!
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Why This Recipe Works
Who doesn’t love a stack of fluffy pancakes? We sure do! And I’ve found the perfect recipe for the fluffiest buttermilk pancakes ever. Here’s why we love it:
- Super Fluffy: The combination of buttermilk and whipped egg whites gives these pancakes a fluffy, airy texture that’s out of this world.
- Perfectly Sweet: With just the right amount of sugar, these pancakes are sweet enough to enjoy on their own or with your favorite toppings. They remind me of my Ukrainian Cheese Pancakes!
- Easy to Make: The batter comes together in just minutes, and the pancakes cook up quickly, which makes this recipe perfect for busy mornings.
- Totally Customizable: While these pancakes are delicious on their own, you can easily customize them with your favorite mix-ins and toppings, a lot like my Bacon Pancakes!
- Great for a Crowd: This recipe makes about 16 2-3 inch pancakes, so it’s perfect for feeding a family or a hungry brunch crowd. Plus, you can easily double the recipe!
Tried it? I’d love to hear how it went—come back and leave a star rating! ❤️
Ingredients
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk is the star of this recipe. It adds a pleasant tanginess to the pancakes and reacts with the baking soda and baking powder to give them their light, fluffy texture.
- Eggs – We use both the egg yolks and the egg whites in this recipe to give the pancakes structure and a nice rise.
- Unsalted Butter – Melted and cooled slightly, the butter adds richness and a delicious buttery flavor to the pancakes.
- Avocado Oil – We use avocado oil for frying the pancakes because of its mild flavor and high smoke point. You can also use vegetable oil or any other neutral-tasting oil.
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whip Egg Whites and Combine: In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Set aside. Whisk egg yolks, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients and gently mix (lumps are fine). Fold in egg whites—don’t overmix.
- Cook Pancakes: Heat a pan over medium-low with avocado oil. Pour in ¼ cup batter per pancake, leaving space between each.
- Flip and Serve: Cook ~2 minutes until bubbles form, then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter, adding oil as needed. Top with your favorites, drizzle with maple syrup, and enjoy!
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some of my favorite substitutions and variations for this recipe:
- Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but you can definitely substitute it with whole wheat flour for denser pancakes. Alternatively, you can try gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version.
- Sugar: The granulated sugar in this recipe can be replaced with an equal amount of brown sugar or coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own! Pour a little less than 2 cups of regular milk into a bowl. Add two tablespoons of vinegar to the bowl. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes. You’ve got homemade buttermilk!
- Avocado Oil: Feel free to substitute avocado oil with any other neutral flavored oil, like canola or vegetable oil.
FAQs
Why do I need to separate the egg whites?
Separating the egg whites and whisking them until stiff peaks are formed helps to incorporate air into the batter. This makes the pancakes fluffy and light.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it slightly thickens. Then, it’s ready to use in the recipe as a buttermilk substitute.
How do I know when to flip the pancakes?
You’ll know it’s time to flip the pancakes when the sides start to brown and bubbles form on the uncooked surface. This usually takes about 2 minutes.
How long do these fluffy buttermilk pancakes keep?
These pancakes are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. To reheat, simply pop them in the toaster or warm them in a pan.
More Breakfast Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Croissant French Toast Bake – This Croissant French Toast Bake transforms a classic breakfast into an unbelievably indulgent treat!
- Turkish Eggs – Step up your brunch game with Turkish eggs! This crowd-pleasing recipe features perfectly poached eggs and is ready in 15 minutes.
- Instant Pot Deviled Eggs – Try Instant Pot Deviled Eggs for a classic appetizer made so much easier! They’re ready in under 20 minutes, and they turn out perfectly creamy and tender.
- Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict – Rich bites of salmon, homemade hollandaise, and perfectly poached eggs make up this luscious Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict recipe. It’s the best brunch recipe you can easily prepare ahead of time!
If you try this Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes recipe, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Servings: 6 servings
These Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes are thick, soft, and irresistibly tender. Made with simple ingredients, they’re perfect for a cozy breakfast. Buttermilk is the secret to their melt-in-your-mouth texture!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, yolks and egg whites separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup avocado oil, or more as needed for frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl separate egg whites and whisk until you get stiff peaks, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract, buttermilk and room temperature melted butter.
- Slowly pour into the flour mixture and gently mix (lumps are OK).
- Add in the egg whites and gently fold in; don’t overmix.
- Heat a large pan to medium-low heat. Add some avocado oil, then ¼ cup of pancake mix in the pan and repeat until pan is filled, but don't overcrowd. Cook pancakes until the sides brown and bubbles form, about 2 minutes.
- Carefully flip pancakes and cook another 1-2 minutes. Repeat until all batter is used up. Add avocado oil as needed. You should get about 16 2-3 inch pancakes.
- Transfer pancakes to plate. Add your favorite toppings. Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy!
Notes
- For equal-sized pancakes, use a measuring cup to pour your batter. I usually also like to use a cookie scoop and scoop out two 1” scoops per pancake, or add an extra scoop or two for larger pancakes.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to 2 cups of milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Separating the egg whites and beating them to stiff peaks before folding them into the batter is the secret to achieving extra fluffy pancakes. This extra step is well worth it!
- When mixing your wet and dry ingredients, lumps are OK. Overmix the batter, and your pancakes will be tough. So, mix until everything is just combined.
- Cook your pancakes over medium-low heat. This ensures that they cook through without burning on the outside.
- Use avocado oil for frying as it has a high smoke point and a mild flavor, making it perfect for cooking pancakes.
- To keep your pancakes warm while you cook the rest, place them on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven. This way, you can serve a whole batch of piping hot pancakes at the same time.
- These pancakes freeze beautifully. Once cooled, place them in a single layer in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, pop them in the toaster straight from the freezer.
- This recipe is part of my Breakfast Recipes Collection.
- Hosting a brunch at home? Serve these pancakes alongside some Easy Oven Baked French Toast and Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles for a crowd-pleasing feast!
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