I must admit that I have a soft spot for pancakes, and I use this recipe exclusively. It always comes out perfect, has great texture and flavor, and is very adaptable. I've outlined some of the adaptations I've used below.
Pancakes are comfort food for me and going into fall I find myself craving them even more frequently. This is a simple recipe to whip up and you can always store the pre-measured dry ingredients in a mason jar to save even more time. This recipe is easily made vegan and/or oil-free as noted below.
Notes About Some Of The Ingredients:
Buttermilk - you can easily make a buttermilk alternative by adding 3 teaspoons of vinegar (ACV or white) or lemon juice to 2 cups of milk (dairy or non-dairy and any fat level) and letting it sit 5-10 minutes before adding to the recipe.
Flour - I have written this recipe with all-purpose flour but have also successfully made them with spelt flour and Kamut/Khorasan flour. If you use spelt flour, let the batter sit for 15 minutes or so once the wet ingredients are combined with the dry ingredients and then check to see if it needs more liquid (it usually needs a couple of extra Tablespoons to 1/4 cup of buttermilk).
If you are using Kamut/Khorasan flour, reduce the flour by 1/4 cup and see if it's a pancake consistency. If it's too thin, add in the reserved flour one Tablespoon at a time until you reach a typical pancake consistency.
Butter - you can use dairy or non-dairy butter or any oil. If you would like to make this oil-free I almost always make this recipe substituting the oil with equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. It works great! If subbing with oil that is not liquid at room temperature (like coconut oil), just melt it before adding to the batter.
Egg- if you don't have an egg or would like to make this vegan, simply omit the egg. The pancakes will still have a great fluffy texture and taste great! (the photos in this post feature pancakes made without any eggs and with applesauce in place of the oil). Want to add 2 eggs? You can absolutely do that. The texture gets a bit eggier but stays fluffy.
Salt - you can certainly reduce this if you prefer to eat low-salt. I typically cut this in half.
Sugar - I have, in place of the refined sugar, successfully used maple sugar. The pancakes will brown a bit more with maple sugar.
Recipe Tips:
- Oiling the skillet: If you would like to make this oil-free, cook pancakes in a non-stick pan and oiling the pan will be unnecessary. Oil makes the edges crispy, so if that's something you prefer, oil your skillet.
- Freezing Instructions: These pancakes can be frozen and reheated later in a toaster (no need to thaw first) or microwaved. Make the pancakes as instructed and allow to cool completely. Lay cooled pancakes flat and without touching on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet that will fit in your freezer and freeze. Once fully frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer up to 2 months.
- Making pancakes thinner or thicker: add 1 Tablespoon and up to 1/4 cup extra buttermilk if you would prefer thinner pancakes or 1 Tablespoon and up to 1/4 cup extra flour if you would like thicker pancakes.
- Add-ins: once the pancakes have been mixed and poured onto the skillet, you can sprinkle the uncooked side with sliced bananas, berries (frozen or fresh), chocolate chips, chopped toasted nuts, or cooked bacon. If the add-ins don't sink into the batter, you can cover them with a touch of extra batter before you flip the pancake to prevent the add-ins from sticking to the pan.
Making The Pancakes:
I like to sift the baking powder and baking soda into the flour to avoid any clumps.
The mixture will be fairly thick and bubbly from the buttermilk/baking soda/baking powder mixture.
Pancakes almost ready to flip! A few more bubbles and then it will be ready.
Nicely browned (but not too brown) pancake.
(find printable recipe here)
The Recipe:
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Makes: about fourteen 4-inch pancakes or seven 8-inch pancakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg (optional)
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (see notes for substitutions)
2 cups buttermilk (see notes for substitutions and/or non-dairy alternative)
oil for frying, if desired (see notes for cooking without oil)
1. If you are making the buttermilk with vinegar or lemon juice and milk (see recipe notes for measurements), mix together and set aside 5-10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg (if using), melted butter/oil (or applesauce if substituting as noted in recipe notes), and then the buttermilk.
3. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and carefully pour the buttermilk mixture into the well. Whisk or stir gently just until the buttermilk mixture is incorporated (a few lumps should remain), being careful not to overmix the batter.
4. Set batter aside and heat a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, until the surface is hot. If you are using oil/butter, add about a teaspoon to the hot pan, swirling the pan to spread it evenly.
5. If you are making 4-inch pancakes, add about 1/4 cup of batter to the skillet. Depending on your skillet size, you may be able to fit 2 or 3 in the skillet. Cook until the batter is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown, about another minute. Repeat with remaining batter, adding another teaspoon of butter or oil as needed, if using.
6. Eat immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months (see recipe notes for instructions).
Enjoy!!!
