Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

If you’re looking for a super simple pancake recipe that will turn out perfect every time, these Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes are what you’re looking for!

Buttermilk Pancake Inspiration

I received my Canyon Ranch cookbook as a gift from either my mom or sister, back in early 2000. I love it. It’s the cookbook that introduced me to the power of bread flour + whole wheat flour in baking.

I like things that taste good…so this actually isn’t inspired by health or being virtuous, it’s all about taste. I’ve been making this whole wheat buttermilk pancakes recipe for well over a decade for a number of reasons.

First, it’s super quick and easy. No folding eggs whites into the batter nor are we using yeast starters or any rubbish like that. We’re shuffling out of bed, teeth unbrushed and making pancakes. In under an hour.

Because sometimes we need pancakes.

I went through a period several months back when I thought there might be a bigger, better pancake out there. Throughout the weeks I was serving up stacks. How are these?, I’d query. The response was always the same. Can you make pancakes like you used to? 

I’ve made some minor adjustments to the quantities of ingredients, but the core is pretty much the same as the original Canyon Ranch recipe.

I’ve made these with milk + vinegar in place of buttermilk, I’ve replaced the buttermilk with kefir and almond milk, I’ve used regular flour, replaced all flour with gluten-free flour (always Cup4Cup) and I’ve replaced the oil with melted butter.

All worked and yielded something that was a healthy, second-cousin to the original.

The Baker’s Guide to Measuring Flour

One of the biggest (and most common) mistakes in baking is how we measure flour. If you find yourself without a scale, see my top tips on how to properly measure flour for the perfect amount every time!

More Breakfast Treats

Check out these breakfast treats: Strawberry Scones, Crispy Buttermilk Waffles, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, Flaky Prune Danishes, these Sourdough Bagels and my Favorite Blueberry Muffins!

Enjoy your Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes!

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

My favorite, go-to Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes! These are a since to throw together and are perfectly fluffy every single time.

5 from 1 review

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: pancakes

Keyword: Buttermilk, Pancakes, Whole Wheat, Brunch, Breakfast

Servings: 15 Pancakes

Author: Rebecca Firth

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (102 g) bread flour (how to measure flour; see flour note below in notes)
• 3/4 cup (102 g) white whole-wheat flour (see note below about flour)
• 3 (36 g+) heaping tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk (shaken; see note below)
• 3/4 cup (180 g) milk (I usually use low fat…nonfat works fine as well)
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons (42 g) sunflower seed oil (or other neutral oil)
• 2 tablespoons (42 g) real maple syrup

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the bread flour, white whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
• In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, egg, oil and maple syrup.
• Dump the flour mixture into the milk mixture and whisk until just combined. The batter will be lumpy. That’s fine. Now let it sit there for a couple of minutes to thicken a bit.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. I prefer my stainless to cast iron here. I spray it well with nonstick and then I add a pat of butter to the pan and swirl it around. When it’s nice and melted, it’s time to test.
• Pour about 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan. We’re making our tester pancake. As soon as bubbles start to form and then pop, it’s time to flip. I always cook the second side for about half the amount of time as the first, so maybe 1-2 minutes. If the pan isn’t hot enough, turn it up just a hair. At the right temperature, the pancakes will get the perfect golden color and fluffy rise. If it’s not warm enough, they will spread and become thin. *Recipe Note: This is a thick pancake batter. I use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop the batter into the pre-heated pan and then use the back of the cup to gently nudge it into a circle shape.
• Finish with the remaining batter, adding more butter as you go and adjusting the heat so that it is neither too hot nor too low.
• They cook up pretty fast, so I don’t feel like you need to do the whole put-them-in-the-oven thing. If you’re so inclined, an oven at low heat, say 200 degrees F and a baking sheet in which to put them in a single layer, should do the trick. Just don’t leave them in there for long as they’ll dry out.

Notes

To Serve

More real maple syrup, butter (for serving and for the pan), powdered sugar, blueberries…the usual suspects.

Bread Flour + White Whole-Wheat Flour

You can replace both flours with all-purpose flour 1:1.

Make sure you use white whole-wheat flour and not regular whole-wheat flour.

Buttermilk

If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can replace it with milk (I’ve even used soy milk) and take 1 tbsp (13 g) of milk out and add 1 tbsp of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes until it curdles and then it’s ready!

Thanks for baking with me! Please rate + comment this recipe and tag me on social @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see your beautiful treats! xo