These are irresistible, the best pancakes for brunch and breakfast. They are the fluffiest, most delicious ones! The secret is adding whipped egg whites at the last moment for extra sponginess.
But these are our favorite pancakes around here. Royal pancakes. And worthy of that grand title.
I started my pancake journey early in life. Though made from packaged pre-mixes most of the time, they remain one of my favorite indulgences, with lots of maple syrup or juicy blueberry compote. Soaked in it, my father says, and he's right.
For pancakes to soak up your favorite topping, they need to be fluffy and soft. Otherwise, they don't absorb the juices or syrup correctly. And dry pancakes are no fun.
Buttermilk pancakes are classic but take a look at this pancake recipe roundup and you'll be planning your next brunch in no time.
But first, let's talk basics.
What is buttermilk?
Buttermilk is a sour dairy ingredient, or fermented drink if you like, though I don't think anyone drinks it.
Before, it was the collateral product that resulted after churning butter from cream.
You beat cream until it separates (the opposite of when you're whipping cream and need to stop just before it curdles) solids from liquids. The liquid left behind is the buttermilk.
Nowadays, it's cultured, made from a buttermilk culture, similar to the way you make homemade yogurt by taking a bit of the batch you just made, which has the bacteria needed to multiply and make your next batch.
Homemade buttermilk
It's a very simple and fast process.
- Mix 1 cup of milk (preferably whole milk) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes at room temperature until it thickens and slightly curdles.
- Stir it once more, and measure it again before using.
This recipe is easy enough but does have an extra step necessary to make them the best, and it's beaten egg whites to make them tall and light, with just the right bite but still airy.
The secret is not to overmix the batter once the whites are added. As with genoise or chocolate mousse. You want to keep as much air as possible.
The other thing is to cook them immediately. The batter will start losing some of its airiness after a while, and your pancakes will lose some of their personality.
In my opinion, pancakes should be made right there and eaten right now. Sort of like risotto. No time for distractions.
That way, they are at their most amazing.
And drench them in maple syrup with fresh berries. Amazing breakfast for this holiday season.
Related recipes you might like:
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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The Best Buttermilk Pancakes
These are irresistible, the best pancakes for brunch and breakfast. They are the fluffiest, most delicious ones! The secret is adding whipped egg whites at the last moment for extra sponginess.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 medium pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, separated and at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (85g) butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups whole milk, room temperature
- Fresh fruit, maple syrup or honey and cream or berry compote, for serving
Instructions
- Have ready the pancake skillet.
- Put flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl.
- Mix milk, butter and egg yolks in another medium bowl.
- With dry, clean beaters, beat egg whites until you have medium peaks (not completely firm, the tip falls a bit).
- Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together. Some lumps may remain.
- Add beaten egg white in 2 additions, mixing with a spatula until combined but some small lumps of egg whites remain.
- Heat the pancake skillet over medium heat and add a smidgen of butter.
- Add ¼ cup batter to make each pancake. If you make several at a time increase the heat a bit.
- When the pancake starts to have bubbles and begins to dry turn them over and cook for a minute or so.
- Be careful not to burn them.
- Serve immediately with fresh fruit, maple syrup, and whipped cream if you want.
Notes
- Make-ahead: they can be made ahead and frozen, or reheated in the oven. But they won't be exactly the same as when they were just made. But, if making many, that's the way to go.
- Variation: you can add citrus zest, add chocolate chips, or even berries to the batter before cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Breakfast - Brunch
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: buttermilk pancakes
David says
Okay, I trust you, Paula! I will make these over the holiday break! We love pancakes but we differ in our preferences. Like you, I prefer them fluffy to absorb as much syrup as they possibly can. Mark likes them thin and uses but a teaspoon of syrup. Yet I married him anyway... This batch will be for me!! Merry Christmas, my dear friend!
Paula Montenegro says
I'm on your side too. Does he cut thin slices of pound cake too?? Happy holidays to both of you David!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
So fluffy and delicious! Merry Christmas, Paula.
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks Angie, likewise!