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Best Buttermilk Pancakes

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The key to light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes from scratch? Don't overmix the batter -- it should have small to medium lumps.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, February 1998
Yield

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Watch: How to Measure Flour

Cook's Notes

If serving with bacon, reserve half a teaspoon of bacon drippings to grease the griddle.

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Reviews

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How would you rate this recipe?
1508
  • MS11247858
    27 JAN, 2019
    I have been using this recipe for years. It is fast to put together and delicious. My son asks for them every weekend. Adding a mashed banana or blueberries is yummy too!
    Reply
  • lori9301293
    18 JAN, 2019
    Fantastic recipe. Made it exactly as recipe called for. They were so light and delicious, my family all loved them.
    Reply
  • masonpa
    27 OCT, 2018
    I used uncultured buttermilk, and the pancakes were thin and rubbery. Perhaps Martha meant to state that the buttermilk should be cultured. If using uncultured buttermilk then the amount should be cut to at least 2 cups instead of 3.
    Reply
    • plumage
      17 DEC, 2018
      Try using 1 cup of plain yogurt and 2 cups of milk. This is what I do (since I don't buy buttermilk) and they turn out excellently.
    • labrooklynn
      26 NOV, 2018
      If you follow these instructions, you will have THE BEST PANCAKES! No need for blueberries. Fluffy and melt in your mouth pancakes that people rave about every time. I have done banana cinnamon and butter topping with whipped cream. I have enjoyed these pancakes with maple syrup. Go to...one and only pancake recipe!
  • plumage
    17 DEC, 2018
    I have been making this recipe since the recipe was first published in the magazine in 1998. For years, I would buy buttermilk for the recipe, but several years ago, I started substituting 1 cup yogurt and 2 cups of milk so that I didn't need to buy a special ingredient. We always love them with the buttermilk, but with the yogurt/milk they are fantastic! We don't use a 4 oz ladle, but rather a 2 oz ladle. This makes more than enough batter for my family of 4 and we usually have leftover batter for a second morning. This is the best white-flour pancake recipe I have ever used. I don't know why anyone would buy a pancake mix when you can make these.
    Reply
  • athaler783801
    4 NOV, 2018
    This batter is far too thin, and 1/2c per pancake is huge!
    Reply
  • patewks
    26 SEP, 2018
    I make and love a similar recipe: I combine milk with white vinegar and set for 5 minutes to "sour". I then combine the dry ingredients. Then I whisk the egg and butter into the soured milk and lastly add the dry ingredients. My measurements are reduced for one - they come out light and fluffy every time.
    Reply
  • dbartley15554751
    27 JUL, 2018
    This has been our families favorite for many years. I like them because they are light and a little different then regular pancakes. I also cater and my clients also love them. I do not use blueberries all the time, but they are really good in them.
    Reply
  • paulis52
    13 JUN, 2017
    I made these today, following the recipe to the letter--light and fluffy they were not! They were flat and had a raw consistency to them, no matter how long I had them on the griddle. They came out more like crepes. I know that everyone is raving about the fluffiness of these pancakes. I can't attest to that.
    Reply
    • masterkenneths
      27 JUN, 2018
      Don't give up on the recipe; it's a good one! Next time check to make sure you use full-fat buttermilk, fresh baking powder/soda, and use a wooden spoon to lightly mix ingredients together, and there is no need to sift the prior flour here. Oh and try letting the batter sit for a bit (at least 5 minutes) to allow the baking soda to activate. Your batter should be thick and lumpy before it hits the griddle.
  • shaferly
    5 JUL, 2017
    Amazing!!! Subbed yoghurt for buttermilk.
    Reply
    • masterkenneths
      27 JUN, 2018
      Yoghurt is a good idea! Sour cream (plain fresh Mexican Crema is an excellent option) can also do the trick as well.
  • masterkenneths
    27 JUN, 2018
    This was a fantastic recipe
    Reply
    • masterkenneths
      27 JUN, 2018
      oops... posted before I was finished! This recipe reminded me of my grandma's when I was a kid. They were thick, fluffy, moist, melt in your mouth goodness! They are the best pancakes you will ever have (if you make them correctly). I followed the directions to a T and added some vanilla paste (like many others here). Tips for success: fresh ingregiants (i.e. baking soda, baking powder, eggs etc.), DO NOT, DO NOT, I repeat, do not over MIX!. Use a wooden spoon (NOT a hand mixer or kitchen aid) to lightly mix the igrediants together. Lumps are good. Mix the dry ingregiants first (no, you do not need to sift the flour either), then lightly mix the wet ingrediants before lightly mixing them together. Then let it sit for 5-10minutes, even more if you want! Sitting allows the baking soda to take affect. Lastly, these are buttermilk pancakes, you have to use real full-fat buttermilk or they will not come out rich and fluffy. SO do not try to make do with regular milk or low fat buttermilk. So far all those who have not had success with this recipe, it is not the recipes fault; it's a perfect recipe for melt in your mouth pancakes. There is no reason why this recipe shouldn't have 5 stars, and I'm pretty sure Martha Stewart knows how to make pancakes, and knows what she is talking about. So if at first you do not succeed, don't blame the recipe. Check to make sure everything was measured correctly and that it has the correct fresh ingredients.

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