American

Buttermilk Pancakes

Tall, tangy diner pancakes. The batter should stay lumpy - beating it smooth is what turns pancakes into rubber discs.

Time
25 mins
Serves
4
Steps
7
Ingredients
9
A stack of buttermilk pancakes with melting butter and maple syrup

Method

  1. 01

    Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt together in a large bowl.

  2. 02

    In another bowl beat the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter.

  3. 03

    Pour the wet into the dry and fold about ten times only. Lumps are correct - overmixing develops gluten and flattens them.

  4. 04

    Rest the batter 10 minutes; it will thicken and bubble as the raising agents wake up.

  5. 05

    Heat a non-stick pan over medium and wipe it with a little butter.

  6. 06

    Ladle in the batter and cook until bubbles form and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes, then flip once and cook 1 minute more.

  7. 07

    Resist pressing them down with the spatula. Stack and serve with butter and maple syrup.

Cooking Tips

  • Fold about ten times and stop. Lumps are correct; a smooth batter develops gluten and gives you rubber discs.
  • Rest the batter 10 minutes so the raising agents start working before it hits the pan.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • No buttermilk: whole milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice, left 10 minutes, does the same job.
  • Half wholemeal flour works, though the pancakes come out denser.

What to Serve With It

  • Serve in stacks with butter and maple syrup, or fresh berries.

Storage and Reheating

  • Keep 2 days and reheat in a toaster. Freeze with baking paper between them for up to a month.