Best Buttermilk Pancakes

I have been searching for the best buttermilk pancake recipe for some time now, so that I would have a recipe that I could depend on for amazing pancakes, and so that I could share that recipe with you. Many of the recipes I came across yielded good pancakes, but none were so good that I was ready to stop my search. I should have known to look to Cook’s Illustrated for the best pancakes, since so many of my other favorite recipes come from them.

These pancakes cook up fluffy and have the delicious flavor you expect from a great buttermilk pancake. I’ve made this recipe using sour cream and subbing in Greek yogurt. The pancakes were great both times, but I think they were the best when I used the sour cream.  Not enough so that I would buy sour cream especially for this recipe if I already had yogurt on hand, though.

The next time you have a pancake craving, whip up a batch of these buttermilk pancakes. I think you’ll agree that they deserve their title of “the best,” and they just might make those pancake cravings appear more often.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Printable Recipe

Makes about 16 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup sour cream (you can substitute Greek yogurt)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. If you aren’t going to serve the pancakes until you’ve cooked them all, preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Spray a wire rack with cooking spray and set it inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk gently until just combined. The batter will be lumpy and a few streaks of flour are ok; overmixing will prevent the pancakes from being as tender. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
3. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan, a few pancakes at a time. Cook on the first side until the edges are set and bubbles form on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown and cooked through. (If not serving immediately, transfer cooked pancakes to the rack and pan in the oven.) Repeat with remaining batter, spraying with cooking spray in between batches.

Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

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