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

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

all-purpose flour

baking powder

baking soda

salt

sugar

eggs,

buttermilk

unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle

blueberries (optional)

Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps.

Heat oven to 175 degrees. Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess.

Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other. Scatter with berries, if using. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve with Cranberry Syrup.

They were the flattest pancakes I’ve ever made

Except for the berries, this recipe was published in the 100’s in Gourmet magazine..  While we love this recipe anduse it often, don’t you feel you should give credit to the-original publisher of this recipe?  It is a great 5 star recipe, but not a recipe by Martha Stewart/.

Fantastic pancake recipe! The best I’ve ever had, honestly. Only thing I did differently was add chocolate chips. And I also had to use less buttermilk because of altitude here in Tennessee.

It's sad that so many people rave about this recipe, but have it rated at a zero!!  Make sure when you make a comment that you give it  5 stars.  I have read so many comments stating how amazing this recipe is, giving it all kind of  accolades, but leave their comments and then give it a zero (make sure your stars are filled in).  The recipe would have been rated higher overall if people would have done that.  This is my go to recipe for buttermilk pancakes, simply amazing fluffy pancakes, also agree by letting the baking soda set in the recipe for 5 to 10 minutes before putting your pancakes on the griddle helps.  Love mine with blueberries and fresh maple syrup.  Give these a try with the buttermilk first, then if you want to substitute if you dare,,,,,,,,,,,you too will have so many requests for this amazing recipe time and time again!!

My husband, kids and I all loved these pancakes!!! They were light and fluffy and had a nice tang from the buttermilk that was balanced nicely by the sugar. My hubbie said this was our go to pancake recipe from now on.

The trick is to combine all the ingredients as they’re written above and use a LOW HEAT. Then they’ll be amazing.

I did not enjoy this it was very bad!!!!!!!!!!

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!

Fantastic recipe. Made it exactly as recipe called for. They were so light and delicious, my family all loved them.

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.

This batter is far too thin, and 1/2c per pancake is huge!

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.

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.

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.

They were absolutely light and delicious!

THIS is the nastiest pancake recipe I’ve ever made. There is NOT enough flour in this recipe. When you weigh out the flour (more accurate than scooping) the pancakes come out in a more gummy, crepe-like consistency. Yet these couldn’t even pass for crepes! They taste like burnt eggs.

This has become my favorite pancake recipe. I've made these over and over for brunches, including today's at a friend's house. Because of the generous buttermilk content, these pancakes have a lovely custardy texture. As long as we don't overcook them. (Undercooking them makes them hard to flip.) I use an electric skillet for consistency. I usually make slightly smaller pancakes than called for; they flip better even if I try to turn them before they're fully set because they fit well on the spatula. We usually have leftovers, which I freeze on a cookie sheet and then slip into freezer bags to warm up for instant pancakes on busy mornings. Raspberries work nearly as well as blueberries, though raspberry pancakes turn out a bit less tidy than the blueberry variation. I usually use brown sugar, and less than the 3 TBS called for; each diner can add as much sweet fruit, jam or syrup as s/he likes. Oh, and I often use 50% to 100% whole wheat flour with good results.

These were some of the best pancakes we have ever had at home! I happened to have raspberries on hand, so broke some of those up, and layered them on just as the directions stated. Wow! Delicious!!

Just made these. One of the BEST buttermilk pancake recipes I have found. Light, Fluffy and very airy. The Martha Stewart remark about not over mixing is key. DO NOT OVERMIX.

Amazing!!! Subbed yoghurt for buttermilk.

THE best pancake recipe ever! Soft, light,fluffy and delicious.

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.

I made this recipe this morning exactly as written and they were the best pancakes I have ever had!

I made these pancakes this morning for my family and they loooovvvveeed them. They were all gone in seconds. Nice, fluffy and moist. The only thing I added to the recipe
 was vanilla can't have pancakes without vanilla.

I made this recipe this morning and it turned out some delicious pancakes, absolutely perfect.  I left out the sugar because we are trying to cut back on sugar and it didn't take away from the flavor one bit.  Yielded close to 20 pancakes so we will have the leftovers tomorrow morning.  I served with strawberries, bananas, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

How many pancakes do you get out of this recipe?

I made these pancakes exactly as written and they were perfect: light, fluffy and delicious. This recipe also makes very good waffles.

I love this recipe, I tried many over the years but with this one pancakes are nice and fluffy my family enjoys it

I have made this recipe exactly as written for years. At one  time my daughter was on a big pancake making kick and so we tried tons of recipes, this was the one that we always came back to to. It is wonderful. The amount of buttermilk gives them a wonderful flavor, and they are light and fluffy, not tough, rich and yummy. Made them again this morning. Perfection.

I've recently tried three pancake recipes in an attempt to copy the incredible pancakes I grew up with (from food.com, the NYT, and this one). The other two recipes were absolutely terrible--this one is PERFECT. The only alteration I made was to exclude the sugar.

I've been making these pancakes for years. No, there is not a mistake in the recipe, they turn out every time. I think perhaps what people are doing wrong is not using full fat buttermilk, or baking powder that is not fresh, or over beating the batter. My batter is never thin and it has never run all over the griddle.  They are never not fluffy and everyone whom I've ever made them for thinks they are the best pancakes they have ever had!  The only thing I do differently is add 2 tbsp of sugar.

I have made these pancakes numerous times now and they are always well received by one and all. I do not add sugar to the batter and I half the amount of butter and they turn out beautifully . I feel that with the blueberries  they do not need extra sugar also one adds maple syrup before devouring so no need for sugar. Depending on what brand of buttermilk you use will also determine the amount you will need for your batter. I have found they vary quite a bit, also remember to shake container.

Let the batter sit for at LEAST 10 minutes before using. This allows the baking powder to activate creating a fluffier pancake. I've let batter sit for 1/2 hour sometimes and the results are amazing!

I only had 2 cups of buttermilk but it was too thick so I added about 1/2cup of milk and they actually came out fine. I definitely wouldn't add the three cups of buttermilk the recipe asks for.

This recipe is proof you should follow your instinct when cooking, because it is wrong.  I made it exactly as written and the result was batter thinner than crepe batter.  Either add half the buttermilk listed or another cup of flour.

I made this recipe the other night for breakfast for dinner night. These were the best, fluffiest pancakes ever. This was my second attempt at making pancakes (my first being 15 years prior and a failed one either being too burned or not cooked or very dense). Ever since then I was queen of the waffle maker. I liked the helpful tips about not over mixing and buttering the pan before the batter goes on but after the pan is hot. Very helpful for novice cooks like myself.

Made this in the middle of a play date so accidentally added only 2 cups of buttermilk instead of 3 and they came out great! Looked a bit thick on the pan but delicious and fluffy!! For all those who found it too 'wet', try to add less liquid...will try with all 3 cups next weekend to see if any better...

I used Kate's brand buttermilk which was pretty thick.  The pancake batter was not runny, though a little thinner than from a boxed mix. The pancakes were the best we had in recent memory. Very fluffy and airy, not thick and dense like from a boxed mix. Almost spongy. The two eggs we used were a bit on the small side - I think it might have even been better with jumbo eggs.

But overall, great recipe and will use again anytime we have buttermilk around.

Another great recipe from Martha! Wonderful pancakes, made exactly as written, this is a keeper. Light, slightly crisp at edges (just a bit).  Not a heavy batter, very nice, used electric skillet as I have mobility problems and I was able to sit and cook this for family.

Really a great recipe! A keeper for sure. I have made this recipe about four times now, it makes a ton of pancakes so great for feeding a lot of people. 
Also I recently tried making this Gluten free by swapping the regular flour out with all purpose GF flour and subbed the buttermilk with a mixture of almond milk and yogurt (didn't have any buttermilk=( ) , they were not as fluffy this way but still very delicious.

My theory is that whomever doesn't like this recipe must have a problem with technique.  These are the best pancakes I've ever had (I do add vanilla extract and sometimes a little almond extract for flavor).   Do not overmix (lumpy good) and do use whole fat buttermilk.   I am an experienced baker and my husband is a chef and we both agree.

I made this recipe for my family Christmas morning and they loved it. The pancakes came out perfectly fluffy, light and tender. I added a little orange zest and they were a hit. I think the trick to the fluffiness is to keep the batter lumpy. I used a whisk to mix the dry ingredients but switched to a rubber spatula to mix the batter just until everything is incorporated.

I can't understand what people are doing wrong when they say the pancakes come out runny or crepe-like. Here are some pointers I've learned over the years of making pancakes: 1) let the egg and milk get to room temperature before mixing the batter, 2) make sure it's full fat buttermilk, 3) mix the egg, milk, and butter together before it goes into the dry mixture. Then, I usually let the batter sit while I make bacon on the griddle because it seems to help give it fluff time.

I agree with a reader that said these were much like a crepe.  I like a more hearty pancake, will keep this on hand for oatmeal pancake which may give it that heartiness I'm looking for. Bit of a gooey texture in the middle, even when I left it on for extended time. Evenness of color best in non stick. My cast iron didn't even well. Overall the entire family.

I made these from Pinterest without realizing they were Martha Stewart pancakes.  I made them for my mother.  We loved the flavor (I added cinnamon and vanilla extract) but they were NOT fluffy at all.  I followed the rest to a 'T' and didn't over mix, etc. I looked and read one review here and the person said they liked Joy of Cooking version better.  What I found is they add slightly more baking powder.  They also have slightly less liquid.  I agree  Joy of Cooking might have a slight edge.

Much too much liquid. The pancakes were more like crepes. Even whisking in more flour didn't help.

Delicious recipe!  The pancakes were very fluffy and flavorful (I did half and half whole wheat and all purpose flour).  I should point out that this recipe yielded 18 enormous pancakes, so you'll probably want to halve this, or end up with leftovers for a week...

I have made this recipe a few times and I find that the batter is much to runny... I usually have to add more flour... unless you want a crepe and then its fine.

I try to eat more whole grains. So I used 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup AP flour. Didn't change anything else. My wife said they were the fluffiest whole wheat pancakes she's ever had!

very light a fluffy, absolutely delicious!  I think I'm in love with buttermilk.

I am allergic to dairy products, so I replaced the milk with 2 cups coconut milk (full fat from a can) + 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar + 1 cup water. Replaced the butter with coconut oil. Best pancakes I think I have ever ever had. YUMMY, light, fluffy, SO delicious!!!

Made this for breakfast.  Very light, fluffy and soft.  Excellent taste and texture! Hubs stated "this is THE winner, only make this recipe from now on!"
I got 15 large pancakes out of this recipe.  I did adjust the temp on the griddle down a bit, maybe 360, to get them done more evenly.
Followed the recipe exactly, had no trouble at all!

If you use low fat buttermilk you will need at least another cup of  flour.

loved this recipe. used salted butter and lowered the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. used spray on skillet. and agave syrup on top. was awesome!

This is the best pancake recipe I've tried so far! I only had 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk, so I halved the recipe and it came out perfectly. Fluffy, buttery, golden pancakes that tasted just as good as they looked! This is going in my recipe box!

I love the recipe, although I agree they are not that fluffy but I suspect that it is because I haven't used the unsalted butter. I use salted....still my family thinks they are great and so easy to make. I am sold.

I love pancakes and willing to try this one.  What happened!!!  Batter was just runny and ran right off the griddle.  Wondered if the 3 cups milk was too much for the dry amount?  I did use the substitute for buttermilk (milk and vinegar) and fresh ingredients.

I grew up in a family in which ready made or almost ready made pancake mix was the norm.  However, my wife grew up in a family where almost everything was made from scratch.  This is my first attempt at fresh pancakes and this recipe was perfect.  My wife had the pleasure of having the first one and it brought back memories of her childhood.  The pancakes were light and fluffy.  The only thing she would change and I might experiment next time, is a touch of vanilla extract.

Not bad but sorry... "Joy of Cooking" (recipe for "Sour Milk Pancakes") are superior to these.  These are not as fluffy, and I was using excellent buttermilk and eggs.

One of the best pancake recipes I've ever found!  Light, fluffy delicious !

I have to say these were the best pancakes I have ever made.  I have been searching high and low for a good pancake recipe and I have found it.  Be sure and follow directions accurately.  Also do not over mix, batter should be lumpy.  I let my eggs and buttermilk set out a little before I mixed up the batter.  The pancakes came out light and fluffy, not heavy at all.  I will be using this recipe from now on.

I'm always surprised when an MS recipe disappoints, and this one was a big disappointment. After making an entire batch, I can only second previous comments here that the resulting pancakes aren't fluffy at all, no matter how long they're cooked. Mine were thin and much too moist, more like an underdone crepe than any sort of pancake. I'll be going back to the Blueberry-Cornmeal Pancake recipe on this site---those pancakes are delicious!

Absolutely delicious! I had initially wanted to make pancakes out of this batter but somehow I decided to make waffles out of it. Something special for my husband's birthday breakfast and thankfully they turned out great! It was tasty and soft although it wasn't crisp at the edges my husband just loved it fluffy. I however crisped it up a bit in the oven and it was just perfect. Definitely a go to recipe from now on!

I've tossed every other buttermilk pancake recipe I had collected. These are the real deal. Light and fluffy every time. As long as you use all the buttermilk and leave the lumps, as specified, they are perfection.

Hands down the BEST pancake recipe out there! I have been making these for years and people always want the recipe. The key is the buttermilk, followed by not over mixing. The batter should be thick and lumpy. I have found most people over mixed and end up with flat, lifeless baked goods.

I just made these for dinner and they were delicious! My 14 year old son ate 6 of them.

This recipe needs all 3 cups of buttermilk.  It's just right, as it is.  Make sure your griddle isn't too hot; if the pancakes cook too quickly they are just a little too soft inside.
This is a family favorite and requires no adjustments for our house.

My Family Love this recipe and I Love using my Silpoura Clip On Spout for no drips or mess. ... They were perfect pancakes.

There is a typo here...the buttermilk should only be 2 cups or so.  Then only stir to moisten.

Nice and fluffy, great taste!!  Mix the dry ingredients good, go mild on the butter in the pan and things turned out really nice.

too thin and mushy.  more like crepes. too thin.

Love this recipe.....tastes very much like a thicker crepe.  I tried the other buttermilk recipe from Martha where you separate the eggs and beat the whites.  They were also fantastic and a bit thicker and more fluffy.

My pancakes turned out like crepes, also.  While the flavor was good, they were thin and not fluffy at all.  What could I have done wrong?

Amazing! If done right they are just delicious. This will be my go to buttermilk pancake recipe.

Our family LOVES this recipe.  We are not looking any further as this is by far the best pancake recipe I have made.  It is moist and not dry &amp; cake-like, yet still very light.  They are just as good cold, or rewarmed.  I've served it to all our guests at our summer home and get rave reviews every time.  Yum Yum YUMMY!!!!

The best recipe ever! Will never use anything else!! 
Make sure to leave the dough lumpy though in order to get the best results!

The person whose pancakes turned out like crepes must have done something wrong.  Make this recipe exactly as described and you won't be disappointed.  I've made it at least 10 times since I discovered it.  Truely the best pancakes EVER.  I used real buttermilk.... not soured milk.  These will be the only pancakes I'll ever make again.

I made these pancakes and they came out like crepes, very thin.   I think they had to much buttermilk.

This recipe is awesome! So fluffy and delicious and easy to make! Will never make another pancake without using this batter! My son had chocolate chips on his and he said they were NOM!

Based upon a prior review, i reduced the buttermilk when doubling the recipe (used about 5 cups). I also substituted 2 egg whites for one of the whole eggs. My pancakes turned out beautifully-- in fact, my husband said they were some of the best pancakes he'd ever eaten!

This is a good recipe, just too much buttermilk in my estimation. I doubled the recipe and used 4 cups total. (I also added a teaspoon of vanilla and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the batter). Our pancakes do look like the photo and tasted fantastic. Someone told me once to use room temperature eggs and milk for pancake batter, but using the melted butter really seemed to eliminate the need for that. These are beautiful! And I was proud to serve them to my family.

We all very much liked this recipe, although I can't say that the pancakes looked like the ones in the photo.  Mine were more crepe-like, not as cake-like.  I agree with previous posts that these were delicious, delicate and spongy. I much prefer them to most recipes for pancakes that I have tried before.

I'm usualy not a fan of pancakes but I had a ton of buttermilk that had to be used up so I gave thses a try... Let me tell you, these are the BEST pancakes ever! The batch made more than my husband and I could eat so I froze the left over pancakes in freezer bags so every time we feel like 1 we just toss it on the griddle, they come out just as good as round 1. The only thing I changed was that I added a pinch of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to the batter.

Some people were posting that these are gummy. Either the batter  has been over stirred or the griddle is not hot enough. I have been making these for the past three years and they are light and fluffy! The batter will be very lumpy-pretty big chunks of flour-but they cook up awesome! Also - don't use low fat buttermilk or butter.

This is the best buttermilk pancake receipe.  If you follow her instuctions they will turn out beautifully.  I read some of the other reviews and wanted to mention that a buttermilk pancake has a different consistency than a regular fluffy pancake.  If you've had them before you know that but if this is your first time be prepared for something a little different.  They are amazing!

This recipe has a gummy undercooked quality to it, even though it was completely cooked through. I didn't over stir it, and I followed the recipe exactly.  Would definitely not make it again!

I tried this recipe this morning. My pancakes came out very gummy!!!! (I had no box mix to fall back on) HUGE disappointment! I may try it again an add a little more flour:(

BEST PANCAKES EVER . So soft and delicious .

This recipe yielded the best pancakes I have ever tasted! Perfection.

I usually take the word "best" when used in a recipe title with a grain of salt.  But in this case, it's appropriate.  Amazingly light and fluffy and just may be the "best" we've ever had.

This is my absolute favorite pancake recipe. I go to my friends' in rural Arkansas at least once a month and make these for all of us. I do add a tiny bit of nutmeg and cinnamon to the batter, as well as a dab of vanilla but that is the only change I make. I also warm the buttermilk slightly prior to mixing it with the butter so that the butter doesn't curdle. Then I fold that mixture into the egg and mix wet/dry. One friend said, "these pancakes taste like french toast!" Best recipe.

These pancake were very good! I added blueberries and peaches to the batter and everyone loved them! The recipe made too many pancakes for three adults and one child though, much more than the recipe stated.

We thought these turned out very good...not at all thin or flat as some people have experienced.  With only 2 cups of flour to 3 cups of buttermilk, I thought the batter would be runny, but it wasn't.  In fact, it was very thick.  I used real buttermilk; maybe people are having issues with thin batter and flat pancakes because they are using milk and vinegar/lemon juice as a substitute for buttermilk?  Milk   vinegar/lemon juice is actually sour milk, not the same as buttermilk.

These pancakes were amazing!! Light and fluffy, good texture, great taste. My family loved them! I found my token pancake recipe. Wouldn't change a thing!! Yummmmm!

I made these this morning and loved them.  I am not a very experinced cook but they turned out perfect.

best buttermilk pancakes

Servings: 7.5

Author : Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Instructions

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