Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes (Using Fresh Buttermilk from Your Homemade Butter)
If you tuned into our last recipe, you learned how to make delicious homemade Jersey butter. Today, we're putting that fresh buttermilk to good use!
One of the best parts about making homemade butter is that nothing goes to waste. After the butter separates, you're left with fresh buttermilk that's perfect for baking. And what better way to use it than with a stack of warm, fluffy buttermilk pancakes?
This recipe also happens to give you the perfect excuse to slather on that homemade butter you just made.
The Pancake Recipe I've Been Searching For
Now, I'm going to be real with you—I can be pretty picky when it comes to pancakes, and probably not for the reason you'd expect.
When I was growing up, my dad was the king of breakfast for dinner. Thursday nights usually meant pancakes, and his recipe wasn't anything fancy. In fact, it came straight from a Great Value pancake mix box from Walmart.
I'll be honest...those pancakes still have a special place in my heart.
Over the years, I've tried countless homemade pancake recipes. Some were good, some were even great, but none of them quite measured up to the pancakes I grew up eating.
Until now.
After plenty of trial and error, I finally found a recipe that reminds me of those childhood pancakes in the very best way. They're sweet, incredibly soft, perfectly fluffy, and they turn out beautifully every single time.
They're even delicious all by themselves—no syrup required (although I certainly won't stop you!).
Making the Batter
To get started, heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat.
The fat in this recipe is, of course, butter. Add a generous dollop to your skillet—about ¼ cup—and let it melt while coating the surface. Not only does it keep the pancakes from sticking, but it also gives them incredible flavor.
While your skillet is heating, whisk together your dry ingredients:
Note: If you purchased our pancake mix from the store, just dump the contents into your bowl!
Flour
Sugar
Baking powder
Salt
Once those are combined, add your wet ingredients:
Fresh buttermilk
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Melted butter
Stir everything together just until combined. Don't overmix! A few lumps are perfectly fine and will actually help keep your pancakes light and fluffy.
Cooking the Perfect Pancake
Ladle your batter onto the hot, buttered skillet.
Let the pancakes cook until bubbles begin appearing across the surface and the edges start looking set. That's your cue to flip.
Here's my number one pancake tip:
Don't overcook them.
You want your pancakes to be lightly golden on the outside while staying soft and tender inside. Cooking them too long can dry them out and make them tougher than they need to be.
Slow and steady wins the race here.
Once each pancake is finished, stack them on a plate and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. This helps keep them warm while trapping just enough moisture so they stay wonderfully soft until breakfast is served.
Serve Them Your Favorite Way
Once your stack is complete, top each pancake with a big old pat of your fresh homemade Jersey butter and drizzle generously with real maple syrup.
This meal has become one of our family's Thursday night breakfast traditions, and it's always a favorite around our table.
Everyone has their own favorite way to enjoy them. Some eat them plain, others pile on peanut butter, and if you're feeling adventurous, you can always stir blueberries, chocolate chips, strawberries, or even chopped pecans into the batter.
No matter how you serve them, they're guaranteed to disappear quickly.
From Our Farm to Your Table
I hope you'll give this recipe a try!
If you've been following along with this recipe series, you already know how to make homemade butter. Now you've got the perfect way to use every drop of that fresh buttermilk.
And if you're ready to try making your own butter, buttermilk, yogurt, or other homemade dairy products from scratch, we'd love to help.
We keep our cream-line raw milk stocked in our self-serve farm fridge, making it easy to stop by and pick up a gallon whenever it's convenient for you.
Happy cooking, and God bless! We hope you have a wonderful week.
Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: About 12 medium pancakes
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
(or use out pancake mix in place is purchased in out store!)
2½ cups fresh buttermilk
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Additional butter for greasing the skillet
Instructions
Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add a generous pat of butter to coat the cooking surface.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
Add the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. The batter should still be slightly lumpy—don't overmix.
Ladle the batter onto the hot, buttered skillet, using about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake.
Cook until bubbles begin forming across the surface and the edges start to look set, about 2–3 minutes.
Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Avoid overcooking, as this can make the pancakes dry instead of soft and fluffy.
Transfer the finished pancakes to a plate and cover them with a clean kitchen towel while you cook the remaining batter. This helps keep them warm and tender.
Serve warm with plenty of fresh homemade Jersey butter and real maple syrup.
Millie's Tips
Don't overmix. A lumpy batter makes fluffier pancakes.
Cook low and slow. Medium-low heat gives you soft, evenly cooked pancakes without burning the outside.
Make them your own. Stir in blueberries, chocolate chips, sliced strawberries, or chopped pecans for a fun variation.
Freeze extras. Let the pancakes cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer bag. Simply pop them in the toaster for an easy homemade breakfast later.
