The super simple and easy answer to the question: How to make fluffy buttermilk pancakes (for two).
So, something to know about me is that I love life hacks. I’m a sucker for an article about the perfect way to untangle ear buds, how to use a Raspberry Pi to operate everything in your house, how to never lose a sock again in the dryer (remember when I learned how to shred chicken in a stand mixer?).
But I’m fully aware that mileage will vary, and most life hacks don’t actually end up being all that life changing. So when an article on how to make the fluffiest pancakes came through my feed reader, I didn’t think much of it. But it was a slow Saturday morning, and I had some buttermilk to use up, so it was the perfect excuse for a pancake science project!
The article posited that you could vastly improve the texture of your pancakes by changing the way and order in which you added eggs to your pancake batter (spoiler alert for that article, their recipe is quite different, so their end results actually differed from mine!).
To test this out, I made three batches of pancakes with my favorite buttermilk pancake recipe as a base. The first batch was made following the original recipe, where an entire egg is added to the liquid ingredients all at once. It’s a great recipe, very fluffy on its own and is my go-to pancake recipe.
For the second batch, I saved the white of the egg until the very end and stirred it in until smooth. I was worried it would overwork the pancake batter, but the resulting pancakes were fantastic. They weren’t visibly any noticeably fluffier, but the texture was lighter.
For the final batch, I mixed up everything but the egg white, and then in a small bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the white until stiff peaks formed (it only takes about a minute with one white) and then right before the pancakes went on the griddle, I folded that in. The result: GUYS, THIS IS THE WAY I WILL ALWAYS MAKE MY PANCAKES FROM NOW ON.
The texture of these pancakes is amazing. They are light and fluffy and perfect, like the pancake a waitress with a heart of gold serves you in some charming Midwest diner in heaven.
The extra step of beating the egg white takes hardly any extra time and is totally worth it, but if you don’t have an electric mixer, simply separating the egg and adding the white at the end still makes an amazingly fluffy pancake!
And this is a buttermilk pancake recipe, so you know the pancakes are going to be fabulous and a little tangy, but if you don’t have buttermilk, no worries. I’ve included instructions in the recipe for making you own. Buttermilk is best if you have it, but a little milk and lemon juice makes a perfectly acceptable substitute.
Please read the recipe notes on flour measurement!
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes for Two
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Pancakes
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt *
- 3/4 cup buttermilk *
- 1 large egg separated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cooking spray or a little butter for pan greasing
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg yolk, butter, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined--batter will look a little thick.
- Heat griddle to 350°F or skillet to medium heat.
- While your griddle heats, in a small bowl, with a handheld electric mixer, beat egg white on high until stiff peaks form--the egg should be bright white, and when beaters are lifted out, peaks should stand straight up.
- Fold egg white into the batter with a baking spatula, being careful not to overmix and deflate the egg.
- Once your cooking surface is hot, lightly grease, and drop on slightly heaping 1/3 cups full of batter (if making in a skillet, you will have to cook in two batches) and cook until bubbles begin to form on the surface of your pancakes. Flip and cook until done.
- Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Adapted from Lovin the Oven
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Platter Talk says
Beautiful close ups of your pancake and my favorite kind, too!
Tracy says
Thank you!!
Lulu says
After making and eating these delicious pancakes, nothing can bring me down. Beating the egg whites and adding them at the last minute is the key. Thanks for sharing.
Jeffrey Staley says
I don’t bother separating the egg and aiming to achieve the stiff peaks–too much work and cacophony. Maybe I’d attempt it if I were tripling the recipe. I do, however, beat the egg with a plastic fork until somewhat frothy and then add the other wet ingredients. And every time it’s magic. Have made pancakes for years both trying scratch recipes and box mixes. I’m pleased to say I’ve found a recipe that consistently produces scrumptious pancakes. Thank you!
Tracy says
So happy to hear it, Jeffrey!!
Geoffrey says
OOooooo, now I know the secret. Thanks!!!
Tracy says
Hehe, shhhhhh. Don’t tell anyone. 😉
Veena says
I love making my pancakes fluffy ! Makes such a huge difference. Yours looks delish..
Tracy says
Thank you, Veena!
Tina says
Fluffy pancakes are such a treat. I love how they soak in all the maple syrup. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Tracy says
Thanks, Tina! I totally agree, that’s my favorite part too. 😉
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
These looks so good!! What a fun experiment making pancakes….a girl has gotta do what she gotta do, right 😉 Egg whites do make all the difference – agreed! And every time I see anything with the word ‘buttermilk’ in it, I know I’m gonna love it. Weird, right? Love to have a big ol’ stack of these right now with some berries….and maybe a side of bacon 😀 Happy Monday!
Tracy says
Exactly! Berries + bacon and you’ve got yourself a perfect breakfast there. I like the way you think. 😉 Thanks, Dawn!
Teresa says
The BEST pancake! Thanks.
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them!!
Kate says
Wow! Superb. I finally found my forever pancake recipe! This is huge. Lol
Tracy says
This made my day to hear, Kate!!
Lauren says
I made these this morning. Delicious flavor and super fluffy. A big hit with the hubs and kiddo : ) Thank you for sharing!
Tracy says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear the family enjoyed them, Lauren!
Gerry Hauck says
Wow, these pancakes were the best I ever had! And that was without real buttermilk or using a mixer for the egg white! Great recipe – these were the first pancakes I actually loved to eat even without any syrup, they’re that good. Thanks for sharing!
Gerry Hauck says
Forgot to mention, I used the third recipe version…
Tracy says
This makes me so happy to hear! Thanks, Gerry!
Josey says
Mine came out flat and hard, not fluffy at all …. waaaaaah !
Tracy says
Oh no! Check your baking powder and soda (here’s how: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-test-if-baking-soda-or-baking-powder-is-expired-tips-from-the-kitchn-111759 ). If they are on the older side, that could be the culprit.
Mel says
This is my new favorite pancake recipe! Though I admit I didn’t make it exactly as written. Normally, I have a personal policy of not commenting on/reviewing a recipe until I’ve made it the “right” way, but I’m making an exception here. 🙂 I used veg. oil instead of butter (out of laziness/not having something good to melt the butter in), and I hand-whipped the egg white with a fork for as long as I could stand rather than beating it w/a hand mixer to stiff peaks. (I’m in a hotel with only limited kitchen stuff right now, so some improvisation is required.) 😀 I think even the hand-whisking with a fork made a difference, though! I topped these with sliced banana, chopped pecans, and, of course, real maple syrup. Mmmm.
Tracy says
Hi, Mel. Thanks for sharing your version. It’s super helpful to other people who want/need to make changes of their own. So glad you enjoyed the pancakes, and totally agree, when it comes to syrup, the real stuff is a must! 😉
Horace C. Elliott says
Sounds great. Will try ASAP. How many average sized pancakes will this recipe make? And, does it work just as well if doubled? Never know when you have a big gang for pancake breakfast, even if it is normally just my wife and me.
Wife had always made sweetmilk pancakes as my mother did, yet I have started making buttermilk pancakes. There are so many variations on the buttermilk scene.
Like your blog and always get great recipes and ideas from it. Thanks.
Horace C. Elliott
Tracy says
Hi, Horace. This will make exactly 4 good-sized pancakes if you use a slightly heaping 1/3 cup of batter per pancake. The recipe doubles well, just make sure to measure the flour as described in the recipe. I always double it when I’m cooking for my whole family with zero trouble. And thank you so much! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Sybil says
Perfect! Light and delicious as promised.
I used 80 g of soft white flour and 40 g of hard white flour, home milled.
I used 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of full fat plain yogurt.
Cooked until they were 190F inside.
Best pancakes ever!
.
Tracy says
Love that you made these your own, Sybil, and so happy you enjoyed them!
Ashlyn Jansen says
Is it okay to have some lumps in the batter?
Tracy says
Yup. Totally fine in things like pancake and muffin batter to have a few lumps.
Dawn says
I’ve been looking for the perfect fluffy pancake small batch recipe and this is IT! I made it exactly as written with the buttermilk and whipped egg white and they turned out perfectly. So glad to read the recipe doubles well so I can make them for company. Thanks for sharing your technique!!
Tracy says
Thanks, Dawn! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pancakes!
Janet says
Just found your blog searching for “buttermilk pancakes for two.” Your recipe is different from many (less buttermilk) but I love your blog and recipes and took a chance. Just finished breakfast. They were fabulous. Can’t wait to try your other recipes. Love “nerdy” cooking a la Serious Eats and Cooks Illustrated. Love that you take shortcuts when they work!
Tracy says
Thanks, Janet! So glad you enjoyed the pancakes and the nerdy content. 😉
Mary says
These pancakes are hands down the best I have ever made!! They were a perfect serving size for my husband. This recipe is getting written down for the official recipe box!
Tracy says
Thanks, Mary! Going in the recipe box is just about the best compliment a recipe can receive! 🙂
Sue says
These were great this morning. I used local milled self rising flour, beat the egg whites with a wire whip until foamy and used canola oil. They were still light and fluffy. Very good and pancakes are not on my favorites list!
Bethany says
My recipe for buttermilk pancakes is almost identical to this – but makes enough to feed an army. My “army” is all grown and I’m a single empty-Nester. Is craving pancakes and decided to search for a small-batch version. When I came upon your recipe, I knew I had to fix it. The whipped egg whites are the secret to my pancakes so I was sure your recipe would be good, too.
It’s delicious!! Thank you so much for sharing – saved me the trouble of scaling and testing my regular recipe. The little extra effort these require is most definitely worth it. Yum!
Tracy says
Thanks, Bethany! So glad this recipe was able to save you a bit of trouble. 🙂
Stephanie says
Tried them, loved them. Saved recipe!
Thank you!
Tracy says
Thanks, Stephanie!! So glad you liked them!
etah says
These were amazing – flavorful and fluffy! I made them with 3/4 cup Lactaid milk and a scant tablespoon of white vinegar following all other directions exactly. I agree with the other poster that they were delicious enough to eat without syrup! Thanks for sharing this great recipe and thanks for making it a small batch that can be doubled rather than a big batch I have to calculate into fewer portions!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them, Etah!!
Becca Ashley says
You were right! These are hands-down the BEST pancakes EVER! Light, but not spongy, and cakey, but not dense. And with a really good flavor even without a topping! {of course I did top them, though–I mean, if you’re going to do it, do it right!} Have you ever tried the batter in a waffle iron? I’m just wondering if it would crisp up and make that perfect waffle exterior. Aren’t waffles usually made with oil instead of butter? Maybe if those ingredients were swapped out. . .well anyway! I am just thrilled to have found the perfect pancake recipe! You are a Pancake Genius!
Tracy says
Thanks, Becca!! I’ve never used this recipe to make waffles before, but you’re right, my favorite waffle recipe uses oil. I think I’d switch them out. I kind of want to try it now!
Maryb says
OMGosh these were delicious. Think this will finally get my hubby away from the box mix.
Sitshengy says
These were a hit today! Absolutely loved them. They were fluffy and delicious
Thanks a lot for the recipe..
Sal says
Made these pancakes this morning for me and the husband. They were. Ah-Ma-Zinggggggg!!!
Just whisked the separated egg white until foamy, and used sour milk instead of buttermilk. Husband also said they came out soft and tasty, far far better than the boxed version ( better then the American chain, lol). Thank you!!!
Tracy says
Thrilled to hear it! Thanks, Sal!!
Hannah says
Hands down the best pancake recipe! I make it about once a month for my family.
The only thing I cannot figure out is how to make beautifully round shaped ones. Mine are always a bit misshapen.
Shannon says
Just add a little more buttermilk to the batter so it’s not so thick and sticky.
If you don’t separate the egg, it is actually perfect for buttermilk biscuits too.
YUM!!
Tracy says
Love the tip about the biscuits!!
Andrea says
I had a cup of buttermilk leftover from some other baking, decided on pancakes. So glad I found this recipe! This was the perfect small-batch amount. I did add a little bit of regular milk, as I found the batter quite thick. They turned out so fluffy and delicious! Definitely one I will be making in the future.
Tracy says
Thanks, Andrea! I’m so glad they worked out for you!
Anne says
Absolutely delicious! Since I decided to embark on this pancake adventure at 11:00 PM, I did not whip the egg whites separately, I just threw the whole egg in. It was STILL the best buttermilk pancake I’ve had. My husband commented as well on how good the pancakes were. This will be my only pancake recipe from now on!
Elle says
I just made these as instructed and they’re very good. Thanks for sharing. Cooks, heed her advice of taking extra care to not have too much flour in there. I barely got away with having a bit too much flour, I think.
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them, Elle!!
Angela D. says
Simply Delicious
Added cinnamon
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed them, Angela!! Love the cinnamon idea!!
Jodi says
Great go-to recipe. I used salted butter so I cut back on the salt. Don’t. These needed salt. I don’t think there is as much salt in salted butter these days.
Tracy says
Glad you enjoyed them, Jodi!
Aubrey says
Wow, these were amazing. I have a go to buttermilk pancake recipe but wanted a super small batch which led me to this recipe. I’ll now be using this as my go to & will just double when making for more people. So fluffy, such a great texture. The egg whites make all the difference!
Only thing I did differently was using leftover whey from making ricotta in place of the buttermilk. I did add a small splash of cream to the whey. Came out perfect!
Tracy says
So glad they worked out for you, Aubrey!!