Best buttermilk pancakes

Merry Christmas everyone! Make your family happy tomorrow morning and whip up a batch of these during a present-opening break. Or before present opening begins if you have a small child who is up at 6am anyway. (Hey Santa. Here's a hint: all I want for Christmas is to sleep past 7am!)

These are your quintessential American pancakes: fluffy, slightly sweet, a hint of vanilla. The batter only take five minutes to whip together - only 1 extra step then using a pancake mix and I promise it is worth the 2 extra ingredients! These are so yummy they don't even need maple syrup. Just a dusting of snowy sugar.


Buttermilk Pancakes

Adapted from Joy of Cooking

You can cheat and bring the buttermilk to room temperature in the microwave and the eggs to room temperature by placing in a bowl of hot tap water.

Don't be alarmed by how thick this batter is. You can spread the batter out in the pan a bit so that they cook all the way through faster.


1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Whisk wet ingredients together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, then add to the dry ingredients and whisk together with a few swift strokes just until combined. Do not overbeat, and small lumps are de rigour.

Place 1/4 cupfuls of batter in a preheated buttered pan or griddle on medium heat. Flip when the exposed side forms bubbles, and then cook just until cooked through. You might have to experiment with different levels of heat. (If the butter starts to brown within seconds of being put on the pan then it is too hot.) Place in a warm oven to keep hot or just serve 'em up as they come off the griddle. You won't have leftovers.