Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 10 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 3 g kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 290 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
For Cooking and Serving
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- unsalted butter
- 120 ml maple syrup
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 243 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 447 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 44 mg
- Potassium
- 124 mg
- Calcium
- 140 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 14 mg
- Phosphorus
- 100 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 75 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 11 mcg
- Water
- 47 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted unsalted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until completely smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the mixture gently just until combined. Do not overmix; some small lumps of flour should remain.
Allow the batter to rest at room temperature undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat to approximately 175 C (350 F). Lightly grease the surface with vegetable oil.
Pour roughly 60ml of batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, pop, and the edges begin to look dry and set, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully flip the pancake with a spatula and cook the other side until deeply golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate. Serve immediately stacked high, topped with pats of unsalted butter and generous drizzles of maple syrup.
Chef's Notes
- Letting the batter rest allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to relax, which results in a significantly more tender pancake.
- Do not overmix the batter. Lumps are perfectly fine and actually trap air, which helps create a much fluffier texture when cooked.
- Wiping the skillet with a very light coating of oil rather than butter prevents burning, as butter solids can quickly scorch at frying temperatures.
- For consistent sizing and even cooking, use a mechanical ice cream scoop or a designated measuring cup to pour your batter onto the griddle.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Separate pancakes with parchment paper before freezing in a sealed bag.
Reheating: Reheat in a toaster or oven at 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) until warm.
Troubleshooting
Pancakes are flat and dense.
Cause: The batter was overmixed, developing gluten, or the baking powder is expired.
Fix: Cannot be fixed for the current batch.
Prevention: Mix wet and dry ingredients just until combined, leaving lumps. Always check the expiration dates on leavening agents.
Pancakes are burnt on the outside but raw in the middle.
Cause: The cooking surface is too hot, causing the exterior to overcook before the interior can set.
Fix: Immediately lower the heat for the remaining batter.
Prevention: Maintain medium to medium-low heat, ensuring the pan is fully but gently preheated.
Cultural Context
The American pancake, sometimes affectionately called a flapjack or hotcake, has its roots in early colonial diets where simple batters were cooked quickly over an open fire. Today, it stands as an iconic weekend diner staple, symbolizing comfort, family gatherings, and leisurely mornings. The modern integration of chemical leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda gives these pancakes their signature towering height, setting them distinctly apart from thinner European crepes.
