Sunday Morning Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe

There are few scents in this world as immediately life-affirming as the Sunday morning smell of fresh buttermilk pancakes hot off the griddle, so follow this classic, delicious recipe from Food52 and treat your household to not only a perfect way to wake up on the right side of the bed but a reason to jump out of it and immediately run to the kitchen.

Ingredients

2 and ½ cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, separated

2 cups of buttermilk (seek out thick, whole buttermilk for fluffier pancakes)

½ cup of whole milk

10 tablespoons of unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

1 tablespoon of Canola oil or refined peanut oil for frying

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 ½ teaspoon of fine salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Directions

  • Begin this recipe by melting and cooling your 10 tablespoons of butter, which is often 1 and ¼ of a stick. You can simply place the butter in a bowl and microwave it for approximately 30-60 seconds at 50% power. Keep a watchful eye and remove the bowl from the microwave as soon as it’s melted, then place it in the refrigerator to cool it.
  • Get your ingredients ready by cracking open your eggs and separating the yolks and egg whites into separate bowls or containers.
  • Prepare your oven by preheating it to 225° F. While you wait, prepare a large sheet tray or baking sheet with a cooling rack atop it, and then place both in the heated oven.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Then, in a nearby, separate bowl, whisk your egg yolks, buttermilk, and whole milk and add your cooled butter to the second bowl, whisking it all together and well-combined.
  • Next, pour your yolk and milk mixture into your flour mixture and stir the combination lightly until it’s “barely combined.” Add your egg whites to the bowl and stir it all just until a thick batter is formed. Set the batter aside for five minutes.
  • On your stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and once it’s hot, fill the skillet with a thin, film-like layer of ½ teaspoons of a neutral cooking oil like canola or peanut. After approximately 20 seconds, once your oil is shimmering (not smoking), lower the heat to medium-low and use a soup spoon or ladle to drop in heaping spoonfuls of your pancake batter.
  • Once in the skillet, the batter is going to spread out to about 3 inches wide (this varies depending on the exact size of your ladle and skillet). Cook the pancake for about 2 ½ minutes, though if the pancake scorches or the oil is smoking, definitely lower your heat. Keep a watchful eye, and when you begin to notice bubbles forming on the edges of the pancake begin to look dry and airy, use a thin spatula to gently lift one side of the pancake to get a peek at its underside. If it’s golden brown, flip it and cook the other side for 2 to ½ minutes or until the bottom is also golden brown.
  • Remove your first buttermilk pancake from the skillet and transfer it to the baking sheet in your over. Wipe away any stray crumbs or scraps out of the skillet with a paper towel, add a little more neutral cooking oil, heat it up, and repeat the process until you’re out of your batter.
  • When repeating this process, pay close attention to the cooking times and try not to get too complacent so as to give your short stacks of pancakes a consistent texture and shape. Once the batter’s gone and your dishes are soaking in the sink’s hot water, remove your cooling tray of pancakes from the oven, plate them, and serve with your favorite toppings of syrup and fruit!

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