Light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes make the perfect weekend breakfast. Made from scratch, these pancakes come together in minutes and can be topped with your favorite maple syrup, fresh fruit, or jam.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to remove clumps.
Add egg, buttermilk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir until JUST combined (overmixing can cause your pancakes to turn out tough). There will be a few lumps in the batter - this is normal. Let the finished batter sit for 5 minutes.
Heat up a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
Melt a small pat of butter into the pan (and continue before each pancake). As needed, wipe out the pan to prevent leftover butter from burning around the edges.
Measure about ⅓ cup of batter into your skillet. Pancakes are ready to flip when the edges look dry and bubbles begin to burst across the top of your pancake. Be patient - this can take up to two minutes per side, depending on the heat of your skillet and thickness of your pancakes. Cook the second side until lightly browned and pancake is cooked through in the center. Repeat with remaining batter.
Serve pancakes with your favorite maple syrup.
Notes
Pancakes not cooked through/burned on the outside? Your heat is set too high. Medium-low heat works best. Thick pancakes are best cooked over medium-low heat to allow enough time for the inside to cook through without burning the outside. Higher heat will cause the outside to brown before the center has had a chance to cook through.
Buttermilk substitute - Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) to a liquid measuring cup. Fill to the 1-cup line with whole milk. Allow to set for 5 minutes. Keep in mind, buttermilk substitute will make your pancakes thinner (buttermilk is thicker and will give a better end result).
Frezing leftovers - Allow to cool completely. Layer pancakes between wax paper or parchment. Store in a freezer safe container/bag for up to 2 months.