There’s something a little intimidating about making homemade pancakes. Maybe it’s the fact that a box of pancake mix costs about $3 and is super easy, consistent, and doesn’t really require measuring cups, or the fact that first thing in the morning I’m just waiting for the caffeine to kick in and the last thing I want to do is read a recipe. But weekends…oh, weekends. Weekends are for homemade pancakes you let your kid help make, even if he just ‘mixes’ the flour and dumps half a bottle of your pricey vanilla extract in on accident (I don’t even put vanilla in these…).
Like all pancakes these are at their very best straight out of the pan but these keep really well in a warm oven or under some foil. I really only tell you that to give you an excuse to hide around the corner and eat a few hot ones when no one is looking ( I never do that). They’re fluffy and tender thanks to the buttermilk, they have crispy edges and are perfectly…umm…moist. I had to, I’m sorry. I actually used a Thesaurus to find another word, but soggy, muggy, clammy and damp didn’t exactly do the trick, plus who wants to eat a clammy pancake?
I adapted this recipe from a 1940’s edition of A Woman’s Home Companion cookbook I picked up at an estate sale, and it was stuffed full of cutouts from magazines, hand-written recipes, and previously belonged to Mrs John H Barth. There was an ad for a recipe from American Beauty Macaroni Company for something called Rice-a-Bongo and a dust jacket for a book called Treasury of Secrets: A Passport to a New Way of Life which promised to hold the secrets to having a young body forever and how to give your husband the three things every man wants. Hilarious, but what a treasure. I love the history in the pages, all the splatters on well-used recipes and notes on who gave what recipe, always a Mrs [insert husband’s name]. Anyway, the original recipe is delicious, the only reason I changed anything is I really wanted buttermilk pancakes. I’ll include the original recipe below as well, just in case you feel like trying it. Either way, I hope you enjoy these with a hot cup of coffee and too much crunchy bacon some brunch-time soon.
Side note: I realize my pancake situation got a little out of hand with all that layered whipped cream and blueberry syrup. If you’re in to that sort of thing, I sweetened some heavy whipping cream with lemon sugar and layered it under every 2 pancakes. I used homemade syrup, but decent store-bought blueberry or maple would be perfect, too.
Also, these cute little flags can be found in my etsy shop!
- 1 ¼ c buttermilk* or 1¼ c whole milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 ½ c all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 tbsp butter, melted, plus more for pan
- 1 c blueberries, if desired
- Pre-heat cast-iron pan or griddle on low-medium heat.
- Mix lemon juice or vinegar into milk (if not using buttermilk) and set aside while you measure your ingredients.
- Whisk or sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together in a medium bowl.
- Combine egg and buttermilk. While stirring, slowly add egg and buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just till combined.
- While stirring, slowly add melted butter and stir just until you have small-medium lumps, do not over-stir or your batter will be tough. Depending on the thickness of your buttermilk, you may need to add a little more, but the batter should be pretty thick (it looks a little more like cake batter).
- Very lightly grease your pan with butter. Pour about ¼ c of batter into the pan, drop a handful blueberries (if using) into the poured batter and gently press in. Cook until edges are dry and large bubbles are forming but not popping in the center. Flip and cook till golden brown, a minute or so. Don't worry if a little wet batter spreads when you flip the pancake, it makes for some deliciously crunchy edges.
- Keep warm in 175 degree oven (I wouldn't keep them in the oven for more than 20-30 min) or tent plate with foil and serve.
- Makes 10-12 4 inch pancakes
- 1 ½ c all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 c milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- Pre-heat cast-iron pan or griddle on low-medium heat.
- Whisk or sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together in a medium bowl.
- Combine egg and milk. While stirring, slowly add egg and milk mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just till combined.
- While stirring, slowly add melted butter and stir just until you have small-medium lumps, do not over-stir or your batter will be tough.
- Very lightly grease your pan with butter. Pour about ¼ c of batter into pan and cook until edges are dry and large bubbles are forming but not popping in the center. Flip and cook till golden brown. Don't worry if a little wet batter spreads when you flip the pancake, it makes for some deliciously crunchy edges.
- Keep warm in 175 degree oven on an oven-proof plate or pan (I wouldn't keep them in the oven for more than 20-30 min) or tent a plate with foil until ready to serve.
- Makes 10-12 4 inch pancakes
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