Buttermilk Pancakes from Scratch with Maple Butter

The proper way to make and serve pancakes can be a point of contention in my house. My husband and I have very different, and very strong opinions on what makes the perfect pancake. But we both agree that these are incredible. From the fluffy texture, slight buttermilk freshness, and the sweet flavor of real maple, I think you’ll love them too. Here are the best pancakes you’ll ever eat: Buttermilk Pancakes from Scratch, with Maple Butter.

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Pancakes are the quintessential breakfast dish. They are comforting, nostalgic, and delicious. There are entire restaurants built just around pancakes filled, rolled, and topped in various ways.

But this is one of those cases where you don’t need all that effort and fanciness. Let these pancakes speak for themselves.

What You Need to Get Started

• Fridge: Heavy cream, Eggs, Unsalted butter, Maple syrup
• Pantry: Sugar, Baking soda, Cornstarch, Vegetable oil, Vanilla extract
• Spice Cabinet: Cream of tartar, Salt
• Equipment: KitchenAid Stand Mixer with whisk attachment and splash guard, Pyrex mixing bowls, Silicone spatulas, Whisks, Griddle pan

Let’s Make Fresh Buttermilk Pancakes

To paraphrase Carl Sagan, to make something from scratch, one must first create the universe. We’re not quite going that far, but the one thing that really makes these pancakes shine is the fresh, homemade buttermilk.

It’s super easy to make. You add the heavy cream to your stand mixer, with the whisk attachment. Add on the splash guard and cover the whole thing with a towel. Slowly increase the speed, to reduce splattering, from low all the way to high. Then let your mixer do the work.

After about 7-10 minutes of whipping, the butter solids will completely separate from the liquid buttermilk. You can sometimes hear the motor shift in your mixer, but check back often to be sure.

Once separated, pour off the liquid buttermilk, through a mesh strainer to catch any butter pieces, into a measuring cup. You should have about 1 1/3 cups, but you can always get a little more. Add the solid butter to a nut milk bag or wrap in a tea towel, and squeeze out the liquid into the cup. Set aside the butter solids for now.

Add that buttermilk into a mixing bowl. Sneak a taste first. I think you’ll be a little surprised by the flavor. Whisk it up with the rest of the liquid ingredients: eggs and melted butter.

In a separate large mixing bowl, you can whisk up all the dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking soda, cornstarch, cream of tartar, and salt.

Add the buttermilk mixture into the bowl with the flour, and whisk until combined. It shouldn’t be totally smooth. A few small lumps are totally encouraged. However, you do want it to be wet throughout with no big dry spots.

You’ll start to see some bubbles in the batter. Let it rest for a few minutes while you heat up your skillet. The extra air in the batter will make for super fluffy pancakes.

Add some oil to a griddle pan and heat it up. I like cooking pancakes in oil instead of butter. Using butter can add some flavor, but it also browns up too quickly, and can easily burn or create extra crispy edges on your pancakes.

Use a measuring cup to add scoops of batter to the hot pan. I like to use a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measure. Make sure they aren’t crowding each other in the pan. Usually you can make three or four at once.

Cook the first side for about two to three minutes. The top should be bubbly, and those bubbles should be just starting to pop when they are ready to flip. Get under the pancake with a solid spatula and flip to cook the other side until golden brown.

If they are underdone at all, you can always give them a little more time, but you can’t unburn, so err on the side of less time. Take the finished pancakes off the heat and set aside on a plate. Then continue cooking in batches until you’ve used all the batter.

How to Make Maple Butter

Remember the butter solids we set aside earlier? Well now it’s time for that butter to shine!

First though, it needs to be rinsed to remove any excess buttermilk. To do this, add the butter to a bowl with ice cold water. Use a silicone spatula to press the butter into the sides and bottom of the bowl, and the water will become cloudy. Strain off the liquid and repeat four or five times until the water is clear.

Split off 1/4 of the butter to use today, and for the rest, use your hands to massage in a little bit of salt. Then store it for spreading on toast or muffins later!

Add the 1/4 of the butter to a microwave-safe bowl, and heat it until softened but not melted. Then you’ll add in the maple syrup, salt, and vanilla, and start whisking until it’s smooth.

This will take a little bit of effort, depending on how soft your butter is, but don’t give up! It will eventually come together and be fairly smooth. Plus, it will soften even more when you spread it on the hot pancakes.

Add a pat of the maple butter on each pancake, and spread it around. Then stack the next pancake on top. Keep building until your have the short or tall stack of your dreams. Be sure to spread even more of the maple butter on the top pancake.

If you want a little extra decadence, add a drizzle of maple syrup on top. However, these pancakes are honestly perfect without anything additional.

How to Serve

Eat these immediately for the best flavor and texture. If you need to, you can store them in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 3 months, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Store the maple butter in the fridge for up to a week.

Pancakes make an excellent breakfast, and pair well with so many other dishes. For a fun side that plays off the maple, try these sweet corn fritters with bourbon maple syrup. Or for more of a classic, serve alongside vegan lentil-pecan breakfast sausage. A warm mug of chai white hot chocolate will pull it all together.

Make it brunch by adding a cocktail! An amaretto old fashioned would be a wonderful complement. For something sweeter, try dragon fruit and raspberry sangria. Or go all-out decadent with chocolate turtle martinis.

Use Up Leftover Ingredients

• Homemade Butter is perfect to spread on homemade bread, like brown butter banana bread.
• Maple Syrup makes a great natural sweetener, like in these triple chocolate vegan muffins.
• Cream of Tartar is an important ingredient in these apple cider caramel stuffed snickerdoodles.
• Or use Heavy Cream to make a strawberry cream to serve alongside scones.

Special Equipment