Breakfast
Saturday Pancakes
Lumpy batter, hot pan, first one always sacrificed to the gods. This is the way.
Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Serves
3
Level
Easy
Ingredients
250g — plain flour
2 tbsp — sugar
2 tsp — baking powder
1/2 tsp — baking soda
1/2 tsp — salt
350ml — buttermilk
2 — eggs
50g — melted butter, plus more for the pan
The mistake everyone makes is mixing the batter until it is smooth. Stop while it still looks wrong — lumps and all — and let it sit for ten minutes.
The first pancake is always bad. This is not a you problem, it is a pan temperature problem, and it corrects itself by the second one.
Method
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
In another bowl, beat the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter.
Pour the wet into the dry and fold about ten times. Stop while it is still lumpy. Overmixing is what makes them tough.
Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. It will thicken and start to bubble at the surface.
Heat a pan over medium with a little butter. Ladle in the batter and wait until bubbles form and the edges look set, about 2 minutes, then flip once.
Keep them warm in a low oven rather than stacking — stacking steams the crust off.
A note
No buttermilk? Stir a tablespoon of lemon juice into regular milk and leave it ten minutes. It is not identical but it is close.
Good to know
More About This Recipe
Nutrition
Calories
520 kcal
Protein
15g
Carbs
68g
Fat
20g
Tips & tricks
Stop mixing while the batter still looks lumpy. Overmixing develops gluten, which is what makes pancakes tough instead of tender.
Let the batter rest for a full ten minutes before cooking — it thickens and starts to bubble, and the pancakes come out noticeably better for the wait.
Accept that the first pancake is a write-off. It’s a pan temperature problem, not a you problem, and it corrects itself by the second one.
Substitutions
Buttermilk
A tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar stirred into regular milk, left for ten minutes — not identical, but close.
Baking soda
There's no real substitute if there's also baking powder in the mix — they work together, and dropping the soda leaves the pancakes denser and less browned.
Pairs well with
Something cold and citrus-bright for the same slow morning.
A caffeinated bookend to the syrup.
Storage & leftovers
These are best eaten fresh, but they do freeze well if you want breakfast on hand. Cool completely, layer with parchment, and freeze in a sealed bag for up to a month. Reheat straight from frozen in a toaster or a 190°C oven — avoid the microwave, which turns them rubbery rather than warm.
Questions people ask
Why do my pancakes come out tough?
Can I make the batter the night before?
Why is my first pancake always a mess?
Postcards from my kitchen
Made this one?
Tell me how it went, or what you did differently. The best changes to these recipes have come from readers.