For years I’ve struggled with pancakes. I don’t know what it is — I can make gourmet dinners, cakes and cookies from scratch, waffles, and french toast with ease, but pancakes? Forget it. I finally resorted to Bisquick to get a decent pancake.
On one of my mom’s visits a while back, she made homemade pancakes, as she often does, and they were delicious. She even used my cookbook! So I fell at her feet, clasped my hands, and pleaded for the secret — HOW DOES SHE DO IT? How does she make a yummy pancake? I am such a failure.
What recipe do you use? she asked.
THAT one! I exclaimed.
Do you use buttermilk?
Ummmmmmmm… no.
Well, that’s your problem! she proclaimed confidently.
Buttermilk? That’s it? Could it be that buttermilk makes THAT much of a difference? The next time my hungry clan was begging for pancakes, I tried it. I took out my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook and made the buttermilk version of her pancakes, and they were {almost} as good as my mom’s. We’ve been happily using that recipe ever since.
Betty Crocker’s Buttermilk Pancakes
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 cup flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
OPTIONAL: mini chocolate chips or blueberries
Directions:
Beat egg. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and stir until smooth. Butter preheated griddle to 375 degrees. Be sure it’s fully hot before putting batter down.
Pour batter onto hot griddle. Turn pancakes as as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before bubbles break. Bake other side until golden brown.
We double this recipe for our family of 5.
Here are my tips for fool-proof pancakes:
1) USE A BUTTERMILK RECIPE.
2) Do not over mix the batter. It WILL be lumpy. That’s okay.
3) Make sure your baking soda is fresh.
4) Wait until the bubbles are starting to pop before flipping — and flip gently.
Do you have a fool-proof pancake recipe? I’d love to try it!
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