Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes

The best sourdough buttermilk pancakes have a fluffy texture and tasty tangy flavor. The perfect weekend breakfast that everyone will love. This easy breakfast can be started the night before making the next day a breeze to whip up some delicious pancakes.

Fluffy sourdough pancakes are always a big hit in our house. I get every burner going with cast iron skillets to make this process super fast. With 9, soon to be 10 people…

That is a lot of pancakes, and a lot of flipping. And no one wants to spend hours flipping. Everyone gets their fill and mom is still sitting there flipping.

This recipe was a huge hit. Super fluffy pancakes with a ton of delicious tangy flavor from not only the fermented grains, but also the buttermilk. Yum.

I love my original sourdough pancake recipe, but in my quest to use up the exorbitant amount of buttermilk we have from all the butter we’ve been making from our cow June’s milk, I’ve been adding it to just about anything that would typically call for water.

Last week I shared this Sourdough Buttermilk Bread. You can also add it to muffins, rolls, biscuits, pretty much any recipe that calls for regular milk or water.

Not only is it a great way to use it up, but it adds such a yummy flavor, and makes them fluffier (this is due to the acidity of the buttermilk which helps activate the baking soda).

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family has.

​Why you will love this recipe:

Delicious: They are the best pancakes. So light, fluffy, and flavorful. The perfect vessel for all the toppings. This is our new go-to recipe. 

Easy: Start them the night before, and add the remaining ingredients in the morning for a pretty easy and filling breakfast.

Healthy: If started the night before to allow to ferment, the grains get broken down decreasing the amount of gluten (better for digestion) and decreasing the amount of anti-nutrient, phytic acid (phytic acid prevents the nutrients in the grain from being absorbed).

Tips:

• Although I like to make an overnight batter to give the flour time to ferment, you can also just make this recipe into quick sourdough pancakes by mixing them up in the morning.
• To know if pancakes are ready to flip, watch the bubbles. Once the bubbles have stopped popping and making new bubbles it is ready to flip.
• When adding blueberries and chocolate chips, I like to place them on the uncooked side while the pancakes are cooking. I find that if you add them to the batter before cooking they tend to stick to the cast iron griddle. If you add them while cooking, they don’t stick.
• I love adding cinnamon or pumpkin spice to this recipe for a fall twist.
• Need a sourdough starter? Learn how to make one from scratch here.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Ingredients:

Active sourdough starter – Active starter gives a much fluffier pancake than discard. This is an easy way to use excess starter. 

Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute for regular milk. It won’t have as much of that tangy flavor, but will still be delicious.

Unbleached all purpose flour

Large eggs

Butter – For the pancakes and for frying. Pancakes cooked in butter are just superior compared to when they are cooked in oil, in my opinion.

Honey – Or substitute for pure maple syrup.

Salt

Baking soda – This is used as the leavening agent. The fluffy texture comes from this rather than from the natural yeast.

Tools you may need:

Large bowl

Whisk

Spatula

Measuring cup and spoons

Non-stick skillet – I like to use a cast iron skillet or my Caraway pan. These are much healthier options.

How To Make Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes

The night before, mix together sourdough starter, buttermilk, and flour in a large bowl.

Let the batter ferment at room temperature covered with a lid.

The next morning, heat a large skillet over medium heat. I like to get a couple cast iron pans going.

To the sourdough buttermilk mixture, add the eggs, melted butter, honey, salt, and baking soda. Whisk together well.

Add butter to the skillet.

Pour 1/3 cup of pancake batter onto the hot skillet. Add chocolate chips or different add-ins to the pancake batter. I like to add them now, rather than to the batter, because they stick less.

Cook until all the bubbles have popped and no more bubbles are forming. 

Flip and cook for a minute or two more minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.

Transfer to a plate and top with whipped cream, berries, and maple syrup. Or savory toppings (like spinach, caramelized onions, and mushroom), if you are into that type of thing.

FAQ:

Find More Breakfast Sourdough Recipes:

• Sourdough English Muffins
• Breakfast Strata made with sourdough bread
• Sourdough Waffles
• Sourdough Bagels
• Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
• Sourdough Biscuits
• Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast Casserole

If you try this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment. Love it? Give it a 5 star rating!

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