Thick and Fluffy Mini Pancakes — Your search for PERFECT buttermilk pancakes is over!! EASY, soft, fluffy, light, and the THICKEST pancakes I’ve ever made thanks to a special TRICK!!
Easy Buttermilk Pancakes From Scratch
Mini pancakes are such a treat. Because everyone knows mini food just tastes better. Buttermilk keeps them tender, light, fluffy, not at all heavy, and these are the thickest, fluffiest buttermilk pancakes I’ve ever made.
Normally mini pancakes are something I’d only have at a fancy brunch or when someone else is making them. Admittedly pancakes aren’t my favorite things to make for a few reasons. Namely, I’m not the world’s best pancake flipper. Big pancakes and me are a hot mess but minis are so much easier to handle.
And normally I don’t easily achieve textbook barely golden browned outsides with fully cooked centers, but this recipe put an end to that problem because it uses an interesting technique.
Start the pancakes in a skillet and then finish them in a low oven for about 10 minutes. The outsides crisp up in the skillet and the low oven gives the centers time to fully cook without continuing to cook, i.e. blacken, the outsides. While they’re finishing you have time to fix your coffee. You’re welcome.
What’s in Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes?
To make these buttermilk pancakes from scratch, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
- Baking soda
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
How to Make Mini Pancakes
This really is such an easy buttermilk pancakes recipe! Simply whisk together the pancake batter, then drop 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized mounds of batter onto a preheated skillet.
Cook the mini buttermilk pancakes for roughly 2 minutes on either side, just until they’re lightly browned. Then, place the thick pancakes on the baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or as necessary so that the centers set.
Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute?
When making buttermilk pancakes from scratch, I recommend using real buttermilk if possible. Technically, you can use a buttermilk substitute (like lemon juice and milk or a buttermilk powder) and achieve similar results. But because these are plain buttermilk pancakes, real buttermilk is best here.
Tips for the Best Buttermilk Pancakes
You can keep these thick pancakes in the oven for about an hour to stay warm in case you decide to double, triple, or quadruple the batch.
This mini pancakes recipe makes one dozen small pancakes, give or take, and is perfect for two people. Or you can just make a double batch and store the extras in the fridge or freezer and have pancakes at the ready for your average Wednesday morning.
To reheat frozen fluffy buttermilk pancakes, either pop them into your toaster or warm them in the oven. Avoid using the microwave as that results in rubbery pancakes.
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Thick and Fluffy Mini Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for skillet
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, plus 2 additional tablespoons if necessary
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225F and place a baking sheet (lined with a Silpat if possible) inside.
- To a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
- Wait momentarily before adding the egg if the mixture is still very warm so you don’t scramble the egg. Add the egg, vanilla, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and whisk to combine.
- Add the baking soda, salt, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour and stir until just combined; don’t overmix. Mixture should be quite thick and the texture of soft cookie dough. It should not be pourable like typical pancake batter. However, if it’s very stiff and thick, add the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons buttermilk, as necessary (I added 2 tablespoons) and stir to combine.
- To a large nonstick skillet or griddle, add a generous amount of butter, and heat over medium heat to melt. After butter has melted add mounds of approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter evenly spaced around the skillet; do not flatten the mounds.
- Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until lightly golden browned, flip and cook the second side. If necessary, adjust the heat to medium-low when cooking the second side if they’re browning too quickly.
- Repeat with remaining batter, wiping out the skillet and adding additional butter as necessary until all batter is used.
- Place pancakes on the baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or as necessary so that the centers set; flip halfway through baking. It’s okay to leave pancakes in the oven for about 30 to 60 minutes to keep them warm; check every 10 minutes or so since all ovens vary and you don’t want to overcook them.
- Serve with maple syrup or your favorite pancake toppings.
Notes
- Pancakes will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months; reheat as necessary.
- Adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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great
These were absolutely delicious. I actually found, if my cast iron pan was at the right temperature (which, yes, is tricky so that’s why there is the finish with baking instructions), they actually cooked in my pan perfectly – lovely brown outsides and cooked insides – lovely, fluffy, and buttery. Some of the best pancakes I’ve made. However, I’ve had great success with every pancake recipe I’ve made from this site, so I couldn’t even choose a favorite (ok, ok, go make Averie’s chocolate buttermilk pancakes if you haven’t already.) Easy and fun to make!!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad these some of the best pancakes you’ve ever made!
And that is so kind of you to say that you’ve had great success with every other pancake recipe you’ve made from my site!
I love how thick and fluffy these mini pancakes look! And finishing them off in the oven is brilliant!
It’s the best technique I’ve ever found for making/finishing pancakes so they turn out fluffy and thick yet cooked through in the middle!
Finishing them off in the oven is so smart!! These look absolutely perfect!
Thank you! My new favorite way to make pancakes!
hey girl- these look so good!
The fluffy mini pancakes look like the best. Like you mentioned you would only make them for special times
they just look like uum!!! Thanks for sharing them.
Most of the times yes I reserve pancakes for special times because they tend to be too much work, these are worth any effort and are not hard!
You can’t go wrong with buttermilk in a pancake. I mean, that is just an instant win right there. :)
Totally agree that buttermilk and pancakes are a match made in heaven!
Are you serious right now with that fluff factor!?!? My kids would be SO happy if I made these for them!
The fluff factor is insane with these things. I’m never making pancakes any other way!
Pancakes are the breakfast favorite for all three of my girls, these look SO fluffy!! <3
They are seriously the thickest and fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever been able to make!
These look amazing! I totally want to make them for breakfast for my kids today!
Paige
https://thehappyflammily.com
Your kids are lucky kiddos :)
Finishing pancakes in a low oven is a brilliant idea to get the centers done without overdoing the outsides! I usually have odd blobs and strings trailing off the sides when I turn larger pancakes so I like the mini size with a stiffer batter too. These make a cute little stack!
Finishing pancakes in a low oven is a brilliant idea to get the centers done without overdoing the outsides <--- YES THAT. For my entire life I was always overbrowning the outsides and the centers were questionable/raw yet. This solved all of that and the mini size solves the strings and blobs because I have those too otherwise :)