Pancake Recipe: Fluffy Griddle Pancakes From Scratch

This pancake recipe makes tall, tender, golden pancakes with crisp edges and a soft middle. It uses buttermilk, a short rest for the batter, and a griddle held at a steady temperature. Those three things matter more than any secret ingredient.

It works the same on a Blackstone, a cast iron skillet, or an electric griddle. The batch makes 12 pancakes, enough for four hungry people, and takes about 40 minutes from start to table. Below you’ll find exact temperatures, timing, and fixes for flat, rubbery, or pale pancakes.

⚡ Quick Answer

This pancake recipe uses buttermilk batter rested 10 minutes and cooked on a griddle at 350-375°F (177-190°C). Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) per pancake, flip when bubbles pop and edges look dry, about 2-3 minutes, then cook 1-2 minutes more. Total time is about 40 minutes for 12 pancakes.

Why This Pancake Recipe Works

Most bad pancakes come from the same short list of mistakes: too much mixing, a griddle that’s too hot, and batter that’s too thin. This recipe is built to avoid each one.

• Two leaveners. Baking powder lifts the batter. Baking soda reacts with the acid in buttermilk for extra rise and better browning.
• Lumpy batter on purpose. Stirring only until the flour disappears keeps gluten from building. Less gluten means a tender crumb.
• A 10-minute rest. Resting lets the flour absorb liquid and the bubbles from the leaveners get started. The batter thickens, and the pancakes cook up taller.
• Melted butter in the batter. It adds flavor and keeps the pancakes soft for a few minutes after they come off the griddle.
• Medium-low heat. A steady 350-375°F (177-190°C) browns the outside evenly and cooks the center before the outside burns.

The ratio is simple: 2 cups (250 g) of flour to 1¾ cups (420 ml) of buttermilk. That gives a batter that pours slowly and holds its shape, so you get thick pancakes instead of thin crepes.

Pancake Recipe Ingredients and Equipment

This makes 12 pancakes about 4 inches (10 cm) wide, which serves 4 people.

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine salt

Wet ingredients

• 1¾ cups (420 ml) buttermilk, room temperature if you can
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the griddle

• 1-2 tablespoons neutral oil or clarified butter
• Butter and warm maple syrup, for serving

Equipment: two mixing bowls, a whisk, a rubber spatula, a ¼-cup (60 ml) scoop or ladle, a wide spatula, a wire rack and sheet pan, and an infrared thermometer if you have one. A Blackstone, electric griddle, cast iron skillet, or nonstick pan all work.

Easy Substitutions

If you don’t have…	Use…	Notes
Buttermilk	1¾ cups milk plus 1½ tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar	Stir and let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled
Unsalted butter	Same amount of neutral oil	Pancakes are slightly less rich
All-purpose flour	A 1:1 gluten-free baking blend	Rest the batter 15 minutes, since these blends are thirstier
Granulated sugar	Brown sugar or maple syrup	Use the same amount. Maple adds a mild flavor
Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon cinnamon	Optional. Add it to the dry mix
Neutral oil for the griddle	Clarified butter or ghee	Regular butter burns at griddle temps

Choosing and Prepping Your Ingredients

Start with fresh baking powder and baking soda. If your baking powder has been open for more than six months, pancakes can come out flat. A quick test: drop a pinch into hot water. It should fizz right away.

Use cold eggs and buttermilk straight from the fridge, but let the melted butter cool for a couple of minutes. Hot butter can scramble the eggs. If cold buttermilk makes the melted butter clump, whisk it in slowly. The small bits are fine.

Measure the flour correctly. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and makes dense pancakes. Weighing is best at 250 g.

Choose your fat for the griddle. Neutral oil like canola or avocado handles heat well. Clarified butter gives a buttery taste without burning. Regular butter adds flavor but browns fast, so save it for the top of the finished stack.

Keep the batter safe. Flour and eggs are raw foods, and the CDC says not to eat raw dough or batter, pancake batter included. Skip the taste test. Wash your hands, bowl, and whisk with soap and water afterward, as the FDA’s flour safety guidance recommends.

Plan your griddle size. A bigger top means fewer rounds. If you’re deciding what to buy, our guide to 28 vs 36 inch Blackstones breaks down cooking space for crowds. If you’re choosing a smaller model, see the 22 vs 28 inch comparison.

Step-by-Step Pancake Recipe

Read through once before starting. The timing is easy once the griddle is ready.

1. Preheat the griddle. Set a Blackstone burner to low-medium, or a skillet to medium. Let it heat 5-10 minutes until the surface reads 350-375°F (177-190°C). No thermometer? Flick a few drops of water on it. They should dance and sizzle, then disappear in a few seconds.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 20 seconds. This spreads the leaveners evenly.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine gently. Pour the wet mix into the dry. Fold with a rubber spatula for about 15-20 strokes, just until you no longer see dry flour. The batter will be thick and lumpy. That’s correct.
5. Rest the batter. Let it sit 10 minutes. You’ll see small bubbles form on the surface, and the batter will thicken.
6. Oil the griddle. Wipe on a thin film of oil with a paper towel held in tongs. You want a light sheen, not a puddle.
7. Pour the batter. Scoop ¼ cup (60 ml) per pancake. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) between them so you can get the spatula underneath.
8. Watch for bubbles. Cook 2-3 minutes. When bubbles appear across the top, pop, and leave small holes, and the edges look matte and set, it’s time to flip.
9. Flip once. Slide the spatula under in one confident move and turn. Don’t press down. Cook another 1-2 minutes until golden brown on the second side.
10. Hold and repeat. Move finished pancakes to a wire rack set on a sheet pan in a 200°F (93°C) oven. Re-oil the griddle lightly between batches, and adjust the heat as needed.

🔥 Pitmaster Tip

Make the first pancake a test. It tells you everything: if it browns in under 90 seconds, turn the heat down. If it takes more than 4 minutes and looks pale, turn it up slightly. Once the griddle is steady, don’t touch the dial. Small tweaks early save you from burned or pale pancakes later.

⚠️ Common Mistake

Pressing the pancake down with the spatula after flipping. It squeezes out the air that the leaveners created, and you end up with dense, rubbery pancakes. Flip once, leave it alone, and let it finish.

Time and Temperature Table

Step	Temperature	Time
Preheat griddle	350-375°F (177-190°C) surface	5-10 min
Rest the batter	Room temperature	10 min
First side	350-375°F (177-190°C)	2-3 min, until bubbles pop
Second side	350-375°F (177-190°C)	1-2 min
Keep warm in oven	200°F (93°C), on a wire rack	Up to 30 min
Cool leftovers	Counter, in a single layer	Under 2 hours total before refrigerating
Fridge storage	40°F (4°C) or below	3-4 days
Freezer storage	0°F (-18°C)	Best quality within 3-4 months
Reheat	Hot and steaming	165°F (74°C)

How to Tell When Pancakes Are Done

There is no internal pull temperature to chase here. You read the pancake instead.

• Before the flip: Bubbles pop and stay open, the edges look dry and slightly puffed, and the surface loses its wet shine. If the bubbles close back over, wait another 20 seconds.
• After the flip: The second side should be golden, a shade lighter than the first.
• The press test: Gently touch the center. It should spring back. If it feels wet and sinks, cook another 30 seconds.
• The pull-apart test: If you’re unsure, tear the first pancake. The center should look set and fluffy, with no wet streaks of batter.

The first side should be deeper in color than the second. That’s the side that goes face-up on the plate.

Resting, Stacking, and Serving

Pancakes taste best within minutes, but a short rest helps. Move each pancake to a wire rack, not a plate. A plate traps steam, and the bottom turns soggy. The rack lets air circulate.

If you’re feeding a crowd, hold pancakes in a 200°F (93°C) oven for up to 30 minutes. Don’t stack more than three high on the rack, and don’t cover them tightly.

Serve with softened butter and warm maple syrup. Warming the syrup keeps it from cooling off the stack. Try our smoked butter recipe for a deep, campfire-style flavor that melts into the hot pancakes.

For fruit toppings, try berries, sliced bananas, or a spoonful of jam. For a showstopper, make our Blackstone bananas foster on the same griddle.

What to Serve With Pancakes

A good pancake breakfast has something salty and something fresh on the plate.

• Bacon or sausage. Crispy bacon or sausage patties can go on the griddle right next to the pancakes. Cook the meat first, then use a little of the rendered fat for extra flavor.
• Scrambled or fried eggs. They add protein and balance the sweetness.
• Fresh fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, or orange slices keep the plate light.
• Hash browns or breakfast potatoes. They’re a good savory side if you have room on the griddle.
• Coffee, juice, or cold milk. Pick one of each if you’re serving a group.

For more menu ideas, browse our easy breakfast recipes. If you want something lighter, our healthy breakfast ideas have options that pair well with a short stack.

Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Leftovers

Cool fast. Put leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. The USDA says to refrigerate leftovers at 40°F or below within 2 hours. Let the pancakes cool in a single layer on a rack first so they don’t steam each other.

Refrigerator. Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag, with a sheet of parchment between layers. They keep 3-4 days, the same window Michigan State University Extension gives for leftovers in the fridge.

Freezer. Freeze pancakes in a single layer on a sheet pan until firm, about 1 hour. Then move them to a freezer bag and squeeze out the air. The USDA says properly packaged leftovers keep their quality for about 3-4 months in the freezer. After that they’re still safe but can taste dry.

Reheating. Reheat leftovers until hot and steaming, to an internal temperature of 165°F per USDA guidance. Frozen pancakes can go straight into a toaster, a 350°F (177°C) oven for 8-10 minutes, or a microwave for 30-60 seconds. Use the oven or toaster for better texture.

Make-ahead batter. You can mix the wet and dry ingredients separately the night before and store the wet mix in the fridge. Combine them in the morning. Don’t mix everything the night before, since the leaveners lose power over time.

Variations: Blackstone, Pellet Grill, Charcoal, and Stovetop

Blackstone griddle. This is the best setup for a crowd. Preheat on low-medium for 5-10 minutes until the surface reads 350-375°F (177-190°C). Griddle steel holds heat well, so start low and adjust up only if needed. Use a squeeze bottle for even rounds, and cook in two batches.

Pellet grill with a griddle insert. Set the grill to 375°F (190°C) and let the insert heat for 15 minutes. Mild pellets like apple or maple add a faint smoky note to the butter and syrup, but skip smoke on the batter itself.

Charcoal grill with a cast iron griddle. Set up a two-zone fire. Put the griddle over the cooler side so it holds around 350-375°F (177-190°C). Charcoal fires swing in temperature, so check the first pancake often.

Electric griddle. Set it to 350°F (177°C). This is the easiest way to keep a steady temperature when you’re a beginner.

Skillet backup. Use a cast iron or nonstick skillet on medium-low. Cast iron holds heat well but needs 5-7 minutes to preheat. Cook two or three pancakes at a time.

Add-ins. Fold ½ cup (about 75 g) of blueberries or mini chocolate chips into the batter just before cooking. Or drop them onto the pancakes right after pouring, so they don’t sink or streak the batter. Lower the heat slightly, since fruit and chocolate burn easily.

Vegan version. Use 1¾ cups of plant milk with 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice in place of buttermilk. Swap the eggs for ½ cup (120 g) of unsweetened applesauce and use oil in place of butter. Browse our vegan breakfast ideas for more.

Troubleshooting Common Pancake Problems

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Flat pancakes	Old leaveners or overmixed batter	Replace baking powder, and fold gently
Pale and doughy	Griddle too cool	Raise heat to 350-375°F and wait before pouring
Burnt outside, raw inside	Griddle too hot	Lower heat and let it settle for 2 minutes
Rubbery texture	Overmixing or pressing	Stir 15-20 strokes only. Never press
Pancakes stick	Not enough oil, or flipped too early	Re-oil lightly and wait for bubbles
Thin, spreading pancakes	Batter too runny	Add 2 tablespoons of flour, rest 5 minutes
Uneven color	Hot spots on the griddle	Rotate pancakes and shift them across zones

Recipe Card: Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Servings: 4 (12 pancakes)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Rest time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: about 40 minutes
Griddle temp: 350-375°F (177-190°C)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
• 1¾ cups (420 ml) buttermilk, 2 eggs, 4 tbsp (57 g) melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla
• Neutral oil for the griddle

Steps:

1. Heat the griddle to 350-375°F (177-190°C).
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients.
3. Fold together until just combined. Rest 10 minutes.
4. Oil the griddle. Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) per pancake.
5. Flip when bubbles pop and edges look dry, 2-3 minutes.
6. Cook 1-2 minutes more. Hold on a rack at 200°F (93°C) and serve.

Pancake Recipe FAQ

How do you make pancakes fluffy?
Use fresh baking powder and baking soda, and mix the batter just until combined. Lumps are fine. Rest the batter for 10 minutes, then cook on a steady 350-375°F (177-190°C) griddle. Flip only once and never press the pancake down, so the air bubbles stay in.

Why are my pancakes flat?
Flat pancakes usually come from old leaveners, overmixed batter, or batter that’s too thin. Test your baking powder in hot water to check it fizzes. Fold gently for 15-20 strokes, and add a tablespoon or two of flour if the batter pours like milk.

Should pancake batter be lumpy?
Yes. Small lumps mean you haven’t overmixed. Overmixing builds gluten, which makes pancakes tough and chewy. Stir until the dry flour disappears, then stop. The lumps cook out as the batter rests and heats on the griddle.

How long should pancake batter rest?
Rest it for 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes if you’re busy. The flour absorbs liquid, the batter thickens, and the leaveners start making bubbles. Don’t rest it for hours, since the baking powder loses strength and the pancakes can turn out flat.

What temperature should a griddle be for pancakes?
Aim for 350-375°F (177-190°C). Lower and they turn pale and doughy. Higher and they burn outside while the center stays raw. On a Blackstone, start with low-medium heat and check with an infrared thermometer or the water-droplet test.

How long do leftover pancakes last?
Cooked pancakes keep 3-4 days in the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below, if they were refrigerated within 2 hours. For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer, then bag them. They hold quality for about 3-4 months.

Conclusion

A great pancake recipe is mostly about technique: mix gently, rest the batter, keep the griddle at 350-375°F (177-190°C), flip once, and don’t press. Do those four things, and you’ll get tall, golden pancakes every time, whether you cook them on a Blackstone, an electric griddle, or a skillet.

Make this batch as written once, then experiment with berries, chocolate chips, or smoked butter on top. Keep the first pancake as your test, and adjust from there. Once you know how your griddle behaves, this becomes an easy weekend breakfast you can make from memory.