Fluffy American pancakes made with buttermilk, thick, ultra soft, and light just like in the United States. The buttermilk gives them an airy texture and exceptional fluffiness, helping them rise beautifully as they cook. An easy recipe explained step by step, with both a classic method and a Thermomix version, to make authentic pancakes every time.
Thick, light, and ultra soft, these American pancakes are perfect for a cozy breakfast or a relaxed brunch. I make them often at home, and their airy texture is always a hit.
Drizzled with maple syrup or honey, they become even more tender. The use of buttermilk plays a key role here. It helps the pancakes rise beautifully as they cook and gives them a lighter texture than classic pancake recipes.
I’ve been making my go-to pancake recipe for years and have always been very happy with it. I never felt the need to try another one until this buttermilk version, which I adopted without hesitation because the result is so light and soft.
It’s a simple, approachable recipe that you can easily make by hand with a whisk or using a Thermomix. I explain both methods step by step below.
Table of Contents
Tips for Making Fluffy American Pancakes
Don’t overmix the batter: For fluffy pancakes, avoid overmixing the batter. There’s no need to smooth it out; a few small lumps are perfectly fine. Mixing gently keeps the batter thick so it doesn’t spread too much in the pan, which helps create thick, fluffy pancakes. The technique is the same as for muffins: mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, then combine gently.
The role of buttermilk: Buttermilk plays a key role in giving pancakes a light texture and helping them puff up as they cook. If needed, you can replace it with ribot milk or plain yogurt mixed with a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture rest for about ten minutes before using.
Cooking: Heat the pan over medium heat and lightly grease it. As soon as bubbles appear on the surface, flip the pancake and cook the other side for one to two minutes, until lightly golden.
Video Recipe
Ingredients for 10 pancakes :
Note: You’ll find the printable recipe card at the end of the article..
- 2 eggs
- 65 g sugar (2.3 oz)
- 375 ml buttermilk (babeurre, leben) (12.7 fl oz)
- 250 g all purpose flour (8.8 oz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 55 g butter (1.9 oz)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (14 g total) (0.5 oz)
- a pinch of salt
- blueberries, as desired (optional)
How to Make Homemade Fluffy Pancakes
1. Sift the flour with the baking powder, then add the salt and sugar. Mix well.
2. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk with the eggs and the vanilla extract.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture along with the melted butter.
5. Mix using a spoon, without whisking. There’s no need to get a smooth batter. It should remain thick and slightly lumpy.
6. Heat a pan over medium heat, then lightly brush it with butter.
7. Pour a small ladle of batter into the center of the pan. You can also use an ice cream scoop to portion the batter.
8. The batter will spread slightly. Gently smooth the top with the back of a spoon while keeping a nice round shape.
9. Flip the pancake as soon as small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to set, after about 1 to 2 minutes, as shown in the photo below. You can also refer to the video. Pancakes cook very quickly, so don’t let the top dry out completely before flipping.
10. Let the other side cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden, then remove the pancake using a silicone spatula and place it on a plate.
11. Cook the remaining batter the same way, adding a small knob of butter to the pan each time.
12. For blueberry pancakes, add a few fresh or frozen blueberries directly to the batter just before cooking.
13. Serve the pancakes hot, generously drizzled with maple syrup and topped with a knob of butter. Enjoy!
Making Pancakes with the Thermomix
1. Place the butter in the Thermomix bowl and melt it for 1 minute at 100°C/ 212°F, speed 1.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl, then mix for 15 seconds at speed 4.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula and mix again for a few seconds, just until combined. Do not overmix. The batter should remain thick with a few small lumps.
4. Cook the pancakes as described above.
How to Store Pancakes
Pancakes keep very well. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap, then store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, you can also freeze them. Lay the pancakes flat, separating them with parchment paper, then place them in a freezer bag. They will keep well for up to 2 months.
To reheat, a few seconds in the microwave or a quick warm up in a pan is enough to bring back all their softness.
Suggestions for other breakfast recipes
Nutella and praline pancake rolls
Best Fluffy American pancakes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 eggs
- 65 g granulated sugar
- 375 ml buttermilk
- 250 g all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 55 g unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 14 g total (0.5 oz)
- a pinch of salt
- blueberries as desired (optional)
PREPARATION
- Sift the flour with the baking powder, then add the salt and sugar. Mix well.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk with the eggs and the vanilla extract.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture along with the melted butter.
- Mix using a spoon, without whisking. There’s no need to get a smooth batter. It should remain thick and slightly lumpy.
- Heat a pan over medium heat, then lightly brush it with butter.
- Pour a small ladle of batter into the center of the pan. You can also use an ice cream scoop to portion the batter.
- The batter will spread slightly. Gently smooth the top with the back of a spoon while keeping a nice round shape.
- Flip the pancake as soon as small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to set, after about 1 to 2 minutes, as shown in the photo below. You can also refer to the video. Pancakes cook very quickly, so don’t let the top dry out completely before flipping.
- Let the other side cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden, then remove the pancake using a silicone spatula and place it on a plate.
- Cook the remaining batter the same way, adding a small knob of butter to the pan each time.
- For blueberry pancakes, add a few fresh or frozen blueberries directly to the batter just before cooking.
- Serve the pancakes hot, generously drizzled with maple syrup and topped with a knob of butter. Enjoy!
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