How To Make Old Fashion Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Pancakes

by Esme Addison

Pancakes are the ultimate in comfort food. Wonderful at breakfast paired with whipped cream and fresh fruit, as a side to scrambled eggs and sausage or bacon but perfectly delicious alone with butter and Maple syrup.

One of the ways Southerners have traditionally prepared pancakes is with buttermilk, which gives them that sweet, salty and buttery taste we all love. So, we’re sharing our favorite old fashioned, down-home traditional Southern recipe for pancakes.

Psst – it’s probably the same recipe your memaw, grandma and nana uses.

Pancakes are my go-to recipe for a sure-to-please everybody breakfast. Even the most pickiest eaters love pancakes. And they can stand alone as a meal or be paired with eggs or a breakfast meat like bacon or sausage (vegetarian options as well).

Once you’ve made your pancakes, simply top them with Maple syrup and butter – or try these tips below.

Additional Garnish Ideas

• Sprinkle the top layer and plate with slightly roasted and salted pecans
• Top with fresh seasonal berries, like blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
• Add fried apples lightly sweetened with sugar and spiced with cinnamon
• Accent with a pouf of whipped cream
• Make it hearty by alternating the pancake stack with two strips of bacon
• Jazz it up with day old candied yams

Subsitutions

• Swap out the butter in the pancake recipe for organic coconut oil. (refined if you don’t like the taste of coconut, unrefined if you don’t mind it)
• Make your own “buttermilk” by combining one cup of organic milk with one tbsp of organic white vinegar. Stir and let it set for three minutes before using
• In place of buttermilk, use 1 cup of plain organic yogurt, Kefir or sour cream thinned with 1/4 cup of water

I’ve included links to the dry goods and supplies you’ll need for the perfect pancakes. Stop by your local grocery store or farmer’s market and pick up buttermilk, fresh eggs, and butter for a delicous plate of pancakes!

Old Fashion Southern Buttermilk Pancakes

An old fashion, traditional unpretentious yet delicious recipe for pancakes made with simple organic ingredients, including buttermilk, vanilla and cinnamon.

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose organic flour ((unbleached is best))
• 3 tsp organic baking powder
• 1 tbsp organic sugar
• 1 1//2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup organic buttermilk ((more if batter is still too thick))
• 1 organic egg ((free-range and or fresh is best))
• 4 tbsp organic unsalted butter ((room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan))
• 1 tsp organic vanilla extract
• 1 tsp organic cinnamon

Warm Maple Syrup With Butter

• 1 cup organic Maple syrup ((real Maple syrup, no fake stuff!))
• 3 tbsp organic butter

Buttermilk Pancakes

1. Preheat pan to medium heat.

2. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix to combine.

3. In a bowl combine buttermilk, egg, vanilla, butter. Mix to combine.

4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until the batter is creamy and free of lumps.

5. Grease pan and pour batter, using approximately 1/4 cup of the batter per pancake.

6. Cook for approximately one minute until bubbles start to form and pop and underside is golden brown.

7. Flip pancakes over and cook an additional 30 seconds until the other side is browned as well.

8. Repeat until all pancakes have been cooked. 

Hot Maple Syrup With Butter

1. Pour Maple syrup into a small unheated pan. (if the pan is hot, the Maple syrup may scald) Set to low-medium heat.

2. Add butter and stir slowly to combine butter and Maple syrup until fully blended.

3. Remove the mixture from the heating element and pour into a container for serving. Use immediately.