Home › Recipes › Buttermilk Wheat Pancakes
Breakfast

Buttermilk Wheat Pancakes

Swapping part of the flour in a standard pancake recipe for whole wheat flour changes the texture more than most people expect, giving the pancakes a slightly denser, nuttier bite that holds up better under a generous pour of syrup than an all-white-flour version does. Buttermilk is doing real work here too, not just adding tang: its acidity reacts with the baking soda to give the batter extra lift, which is part of why these pancakes puff up thick on the griddle instead of spreading thin. The batter should be lumpy rather than perfectly smooth when you're done mixing it, since overworking it develops the gluten in the flour and turns the finished pancakes tough and chewy instead of tender. A cast iron griddle or a well-seasoned skillet gives the most even heat for cooking a full batch, and resisting the urge to flip a pancake before its edges look set and small bubbles have formed across the surface is the single biggest difference between a flat, dense pancake and a properly fluffy one.

Close-up of pancakes topped with fresh berries and syrup pouring on them
Prep Time10 min
Cook Time15 min
Total Time25 min
Servings4 servings (about 12 pancakes)
CategoryBreakfast

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the griddle
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Whisk together both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until combined — a few lumps are fine.
  4. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while you heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.
  5. Lightly butter the griddle, then pour about 1/3 cup of batter per pancake.
  6. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until golden on both sides.
  8. Serve warm with butter and syrup.
Kitchen Note: Keep finished pancakes warm on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest of the batch, so the whole stack is hot at once.

You Might Also Like

Top view of a creamy pumpkin soup garnished with croutons and seeds
Soup

Squash & Sage Soup

A smooth roasted squash soup finished with brown butter and crisped sage leaves.

55 min6 servings
Read Recipe →
Bowl of homemade beef chili served with fresh bread on a rustic table
Main Dish

Bison & Wheat Berry Chili

A hearty, slow-simmered chili built with lean ground bison and chewy wheat berries instead of beans.

2 hr6 servings
Read Recipe →