Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes

Here is a simply excellent pancake recipe: fluffy, deeply flavored, appropriate for the weekday rush or the weekend splendor. This is a basic recipe, but it lends itself to all sorts of variations. Try swapping in different flours or mixing in some berries or chocolate chips. This recipe has more salt than the average pancake recipe, but it results in sensational cakes that will turn out to be your favorite breakfast treat. Read on to learn how to vary the recipe with alternative flours and mix-ins.

Ingredients

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 3 tablespoons sugar

· 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

· 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

· 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

· 2 ½ cups buttermilk

· 2 large eggs

· 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

· Vegetable, canola or coconut oil for the pan

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt together in a bowl. Using the whisk, make a well in the center. Pour the buttermilk into the well and crack eggs into buttermilk. Pour the melted butter into the mixture. Starting in the center, whisk everything together, moving towards the outside of the bowl, until all ingredients are incorporated. Do not overbeat (lumps are fine.) The batter can be refrigerated for up to one hour.

2. Heat a large non-stick griddle or skillet, preferably cast-iron, over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Turn heat up to medium–low and using a measuring cup, ladle 1/3 cup batter into the skillet. If you are using a large skillet or a griddle, repeat once or twice, taking care not to overcrowd the cooking surface.

3. Flip pancakes after bubbles rise to surface and bottoms brown, after about 2 to 4 minutes. Cook until the other sides are lightly browned. Remove pancakes to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, and keep in heated oven until all the batter is cooked and you are ready to serve.

Alternative Flours

Because of their manageable size and unfussy cooking method, pancakes are the perfect place to experiment with the flour itself. Swapping in different flours, like buckwheat or coconut, with some of the all-purpose flour will change the pancake’s texture and taste in a delightful way. A good rule of thumb for most alternative flours is to substitute 25 percent of the flour, which, if you go by our master recipe above, is 1/2 cup.

BUCKWHEAT FLOUR Because the flavor of buckwheat is so assertive, a little bit goes a long way. Substitute 1/4 cup flour here. These deeply earthy pancakes are decidedly a little bit more “adult” and especially delicious with warmed honey and flaky salt.

COCONUT FLOUR Very mild in flavor, naturally sweet coconut flour will give you a softer, more delicate pancake without tasting like a bottle of sunscreen. These are clearly destined for banana pancake hall of fame.

CORNMEAL The classic cornmeal pancake will have a little more than 25 percent in the mix, but even a small amount is still enough to lend some sweetness and welcomed texture. Both white and yellow cornmeal can be used. This flour is an obvious match made in blueberry pancake heaven.

GLUTEN-FREE FLOURS Of all the gluten-free flours on the market, Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose blend works best here. Its main ingredient is chickpea flour, the darling of the gluten-free world, which behaves more like all-purpose flour. It does have a relatively assertive (but not unpleasant) flavor, and works far better for pancakes than a gluten-free option like rice flour, which will give you a gummy texture. If going gluten-free, use 2 1/2 cups of flour.

OAT FLOUR One of the trendier alternative flours out there, oat flour is just finely ground oats. Adding a bit to the batter is like stealthily giving your decadent breakfast a little protein boost without interfering with its flavor. It’s surprisingly delicious with chocolate.

WHOLE-WHEAT FLOUR For something a little more wholesome and deeper in flavor, splurge for a bag of the nice freshly milled stuff to let the nuttiness of the wheat shine through. Whole-wheat pancakes are best eaten minimally adorned with some warm maple syrup and lots of extra butter.