How to make the best buttermilk blueberry pancakes. Fluffy and tender blueberry pancakes from scratch make the best weekend breakfast or brunch!
The Quest for the Best Blueberry Pancakes
Lately I’ve been obsessed with blueberry pancakes. I think it started when I was in the hospital after the baby fox was born. I think I mentioned before that I had some complications and had to stay in the hospital for a week. Needless to say, I got to know the hospital cafeteria menu pretty well. One of my favorite things to order was blueberry pancakes for breakfast. After coming home, mornings were rough. Sleep deprived and starving, I went on a quest to try to make the best blueberry pancakes ever.
I tried quite a few blueberry pancake recipes before finding a recipe that made the best buttermilk blueberry pancakes. I wanted fluffy, tender, golden brown buttermilk blueberry pancakes. But I’ve always found pancakes difficult to get right. They are always too heavy, burned on the outside, raw on the inside. Why is it so hard to make good fluffy pancakes?
How to make blueberry pancakes
Here are a few tips to make the best fluffy homemade pancakes:
- Don’t over-mix the batter! This is very important. Mixing the batter for too long will give you tough pancakes, and nobody wants tough pancakes! Just barely mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and don’t worry about the lumps
- When measuring the flour, use the spoon and level method rather than the scoop method. What that means is, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then use a knife to level it off. This will help keep you from adding too much flour to the batter, which makes the pancakes dense instead of fluffy.
- Be sure your pan is not too hot. I usually keep my pan at medium or just under medium. If your pan is too hot, you will get a burned pancake that is raw in the middle. Pay attention to this and adjust the heat as needed while cooking – you might need to turn it down.
- Use buttermilk! Buttermilk helps make your pancakes fluffy because of how it reacts to the baking soda. It also make your pancakes more tender.
How do you add blueberries to pancakes
The best way to add blueberries to pancakes is to sprinkle them onto the individual pancake batter after you have poured it into that pan, rather than mixing the berries into the bowl of batter. This will allow you to get the right amount of blueberries evenly distributed into each pancake.
Should you use fresh or frozen blueberries in blueberry pancakes?
You can use either fresh or frozen berries in blueberry pancakes. If using frozen, sprinkle the frozen berries right onto the pancake, no need to thaw them.
Can you freeze and reheat pancakes?
Yes! Let your pancakes cool completely in a single layer on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack to prevent them from getting soggy. Then individually wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. Or if you have the freezer space, you can leave them on the baking sheet, place the whole thing in the freezer and let them freeze solid. Then individually wrap or place a piece of parchment paper between each pancake, and store in a freezer bag. Pancakes should be used in 1-2 months.
How to reheat frozen pancakes
Here are three ways to reheat frozen pancakes:
How to reheat pancakes in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and warm up pancakes on a baking sheet covered in foil for about 10 minutes.
How to reheat pancakes in the microwave
. Place up to 6 pancakes in a single layer on a microwave safe plate. Reheat for 20 seconds for 1-2 pancakes, and 60 seconds for 4-6 pancakes.
How to reheat pancakes in the toaster.
Not the best method, but fast. Place one pancake in each slot and toast on the light setting. This method is more likely to dry out your pancakes.
Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 eggs large
- 1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract optional
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-low to medium heat . Grease the pan with oil or butter. When it's hot enough, a drop of water will skitter across the surface, evaporating immediately.
- whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar, set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla until light and foamy. Whisk in the melted butter.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just to combine. Don't over mix, a few lumps are fine.
- Pour the batter in 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared pan. sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of berries on top.
- Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to form on top and the sides start to set, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve right away, or keep on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack in a 200 degree oven. Serve with more blueberries, butter and maple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
I like to serve my pancakes with bacon on the side – nothing like a little sweet and savory breakfast! Be sure to check out my favorite way to make bacon!
Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins
Easy Fruit Salad
Red, White, and Blue Wine Sparklers
Jay says
best ones yet.
Talaya says
These pancakes were absolutely delicious!! Crispy edges, light and fluffy almost restaurant quality. I forgot to add sugar to the batter and they were so good without it. I let the batter rest about 10 minutes .. Light and fluffy is what followed. Will be making this again
Meghan says
So glad you love them!
Shaye Harber says
Really delicious! Very light and fluffy.
Meghan says
So glad you love them!
Sandri Richardson says
Really good! My husband doesn’t usually love blueberry pancakes and this time I decided to make from scratch with fresh blueberries and locally milled flour. I always love using buttermilk and it was new to add the blueberries on top when cooking – I really like being able to control the amount of berries. Also not too sweet. Will keep this recipe and repeat! Thanks!
Meghan says
So glad you love them!
Dennis F Heffernan says
I’ve made these several times now and they’ve been a big hit with family and friends. I was particularly drawn to this recipe by the low amount of sugar called for. I’m a type 2 diabetic and shouldn’t be eating stuff like this at all, but i do anyway. 😉 They are plenty sweet enough thanks to the blueberries.
The last few times I’ve made them I’ve added a tablespoon of creme fraiche. It improves the fluffiness, which was immediately noticed by the aforementioned friends and family
Thanks!
Meghan says
So glad you love them!
Makenzie says
They were delicious! I only had a scant cup of blueberries and it wasn’t nearly enough for the batter. But my daughter wanted hers without blueberries so it worked out. I put homemade buttermilk syrup on top, highly recommend doing that!
Meghan says
So glad you loved them!
Steph says
Made these for the hubbs this morning for his bday. Added the zest of one lemon and he loved them. Super recipe. Thanks!
Debbie says
Good Recipe! Do follow instructions concerning the temp of the pan. I used a cast iron which kept the temp nicely even on my electric range set at 4. I loved the idea of putting the blueberries on top while cooking. The pancakes took longer to cook using frozen blueberries resulting in a darker pancake than I like. Next time I will use this recipe but make a blueberry compote instead. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
Lisa says
This is the BEST pancake recipe I’ve tried! Light, Fluffy and Perfect!
Meghan says
So happy to hear that!
Ashley says
The best pancakes I’ve ever made and it was my first time making them from scratch! They were so fluffy! Thank you!!! No more box pancakes for my family!
Meghan says
So happy you loved them!
carol meylan says
The pancakes were light, fluff and delicious. My guests raved about them.
Corie says
These are the best pancakes that I have ever made or ate. I will never look for another pancake recipe again. My five year old daughter loved them! Yum!
Meghan says
So happy to hear that!
Victoria says
Made these this morning and so delicious! Best recipe I’ve found. Just be sure to not have the pan too hot. I use butter rather than oil on the pan. I know, not as “healthy” but oh so good.
Meghan says
So glad you loved them!
Deborah says
Made these exactly according to recipe and they are our new family favorite! They’re just a tiny bit more moist and dense than other buttermilk pancakes, but still somehow light and fluffy. For our house these are a total win.
Denise Carey (Bermuda) says
Perfect for patio brunch on a cool day. Loved the flavor and they were light and fluffy. Put a few strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream on the side and dusted with powdered sugar. Yup .. I am out of the dog house ❤️.
Gina says
Not the best recipe I’ve tried. I did not overmix yet they were not as fluffy as some I’ve made in the past.
Kristi says
Very good! Light and fluffy and the perfect ratios. I had wild blueberries and I was glad to use them in this recipe. Yum!
Meghan says
So glad you loved them!
Linda says
Perfect recipe! Followed exactly, and was skeptical of these thick pancakes. They turned out amazing! Fluffy, and fully cooked! No heavy doughy centers as I’ve experienced with other similar recipes. So easy!! Thank you!!
Meghan says
So glad you love them!
S McDowall says
I have tried dozens and dozens of buttermilk pancake recipes — and am so glad I ran across this one. These are my style of pancakes! The ONLY suggestion would be to update the recipe to have the flour done by weight. I find using weight measurements for baking recipes (basically flour) really helps in consistency! I used 225g and that was perfect. Well done!
Meghan says
I’m so glad you loved them!
Tysmom says
Yummy!!! Pancakes
Meghan says
So glad you loved them!
Terry Magdy says
By far best buttermilk pancake recipe I’ve ever tried
Meghan says
so glad to hear that!
Shweta M says
Such fluffy soft pancakes. Halved the recipe for just the two of us. My new favourite buttermilk pancakes. Thank you.
Meghan says
So happy to hear that!
Lin says
Never made pancakes from scratch. Searched for a buttermilk recipe and your read the best. I tried them. Oh my goodness. I must have been ousting more blueberries than normal, I ran out of blueberries. I was able to make 2 with blackberries, they were also fluffy and light. I am now a fan of your site. Looking forward to making more of tour recipes. Good Job!
Meghan says
I am so happy you loved them!
Dina says
My boys devoured these. Said they didn’t need syrup or any other topping b/c they’re so good. 🙂
Meghan says
Yay, so happy to hear that Dina!
Annie says
Fluffy and a real crowd pleaser at our house. I can’t wait to polish off the rest of the batch after I write this comment. Hands down, best buttermilk pancakes I have ever had. I can’t believe I made them, they are so good!
Meghan says
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that!
Scott Fenton says
Wonderful recipe, Meghan. Took the liberty of tweaking to deal with missing and expiring ingredients. What ended up was still delicious, thanks to you. Some readers may find it interesting, probably not for most.
Used low-fat buttermilk, 2-to-1 whole wheat to regular flour, olive oil instead of butter, and no sugar or vanilla. While this implies that the result would be as heavy as a weapon, they came out really good, quite light (!), and with the slightest bit of a corn-mealy texture that I found really appealing. Most will want maple syrup with these, but good to remember that the buttermilk alone has 4 teaspoons of sugar in it naturally.
Meghan says
So happy they turned out great! Thanks for sharing the substitutions!
Randy Blackwell says
Hi Meghan, I have memorized this recipe and make it once a week while we are quarantined. When strawberries were in season, I used then instead of blueberries. But blueberries are in season now so I am using fresh ones. It is such a great recipe, I use bananas when berries are not in season. Thank you for a perfect recipe👌.
April Douglas says
This has become my go to pancake recipe, the pancakes are light and fluffy, don’t feel heavy in my stomach. Simply delicious and easy to make.
Meghan says
Yay, that makes me so happy!
Barb says
These ARE the best blueberry pancakes I’ve ever made. Easy and yummy. Makes a lot, so I halved the recipe, and we had plenty for two people.
Meghan says
Yay! So happy you loved them Barb!
Gerry (BK) says
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe, which was quick and easy to make with excellent results. The pancakes tasted great, and were light, tender and fluffy. The flavor of the pancake was so good, even my pancake hating hubby enjoyed them. BK
Meghan says
Oh yay! I am so glad to hear that! Thank you BK!
Nicola Heskin says
Delicious recipe. My kids love. Have also used this recipe (with yogurt instead of buttermilk) to make delicious waffles. Thanks Meghan.
Meghan says
Yay! So glad to hear that Nicola!
Andy Hillhouse says
crunchy !
Andy Hillhouse says
YUMMY!!!
Meghan says
So glad you loved them Andy!
Randy Blackwell says
Thanks Meghan!
Randy Blackwell says
Meghan, I made these twice for my wife and her sister and two daughters, and they were amazing. I made a 1 and 1/2 recipe and it was perfect for us 5. A smash hit! Thank you so much for the deliciousness!
Meghan says
Hi Randy – Yay, I am so happy to hear that! So glad you and your family loved them!
Randy Blackwell says
Hello Meghan,
While I haven’t made your buttermilk blueberry pancakes, I want to for our traditional holiday pancake breakfast. Well we have 3 extra people to feed, can I increase the recipe by half? 3 eggs , 2 and 1.4 cup buttermilk, etc. Thanks!
Meghan says
Hi Randy – I haven’t tried it but I think it should be fine! You could also just double the recipe and if you have leftovers you can freeze them.
elly says
Hey Meghan,
WOW!! These are amazing. I’ve tried various pancake recips looking for the fluffy texture and this is the only one that will “stick” with me ;o)
I must admit that I substituted kefir for buttermilk since buttermilk is the only thing they did not have at the supermarket this morning! It was delicious!!
I saw a couple other interesting recipes on your site and will definitely come back and try them out.
Thanks for sharing!
Meghan says
Hi Elly – Yay, so glad you loved them! I can’t wait to hear what you think if the other recipes!
Tracy says
I’m not usually a pancake person, but these pancakes were amazing! Thank you for the recipe. I will definitely be making these again!
Meghan says
Yay! So happy to hear that Tracy!
Carolyn says
These truly look like the perfect blueberry pancakes!
Wilhelmina Wessel says
These pancakes are going to happen this weekend at our house! Yum!
Meghan says
Yay! I hope you love them!
Crystal Faulkner says
I love buttermilk pancakes! Thank you for sharing.
Linda says
I love a good breakfast like this! And that stack of blueberry pancakes looks sooo good.
Meghan says
Thanks Linda! Nothing beats a stack of blueberry pancakes on the weekend!
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender says
These look like the perfect pancakes! I hardly ever take the time to make a good breakfast. Now you’ve got me craving pancakes. 🙂
Meghan says
Thanks Natasha! I’m a big fan of breakfast!
Janice says
Fantastic recipe for blueberry pancakes! Very fluffy and delicious. Could use any kind of berry’s or just plain. Don’t over mix the matter and don’t rush cooking them. Use medium heat and don’t turn them too soon. They are worth the wait. My guests raved about them. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Meghan says
Thank you Janice, so glad you love them!