These ultra fluffy pancakes are the perfect addition to any weekend breakfast, best served warm with a pat of melty butter and a drizzle of maple syrup to finish!

If I may be so bold, I think I’ve outdone myself with this recipe. After lots and lots of testing, I finally stumbled upon my perfect buttermilk pancake recipe—they’re quick, they’re easy, but most importantly, they’re incredibly fluffy and delicious. This recipe is inspired by Aretha Frankenstein’s (a.k.a. one of the best pancake places to exist). Located in Chattanooga, Aretha Frankenstein’s has my idea of the perfect pancake—ultra thick, loaded with chocolate chips, and as big as your plate (in other words, delicious).

Ingredients You’ll Need

Luckily, you won’t need an extra grocery run for this recipe—most (if not all) the ingredients you need are pantry staples!

All-purpose flour. To give the pancakes structure.
Granulated sugar. To sweeten and moisten the pancakes.
Salt. For flavor.
Baking powder and baking soda. The combo of baking soda and powder is what gives the pancakes its rise.
Buttermilk. Yes, buttermilk—don’t go substituting regular milk and expect the same results. Since buttermilk is acidic, it will react to the baking soda differently. If you don’t have any, you can substitute with a mix of regular milk and an acid (such as lemon juice or vinegar). Just combine one cup of milk and a tablespoon of vinegar, then let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Vegetable oil. I find that vegetable oil gives the pancakes a wonderful texture, but you can also use melted butter if desired.
Vanilla extract. To enhance flavor—you’ll use 1 tablespoon in this recipe, but you can omit or reduce it, if needed.
Eggs. For structure.

How to Make Them

I’ve included two methods for making these pancakes (based on how much time you have and how fluffy of a pancake you want).

The quick method. This method is exactly what it sounds like—all you have to do is mix the dry, mix the wet, then fold together and cook your pancakes.
The whipped egg white method. I included this method for anyone who wants to go the extra mile. By separating the eggs and folding whipped egg whites into the batter, you incorporate a bunch of extra air into the mix (resulting in ultra-fluffy pancakes). For this method, you whisk the dry and wet ingredients like normal, only instead of using whole eggs, you’ll separate the yolks and whites. The yolks will go in with the wet ingredients, while the whites will be whipped with the sugar and folded in last.

Tips and Tricks for the Fluffiest Homemade Pancakes

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients incorporate flawlessly into the batter and allow for the egg whites to whip up better.
Do not overmix. You’ll have some lumps in the batter, but this is normal. You actually want a few lumps—if the batter is completely smooth, you’ve over-mixed it and will (most-likely) have dense and flat pancakes.
Do not press the pancakes while they cook. I know it’s tempting (we’ve all done it), but pressing the pancakes down while they cook prevents them from fully rising and reaching a fluffy texture.
Add toppings or mix-ins. Chocolate chips, blueberries, bananas—add whatever you want! You can either add the mix-ins when folding everything together, or you can just sprinkle them on top of the batter as it cooks.
To test them for doneness. Lightly poke the pancakes on top to see if they’re done cooking—if it feels springy and bounces back, it’s done. If your finger leaves an indentation, it needs more time.

Happy pancake making—leave any questions or comments you have down below!