Buttermilk Pancakes

When I first began blogging I was petrified and didn't know what I was doing at all.  So I just pasted the Recipe Testing Emails directly to the blog.  I've been meaning to go back and edit the old posts, but I decided to leave the original post up just so I can see how far I've come.  Since I first shared this recipe, thousands of people now make these pancakes on Saturday mornings.  I remember being shocked when I first found out that hundreds of people all over the country were making the recipe and now the number is in the thousands.  And for those of you new to this blog you can see what the emails on the Recipe Testing Email List are like:  Click here for the link to the original post.  

 Buttermilk Pancakes with Syrup and Powdered Sugar

 Pancakes on the griddle

 Powdered Sugar alone.  I personally like granulated sugar and a 

squeeze of lemon juice.

 I poured these letters freehand.  Remember that when you make letters you need to write backwards

and then flip the pancakes.  The presentation side is the side that hits the pan first. (I posted this
picture to my JOY blog for National Pancake Day.)

Even chefs aren't perfect.  Here was my quick attempt at Birthday Pancakes for my daughter 

freehand.  Using a plastic squeeze bottle works best for small letters.  If using the squeeze

bottle, you will want to substitute canola oil for the butter because sometimes the butter will

clump up in the squeeze bottle.  But for flavor, butter is better.

Buttermilk Pancakes

We make this recipe every Saturday morning.  When we lived in Hawaii John and Laura Moberly would actually jump over the back wall to come for breakfast.  Rebecca Kinney came for breakfast once and said absolutely nothing.  I thought she just didn’t like them.  Later I find out she thought the pancakes were so good that she couldn’t talk and was telling all my neighbors how good they were and that she was dreaming about them.

Serves 4 - 6

2  cups all purpose flour

4  tablespoons sugar

1  teaspoon baking soda

1   teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon cinnamon

1/2  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2   teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, optional

4  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4  eggs

2 1/2 cups buttermilk (Rosemary Musial recommends 2 1/4 for thicker traditional pancakes)

1.  In your largest bowl, mix all dry ingredients together.

2.  In a 4 cup measuring cup, mix all of your wet ingredients together.

3.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to just barely combine.  DO NOT OVERMIX, the batter will be lumpy. (Anytime you are using things with baking soda – muffins, bananabread, etc.—you do not want to overmix or they will be flat and not rise.)

4.  The trickiest part is getting your pan or griddle to the right temperature.  Sometimes you’ll have to throw the first set out if you pan is too hot or too cold.  They should be nice and golden and cooked through (not black on the outside and raw in the inside).  I can’t tell you a correct temperature (except maybe medium) because I’ve had to adjust for every house we’ve ever lived in.

5.  The girls like them with powdered sugar and syrup.  I like them with granulated sugar and lemon juice.  You can also add blueberries or raspberries to the batter and they will be great. 

Maili’s Notes:  I use the microwave for two things:  to melt butter and make super pretzels for the girls.  Microwaves are GREAT for melting butter.  Cover the top of the container with wax paper so the butter doesn’t blow up all over the microwave  (this happens mainly if the butter you put in was frozen.)  

Another Note:  If you are making "letter" pancakes or shape pancakes, the butter may make it harder to squeeze through the squeeze bottle.  You may substitute canola oil for the butter if that makes it easier for you.