Finally, a pancake recipe that works with your busy mornings! Create an irresistibly tall stack of the most tender and fluffy buttermilk pancakes loaded with chocolate chips in just 20 minutes. Add a sprinkle of powdered sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a dollop of fresh fruit for an even more luxurious start to your day.
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Despite the best of intentions, making fluffy, homemade buttermilk pancakes completely from scratch often seems too time-consuming for weekday mornings. At best, you feel like you can at least deep into a boxed mix for some time-saving assistance, but what if I told you that you can still make the freshest homemade pancakes in just 15-20 minutes?
These pancakes are so fluffy and tender and modeled after all of the best parts of those found at your local diner: a tall stack of thick pancakes, all uniform in color, and dripping with maple syrup and dusted with powdered sugar.
And of course, I have incorporated copious amounts of chocolate chips, because there's nothing worse than expecting chocolate chip pancakes only to be presented with 1-3 measly chips resting dead-center on the top pancake. That's not love where I come from.
So let's get spontaneous this morning! Throw on a fresh pot of coffee and let everyone else in the house wake up to the wafting aromas of fresh pancakes and chocolate -- I couldn't think of a better way to wake up. 😉
Reasons Why Chocolate Lovers Make This Recipe
- Better than boxed -- while it is arguably more convenient to use popular boxed pancake mixes, nothing compares to the fresh taste of homemade pancakes. Plus, you avoid consuming additives and other nasty chemicals.
- Ready in 20 minutes -- whether you're navigating hectic school runs or lazy Sunday mornings, these pancakes go from bowl to table in no time, making them effortless to work into whatever your schedule has in store.
- Doesn't skimp on chocolate -- because, from one chocolate lover to another, I know exactly how many chocolate chips you're looking for in your pancakes. And no, it isn't three...true story.
- Super fluffy -- these pancakes meet the definition of "pillowy soft" with just the right amount of chew.
Ingredients and Variations
These pancakes can fit into even the busiest of mornings and use just a simple ingredients. Some key notes below:
Cornstarch -- a secret ingredient in most commercial pancake mixes, cornstarch aids in creating fluffy, tender pancakes. Do not omit!
Baking powder and baking soda -- the combination of both baking soda and baking powder provides lift to the pancakes without negatively altering their flavor by using too much of one leavener over the other.
Melted butter -- butter is a key ingredient whose fat contributes to the pancakes' overall flavor and texture, creating impossibly tall, fluffy, and tender results.
Granulated sugar -- while obviously containing some level of added sugar, this recipe also leans on other natural sweeteners like vanilla extract and buttermilk to balance the flavors.
Buttermilk -- using buttermilk in pancakes absolutely transforms their flavor to a new level of richness and sophistication. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, stir together 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the milk has visibly curdled and is then ready to use.
Tips for Success
- Do NOT overmix pancakes! This is probably the single most common mistake people make with homemade pancakes. Too much mixing will deflate the batter and begin to develop the gluten in the flour, both of which will result in stumpy, dense pancakes.
- To achieve a more uniform color, do NOT apply any sort of fat, including nonstick cooking spray, to your work surface before frying. Instead, ladle the batter directly onto your griddle or in your pan. Using butter, oil, or nonstick spray creates a marbled, bubbled appearance instead of an even golden brown.
- To that end, if you have one, I recommend using a griddle for the best results due to its even heating surface. Frying pans on a single burner tend to have hot and cold spots, which can cause uneven cooking and discolored pancakes.
- You can either add the chocolate chips to the batter while in the bowl, to individual pancakes while they are in the pan, or both; it's completely up to your personal preference.
- Refrain from turning the pancakes too early. Wait until the edges begin to firm, the batter starts to rise, and small bubbles begin to appear on the surface before flipping.
- Much like when baking cookies, it is common practice to make a smaller "test pancake" to help fine-tune the recipe before proceeding to make an entire batch. Perhaps the heat needs to be adjusted, or you've discovered that your baking soda is expired. Whatever the reason, a test pancake helps cut down on waste and makes better use of your time you'd otherwise spend on making a whole new batch!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store leftover pancakes in a resealable bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze these pancakes, first allow them to cool completely before individually wrapping them in cling film, then stack into a resealable freezer bag. Store for 2-3 months.
When ready to reheat from the fridge, simply microwave on a plate in a single layer for 45-60 seconds, or until heated through. If reheating from the freezer, repeat the same process but heat for 60-90 seconds on both sides, flipping the pancakes halfway in between, or until fully heated through.
Fluffy Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 microwave-safe bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 rubber spatula
- 1 digital scale
- 1 griddle or nonstick frying pan
Ingredients
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 63 grams cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 57 grams butter, melted
- 1 whole egg, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons granular sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 512 milliliters buttermilk
- 100 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
- butter and maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, then add the egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk and whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the switch to a rubber spatula to gently fold the ingredients together until no flour remains visible. Do NOT overmix! The batter will be lumpy, but this is okay.
- Heat the griddle or nonstick pan to medium-low heat and allow it to get all the way hot. Do not grease the pan. Ladle ¼-cup of batter in the center of the pan and allow for it to sit undisturbed until the edges firm up and small bubbles appear on the surface. Add 5-6 more chocolate chips, if desired.
- Flip the pancakes and continue cooking until golden brown, 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat and serve immediately with a drizzle of maple syrup and pat of butter.
