Brown Sugar Pancakes
Description
Fluffy buttermilk brown sugar pancakes with cinnamon, vanilla, and pure maple syrup mixed right into the batter. The easiest 20-minute homemade pancake recipe — perfect for weekend brunch, holidays, or Mother's Day.
Ingredients
Dry:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240 g, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, 50 g, packed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet:
- 1½ cups buttermilk, 360 ml, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, 57 g, melted and slightly cooled
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 60 ml
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For cooking and serving:
- Butter or neutral oil, for greasing the griddle
- Extra butter and pure maple syrup, for serving
- Optional: fresh berries, sliced bananas, toasted pecans, whipped cream
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and no clumps of brown sugar remain.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted (cooled) butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth and uniform.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir gently with a whisk or spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. A few lumps are fine — do not overmix.
- Rest. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes while you preheat the pan. This produces noticeably fluffier pancakes.
- Preheat the griddle. Heat a non-stick skillet, cast-iron pan, or electric griddle over medium-low heat (about 325°F on an electric griddle). Lightly grease with butter or oil.
- Cook the pancakes. Pour ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle, leaving room between them. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles form and pop on the surface and the edges look set.
- Flip once. Flip carefully and cook the second side for 1–2 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Keep warm. Transfer to a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you finish the rest of the batter.
- Serve. Stack high and serve hot with butter, warm pure maple syrup, and your favorite toppings.
Equipment
- Non-stick skillet, griddle, or electric griddle
- Spatula
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- ¼-cup measuring cup or cookie scoop
Notes
Notes
- Buttermilk substitute: Stir 1½ tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice into 1½ cups whole milk; let sit 5 minutes.
- Don't overmix: Lumps in the batter are a good sign. Overmixed batter makes flat, tough pancakes.
- Low and slow: Brown sugar caramelizes faster than white sugar, so cook on medium-low to avoid scorching.
- Make ahead: Pancakes freeze beautifully. Cool, freeze flat on a tray, then bag with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Reheat in the toaster.
- Doubling: Recipe doubles easily.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 533kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 13gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 884mgPotassium: 294mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 640IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 345mgIron: 4mg