Buttermilk Pancakes for Two (And Topping Ideas!)

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHAT YOU GET IN THIS RECIPE: The perfect amount of buttermilk pancakes for two people! Make breakfast special next time around. 

If you’ve ever followed a recipe for pancakes, chances are you’ve ended up with some leftovers — especially if you’re only feeding yourself (see my Single-Serving Fluffy Pancake recipe!) or another loved one. I’ve cut out the guesswork for you, which means you won’t have to do math in the morning to cut down the serving size of your favorite pancake recipe (maybe my Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes?). 

The trick to perfect pancakes is buttermilk. These pancakes turn out even better than your go-to diner. They’re super light and fluffy. We love them topped with salty butter, sweet syrup, and tangy berries! 

Why You Need Buttermilk To Make Pancakes

The buttermilk does give the pancakes a very slight tang, which is lovely, but adding them to pancakes is much more important than just flavor.

Buttermilk helps activate the baking soda or raising agent in the batter, which means that even before your pancakes hit the heat of your skillet, the buttermilk is at work, making them light, fluffy, and bubbly in the batter.

Buttermilk is also an acid that breaks down the gluten in the pancakes, helping make them tender and soft!

If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own using this recipe.

How To Make The Perfect Pancake Batter

Pancakes are a pretty easy thing to make. Kids can even get in on the fun of flipping some flapjacks. But there is one very simple thing that will ensure your pancake batter is better than ever before: use melted butter. 

Melted butter will emulsify with your buttermilk, which improves the texture of the pancake, and helps make it extra moist. 

The Secret To Fluffy, Not Rubbery, Pancakes

You want to be sure not to overmix your pancake batter. The less you mix, the thicker and fluffier your pancakes will be. Don’t worry about the lumps; they disappear when you let the batter rest. 

Let the batter rest in the fridge for 20 minutes before using it! It will be slightly cold when it hits the hot skillet and that butter will create steam, which also aids in making your pancake fluffy. 

Tools You Need To Make Buttermilk Pancakes For Two

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Skillet

Two Topping Ideas

In our how-to video (which you can watch here), my husband Kevin and I made pancakes for each other, trying to guess what the other might like. I won’t spoil you on who was more successful (the answer is always me), but both stacks we made were absolutely delicious. Kevin made me Boozy Butter Pecan Pancakes, and I made him Banana Split Pancakes! Here’s how we made both, so you can too:

Boozy Butter Pecan Pancakes

Kevin, unbeknownst to me, stole my pecans out of the pantry and used my recipe for maple buttered pecan sauce, and took it up a notch by adding booze. You can use as little or as much as you’d like, it just depends on your taste.

What he did was take the syrup, the booze, the butter, and the pecans, and warmed them all together on the stovetop — then he grated dark chocolate on the pancakes, poured the mixture over, and topped with fresh whipped cream.

Banana Split Pancakes

I, as the clear-cut winner (I’m kidding, you’ll have to watch the video), made Kevin Banana Split Pancakes. The first step, other than making the pancakes themselves, is caramelizing the bananas. Then, it’s all about layers: chocolate sauce, strawberry syrup, sprinkles, and of course — the cherry on top! Oh, and I did find some toasted hazelnuts, too.

The only thing I was missing was vanilla ice cream, but I went with whipped cream instead. Make it however you like!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Buttermilk Pancakes For Two

• For fluffy whole wheat pancakes, replace half of the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of whole wheat.
• If you prefer a less sweet pancake, you can leave out the sugar.
• When mixing pancake batter, a few lumps are okay. Over-mixing the dough will result in tough, rubbery pancakes.
• Before flipping the pancake, lift a small corner and make sure it is a nice golden brown. If it is too pale, the pancake may fall apart while you are trying to flip it.
• If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own using this recipe.
• You can stir in a few handfuls of chocolate chips, berries, or diced banana into the batter for a fun variation.

Need More Breakfast?

• Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes
• Breakfast Tart
• Waffles Without A Waffle Maker
• Quiche Lorraine

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking cookbook for more recipes!

Learn new skills and level up your baking in the Bold Baking Academy — now open for subscription, featuring the Bold Baking Concierge for direct access to Gemma & her team for all your baking help.

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