Yeast-Raised Buttermilk Pancakes. A little bit of dry active yeast is the trick to the fluffiest, complex pancakes at home. These have been a staple in my day off breakfast rotation. A little bit of tahini, zaatar, and maple syrup to finish gives these buttermilk pancakes the nutty, herbal, sweet finish we all need.
Nostalgia
My mom always had the fluffiest pancakes at home. The classic buttermilk pancakes with a generous amount of butter in the batter. She always added more than the recipe she wrote, like all good home recipes. The nostalgia of those moments really informed the creation of this recipe. The hotcakes aren’t the same ones my mom made, but the fluffy nostalgic element really takes me back to those moments.
Yeasted Buttermilk Pancakes
Believe it or not, a little bit of yeast is the key to the fluffiest pancakes ever. We’re still using baking powder in the mix, but the little microbes really do wonders. The quick fermentation creates a little extra structure that keeps the air pockets in the pancakes stable. Interestingly, the longer the fermentation, the more gluten develops. This is simply through the slow rise of the batter. Keeping the fermentation quick, just half an hour to an hour at room temperature is perfect. If you want something that goes beyond a buttermilk pancake, ferment it longer in the fridge. Two days of cold fermentation creates a bready, English muffin–like pancake—something that feels especially saved for those just-right moments
Yeasted Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients
Pre ferment
- 3/4C | 192g Buttermilk
- 1/2C | 62G Flour
- ½ tsp | 7g Yeast
Wet
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp | 4g Sugar
- 2 Tbsp | 27g butter – melted
- 1.5 tsp | 10g maple syrup
Dry
- ½ C | 62g Flour
- ¾ tsp | 2g Baking powder
- ¾ tsp | 5g salt
Instructions
- Warm buttermilk to 100F Whisk 1/2C flour and yeast together, then add the warmed buttermilk. Lightly whisk together until combined, with small clumps. Rest for 30 min to 1 hour at room temp, or in the refrigerator for 12 to 48 hours.
- Whisk egg, sugar, and maple syrup until combined, then slowly add melted butter. Lightly whisk dry ingredients until evenly incorporated. After fermenting the batter, add the wet ingredients and whisk until combined. Lightly fold dry ingridients into the batter until evenly mixed with small clumps. Rest for another 10 to 20 minutes.
- On medium – low, add a small amount of grape seed oil to a nonstick pan( nonstick, cast iron, or carbon steel) Add a spoonful of batter. Cook on one side until small air bubbles form on the edges. Flip the cakes and add a small knob of butter. Make sure the butter coats the pan and cakes. Once fully cooked, flip one last time to coat the other side in butter. The pancakes are done once a cake tester or knife comes out of the pancake clean and hot to the touch.
- Serve with tahini, maple syrup, and zaatar, or your favorite toppings.