Everybody loves pancakes! They are simple to mix up and easy to cook, and leftovers are amazing. Pull out your cast iron pan and let's get cooking.
Pancakes are delicious on their own, or you can add them to bacon eggs to really fill everyone's bellies. It's also easy to make ahead. Whether you make the pancakes ahead or simply set out the ingredients so you can spring into action after chores, these are a super fast meal.
Save even more time by making oatmeal pancake batter the night before! You can also pop some hash browns in the oven and set out a topping bar that works on both pancakes and homemade yogurt. If you need dairy-free, these pancakes also work out well!
Why You Need This Recipe
- Use fresh ground flour to get your whole grains in.
- If you have a large griddle you can make this entire batch at once!
- Use up eggs and milk - two things I generally have in abundance.
Key Ingredients
Flour - regular all-purpose is the standard, but this recipe works super well with fresh ground flour. Read on for notes!
Buttermilk - this recipe needs nice and thick cultured buttermilk, either from the store or from clabber culture.
Eggs - a lot of pancakes require a lot of eggs!
Sugar - either granulated sugar or coconut sugar are great here.
If you're feeling fancy, toss in some vanilla extract and cinnamon.
How to Make Cast Iron Pan Pancakes
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in their own bowls to combine well.
Step 2: Stir wet into dry, making sure not to over mix!
Step 3: Use a well-oiled cast iron pan, griddle, etc. and add more oil between batches.
Step 4: Serve! You can keep warm in a 200F oven if you are cooking in batches.
Serve with lots of butter and real maple syrup. A touch of honey is great and I've also perfected my own honey butter syrup.
Tips and Tricks
- Only flip pancakes once - this is what keeps them tall, fluffy, and delicious.
- Keep an eye on the heat. You don't want the pan to be smoking hot, and if cooking in batches you'll need to bump it down the longer you are cooking.
- Try adding a few chocolate chips or blueberries into each pancake before flipping.
Substitutions
Personally, I don't think you can just do the whole milk+lemon juice/vinegar and swap for buttermilk in all recipes. Actual cultured buttermilk is really thick and milk+vinegar is not! If you don't have buttermilk, or better yet, clabber! I would “water down” plain yogurt or sour cream with water or milk to make them a buttermilk consistency.
These pancakes work really well with fresh ground wheat - my favourite is soft white wheat! If you use fresh ground wheat, make sure to let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes so that the flour can properly hydrate. This is how you get fluffy fresh ground wheat pancakes!
FAQs
I don't think anything beats the ease of cast iron. If properly cared for it is nonstick, and it will give you the perfect colour on your pancakes. My 36" Blackstone means I can make this entire batch all at once! Or I can make pancakes on half and bacon on the other. If you haven't invested in cast iron yet, I love a ceramic-coated electric griddle, too.
Once completely cooled, keep in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in a skillet or do a bunch in the toaster oven. You can also freeze pancakes. Either flash freeze in stacks on a pan before bagging, or place parchment paper between layers. You won't be able to pry apart smaller quantities while frozen without breaking them in pieces.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Breakfast Recipes
Hey friends, don't forget to follow me over on Instagram, cause if you like me here, I post there a LOT! I'm also on YouTube with tutorials and Facebook for all sorts of things.
If you like this recipe, I’d love if you reviewed it so others can find it easier. Sharing this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest is another way you can help us out at no cost to you. Thanks, xo Kate
Cast Iron Pan Pancakes
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups buttermilk or clabber
- ¼ cup oil or melted butter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour or soft white wheat flour*
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix wet and dry ingredients in their own bowls, then combine. Whisk only until combined - some lumps are ok!
- Use two cast iron pans on the stove or fire up the Blackstone griddle.
- Use butter or oil between batches to keep pancakes from sticking. Watch the heat so they don't burn.
- Use ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Flip only once, as soon as bubbles appear and then disappear.
Notes
- *If using JUST ground flour, pack the flour a bit in the measuring cup as it's very fluffy compared to flour that's been stored.
- On my 36" inch Blackstone I can make the entire batch at once!
- Makes about 28 pancakes when measuring ¼ cup batter each.
Alyssa
Delicious! Subbed honey for sugar and used milk+yogurt mix for the buttermilk. Recommend!