Buttermilk and sour cream do the work here; both acidic, both adding tenderness, and together producing a batter that puffs up reliably in the pan without any fuss. Four pancakes per person is the measure: a proper plateful for two, cooked in a single skillet or on a griddle, without the first ones going cold while the last ones are still cooking.
The blueberries go into the batter rather than scattered on top, so they soften from within as the pancakes cook. When you cut through, they burst. That is the version worth making. Resist pressing them down in the pan; a pancake that has been flattened has given up something it cannot get back.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
Most pancake recipes use one dairy component; buttermilk or milk, sometimes yogurt. This one uses two: buttermilk and sour cream. Both are acidic, which means both react with the baking soda to produce lift, and the sour cream adds a richness that keeps the crumb tender rather than just airy. The result is a pancake that rises higher and stays softer than a single-dairy batter, without any additional effort. Folding the blueberries into the batter rather than pressing them onto the surface means they cook from within, softening fully and bursting when you cut through.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Buttermilk
- Sour Cream
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Blueberries
- Butter
How to Make Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
- Step 1 – Mix the dry ingredients; flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- Step 2 – In another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract and sour cream and mix.
- Step 3 – Add the dry ingredients and mix again. Don’t overmix, you want to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
- Step 4 – Fold in the blueberries and you’re ready to start cooking.
- Step 5 – Melt a little bit of butter on a griddle or in a large skillet. Pour batter onto the griddle on medium to low heat. Depending on the size of the griddle / skillet you can cook 2-3 pancakes (about 1/4-1/3 cup per pancake) at a time or even more. Cook until the bubbles in the batter breaks, about 3 minutes. Turn the pancakes and bake again until your favorite color has been reached. Transfer to warmed plates. Repeat process with remaining batter.
Serve immediately with butter and warm maple syrup, if desired.
I usually bake pancakes a light to dark brown, as you can see, just a little caramelization to add to the flavor. I bake them on medium to low heat to allow them to rise as much as possible, while cooking all the way to the center of the pancake.
Frequently Asked Questions
My favorite alternative is mixing 2/3 cup yogurt with 1/3 cup milk. There is also the method of adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk and let that sit 5 to 10 minutes, but the flavor is not really right.
Yes, this recipe works with fresh and frozen blueberries and you don’t have to thaw them first.
Yes, you can. Replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
Keep leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes, you can freeze pancakes. Transfer them onto a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes. Then, place them to a freezer-safe bag with parchment paper between each pancake to prevent sticking. Keep them in the freeze for about 2 months.
Place them on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 20 seconds per pancake (add more time for multiple pancakes). Or wrap the pancakes in foil and bake for about 10 minutes in an oven of at 350°F.
All American Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients (flour – salt) in a large bowl.
- Whisk the egg in a bowl and add the buttermilk, vanilla extract and sour cream and mix.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix again. Don’t overmix, you want to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
- Fold in the blueberries and you’re ready to start cooking.
- Melt a little bit of butter on a griddle or in a large skillet. Pour batter onto the griddle on medium to low heat. Depending on the size of the griddle / skillet you can cook 2-3 at a time or even more. Cook until the bubbles in the batter break, about 3 minutes.
- Turn the pancakes and bake again until your favorite color has been reached. Transfer to warmed plates. Repeat process with remaining batter. In total you can get 8 pancakes out of this batter (4 per person)
- Serve immediately with butter and warm maple syrup, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.