Fluffy Lemon Buttermilk Pancakes

Brighten your day with lemon buttermilk pancakes. Buttery and fluffy, with a slight hint of lemony flavor. My favorite pancake recipe of all time!

This recipe is probably my favorite pancake recipe of all time. They are buttery and fluffy, with a slight hint of lemon flavor. Adding fresh lemon zest is the easiest way to add sweet citrus flavor to the pancakes.

For some reason, adding lemon to anything makes it seem lighter and healthier, don’t you agree?

These fluffy lemon buttermilk pancakes are the fluffiest pancakes you will ever eat! Rich and tangy all at the same time, these lemon buttermilk pancakes are easy to make on a lazy weekend morning. They’re also a great way to impress house guests when visiting.

Perfect fluffy lemon pancakes brighten your morning and put you in a great mood for the rest of the day. 

What You Need To Make Lemon Buttermilk Pancakes

Besides the buttermilk and lemon zest, these pancakes contain basic pantry ingredients. The recipe card at the end of this post lists the full ingredient list with measurements.

Dry Ingredients

• Flour: all-purpose flour
• Baking Powder: a leavening agent that gives the pancakes a fluffy texture.
• Baking Soda: together with baking powder, maximizes the flavor and the rise.
• Salt: Enhances the flavor of the pancakes. I almost always use kosher salt for recipes.
• Sugar: granulated sugar sweetens the pancakes without making them overly sweet.
• Lemon: The zest of the lemon is not as acidic as lemon juice but is more concentrated. The zest is perfect for getting hints of lemony flavor in each bite of the pancake.

Wet Ingredients

• Eggs: lightly beaten eggs bind the ingredients together and structure the batter.
• Buttermilk: makes your pancakes fluffier because it is acidic, which activates the baking soda and baking powder and makes even more bubbles. Buttermilk also gives pancakes a tangy, rich flavor. If you don’t have buttermilk, make some with this recipe.
• Oil: provides a moist texture to your pancakes so they won’t dry out. Many recipes call for melted butter (unsalted butter), but I use olive oil instead. I used to always make this recipe with vegetable oil, but olive oil is a healthier option, and it amplifies the flavor of the pancake instead of masking it. Use whatever cooking oil you like; you’ll only need a quarter cup plus some to lubricate the griddle.

Optional Pancake Toppings

• maple syrup
• pats of butter
• sweetened whipped cream
• powdered sugar

Optional Add-Ins

• blueberries (rinsed, tossed, and coated with flour)
• raspberries (rinsed, tossed, and coated with flour
• blackberries (rinsed, tossed, and coated with flour
• chopped bacon

How To Make Lemon Buttermilk Pancakes

Making pancakes is mixing dry and wet ingredients into a batter poured over a heated service. This easy recipe uses pantry staples perfect for lazy Sunday mornings or special occasions during the week. Here’s a basic overview of how to make the pancakes. The recipe card at the end of this post provides detailed instructions with times and temperatures.

1. Combine the Dry Ingredients: Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients and lemon zest in a large bowl.
2. Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients and the Wet Ingredients: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the dry ingredients are moistened and no large clumps of flour are visible.
4. Rest: Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while preheating the griddle.
5. Cook: Pour about ¼ cup of the batter onto a preheated, lightly greased griddle for each pancake. Cook the pancakes over medium-low heat until the tops are covered in bubbles and edges and are golden brown; turn and cook the other side. Repeat the process until all of the batter is used.
6. Serve: stack the pancakes onto plates and serve warm with toppings of your choice.

Recipe Tips

• Do not over-mix the batter; it will deflate the pancakes and make them tough. The batter does not need to be beaten until it’s smooth. Seeing some lumps in the pancake batter is ok!
• Toss fresh blueberries in some flour and add them directly to the pancake batter, if desired.
• Start with a fully preheated surface before you add the batter.
• Don’t press the pancake with a spatula while they cook. This will deflate them and make them tough.

Storing Leftover Pancakes and Batter

• Storing Leftover Pancake Batter: You can store unused batter in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Storing Leftover Pancakes: I always freeze leftover pancakes for David in the freezer, and they freeze well! The main thing is to ensure they have cooled completely before refrigerating or freezing so they don’t stick together. Slide them in a ziptop bag and seal, pressing out as much of the air as possible.

Reheating Leftover Pancakes

The three methods we recommend for reheating your pancakes are in the oven, microwave, or toaster. Below is a little more detail for each method.

• Oven Method: Bake them in a 350-degree F oven on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Place pancakes on a rimmed sheet pan and warm through. (More time is needed for frozen pancakes vs. refrigerated ones.)
• Microwave Method: microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove promptly so they don’t become soggy from steam.
• Toaster: Place the pancakes in the toaster slots and toast them like a bagel.

I wish everyone many lazy pancake weekends!