Strawberry Pancakes

Fluffy buttermilk pancakes loaded with vanilla flavor and juicy strawberries.These buttermilk pancakes are buttery, super fluffy, with perfect golden crispy edges. Have them plain with a bit of butter or loaded with more fresh strawberries, dollops of soft vanilla whipped cream or with plenty of maple syrup or all of the above. Adding the cream makes this reminiscent of strawberry shortcakes. These delicious pancakes are based on an easy fluffy vanilla pancake recipe made from everyday ingredients but with delicious pops of fresh strawberry and some lemon zest in every bite! I don’t know about you, but I think breakfast for dinner should be a weekly occurrence with these pancakes as the star of the show.

Why you will love this strawberry pancake recipe

• They are a super light and fluffy pancake that you can eat as a stack at breakfast or save for a snack or breakfast for dinner
• You only need pantry basic ingredients to make this recipe, nothing fancy here
• Strawberry pancakes makes everyone and anyone feel special, so they are a lovely start to the day for a special occasion or for brunch with family or friends
  
  

What makes buttermilk pancakes different than regular pancakes?

The buttermilk activates the leavening agents in the pancake mix to help create the fluffiest pancakes. You can see this happen right before your eyes. As soon as you add the wet ingredients to the dry you will notice a big difference when you use buttermilk. The batter develops large bubbles that you know will translate into fluffy pancakes. It also helps make the pancakes extra soft and keeps them moist as well. It adds it’s distinct tang to the batter as well - making these slighty sweet, with a bit of tang and totally irresistible. If you don’t have buttermilk stocked in your fridge or in your local grocery store, no biggie - it’s so easy to make. If you have regular milk and either lemon juice or standard white vinegar you have everything you need to make homemade buttermilk. It’s 1 Tablespoon white vinegar (or lemon juice) to 1 cup milk (scant cup). Gently stir and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. This will allow the milk to slightly curdle, giving it a buttermilk-like texture and taste.

Can I make these pancakes dairy free?

Yes I have tested this recipe without dairy. The butter can be substituted for a mild flavoured vegetable oil or margarine and the buttermilk can be substituted for a non-dairy alternative such as soy milk, nut milk or rice milk you may not get the same lift if you aren’t using buttermilk but they will still be delicious. I have also made these with kombucha - a great buttermilk substitute and it worked beautifully! I made these for a client with a strawberry kombucha and they were wonderful - kombucha can easily be a 1-1 substitute for buttermilk in this recipe and other any other baking recipe too. The fermented drink reacts to the flour mixture in a similar way as buttermilk reacts with it giving these pancakes their fluffy texture.

How to get no fail pancakes every time?

This simple batter is key. Simple, and basic ingredients make up the batter so you never ever have to reach for the boxed stuff ever again. The key to the most perfect buttermilk pancakes is easy, do not over mix your batter, and use a very good nonstick skillet or pan or griddle set on medium/low heat. Take your time and let them do their thing. Once you start seeing those distinct bubbles happening on the surface and the edges start to get a nice colour, flip and be just as patient while the other side cooks. Using a rubber flat spatula makes your flip easy, swift and perfect every time with the flick of your wrist.

This recipe is easy and uses pantry staples, but let’s talk about a handful of the ingredients before we get started - For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post:

• Buttermilk: When combined with the baking soda, this gives the pancakes a nice lift, making them thick and fluffy. It’s purpose isn’t only a chemical one, though, it also gives buttermilk pancakes a great flavor with a classic but subtle tang.
• Eggs. Always a good idea that they are room temperature. Generally all your ingredients should be so that the batter combines easily but this recipe is pretty resilient.
• Butter. This should be melted. Do this first so it has time to cool a bit before you add it to your buttermilk.
• Baking powder and baking soda. The combination of these two leaveners give the pancakes the perfect fluffiness and lift.
• Flour. I recommend using all-purpose flour. You can experiment with substituting some of the flour with whole wheat flour, but since that is a much thirstier flour you might need a bit more buttermilk to keep the batter from being too thick. Self rising flour is not recommended as the baking powder and salt are already accounted for.
  
  

How to make strawberry pancakes

1. DRY INGREDIENTS. To make it, whisk together the flour, lemon zest, sugar baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. WET INGREDIENTS. Combine the buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla, and mix until combined.
3. MIX. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined (a few small lumps are okay). Fold the sliced berries into the batter.
4. COOK. From there, you will preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Grease with butter or cooking spray. Pour the batter by ¼-⅓ cup scoops onto the preheated skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until there are bubbles throughout the batter and the edges look dry, then flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
   
   

Tips for making delicious strawberry pancakes every time

• Don’t over mix the pancake batter. It is best to leave the lumps in it after combining ingredients. Over mixing it can make the pancakes rubbery and not fluffy.
• Letting the batter rest for about 5-10 minutes while you heat up your griddle or skillet allows the butter to set and the ingredients to marry into each other.
• Frozen strawberries can be used in this recipe instead of fresh ones.be sure to thaw, drain and slice.
• Serve your syrup warm, if not hot. It helps the butter melt and spreads all that delicious buttery’ness
• Your pancake won’t be perfectly round, the lumps of strawberry means you will get imperfect circles, but they will still taste great!
  
  

Storage and freezing

• To freeze strawberry pancakes place them in a single layer on a baking pan and freeze for 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight freezer safe container freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments until hot. They do not have to thaw before reheating.
• How to store leftovers: Store cooked pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  
  

More Breakfast Favourites to Try:

• Bakery Style Blueberry Streusel Muffins
• Strawberry Rhubarb Baked French Toast
• Easy Almond Flour Muffins
• Easy Baked Tsoureki (challah/brioche) French Toast
• Easy Delicious and Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
• Croissant Baked French Toast With Strawberries and Cream Cheese
• Fluffy Lemon Ricotta Waffles
• Baked Blueberry French Toast