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Crispy Thin Pancakes

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These buttermilk pancakes produce light, fluffy and tender pancakes with crispy edges. They’re perfect for breakfast or dinner.

Crispy Thin Pancakes

The basic homemade buttermilk pancakes I grew up on always had crispy edges. I didn’t know that they made them any other way until my first visit on a family vacation to IHOP (International House of Pancakes). I wasn’t a fan of their pancakes for a long time because they didn’t have those crispy edges.

Crispy pancakes need to get as much love as fluffy pancakes because they’re amazing! I truly believe that crispy edges are the calling card of home cooking. Sometimes the heat’s too high, so they come out a little dark and vice versa, but they never get thrown away.

I’m going to show you how to make the perfect buttermilk crispy pancakes that may not be pretty enough for a pancake commercial but are delicious enough for breakfast, lunch, or dinner for your family.

Crispy Thin Buttermilk Pancakes

Key Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients you’ll need for these crispy pancakes.

All-Purpose Flour

I always use unbleached flour to make sure I’m consuming the least processed flour possible.

Sugar

A little sugar goes a long way.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Some people use one or the other, but the combination helps create perfect crispy edges.

Buttermilk

I only eat homemade pancakes if they have buttermilk in them, and I love the slight tang and tenderness it adds.

Oil

A little oil is needed to keep the pancakes from drying out.

Egg

One egg is all that’s needed to make enough pancakes to feed 8 people.

Maple Syrup

I love the flavor of real maple syrup, so grade A is all I use.

Crispy Thin Buttermilk Pancakes with syrup

How to make Crispy Buttermilk Pancakes recipe?

I want my crispy pancakes to be fun, tasty, and not as complicated as you thought. The key to getting crispy edges is frying the pancakes in oil, and the pancakes will absorb quite a bit of the oil as they fry up, but the results are incredible.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl and stir together.

Mix oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and egg in a medium bowl. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until smooth. Some small lumps are okay. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, and pour ¼ cup of pancake batter per pancake; cook pancakes until the top batter has small bubbles form, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1 minute 30 seconds until golden brown. Depending on the size of your skillet, I wouldn’t cook more than 3 pancakes at a time.
Repeat with the remaining batter. You can keep pancakes warm in a warm oven and serve them warm with room-temperature unsalted butter and maple syrup.

pancakes on platter

Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks

Keep these tips in mind while you’re whipping these crispy pancakes.

  • The more batches you make, the hotter your skillet will get, so be sure to reduce your heat to keep your pancakes from burning.
  • You can use a griddle instead of a skillet.
  • A cast iron skillet makes the best crispy pancakes.
  • Do NOT skip the step of letting the batter rest. This allows the flour to absorb the liquids creating a lighter pancake.
  • Feel free to use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
  • You can use any milk you have at home instead of buttermilk. Almond milk or whole milk will work.
  • I don’t recommend a buttermilk substitute using lemon juice.
  • Use equal parts of sour cream instead of buttermilk to make sour cream pancakes.
  • Use an oil with a high smoke point like canola oil, vegetable, grapeseed, or avocado.
  • Top pancakes with fresh fruit or whipped cream.
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Crispy Thin Buttermilk Pancakes with syrup

FAQs

Here are the top questions readers have about making homemade pancakes.

Why do my pancakes get crispy?

Your pancakes may be getting crispy from the amount of oil and the high temperature your cooking them. If you do not want them crispy, cook your pancakes in unsalted butter at a lower temperature.

Should my pancake batter be thick or thin?

Proper pancake batter should be thick. A thin batter means you’ve added too much liquid or not enough flour.

What makes pancakes crispy?

Crispy pancakes happen by frying the pancakes in oil over medium-high heat.

What’s the secret to thin pancakes with crispy edges?

The best way to achieve thin pancakes with crispy edges is to use a skillet that holds heat well, like a cast iron skillet. You also want to cook them in oil, not butter. Finally, cook your pancakes over medium-high heat, depending on your stove. For gas, use medium heat; for other stovetops, use medium-high heat.

How can I cook a pancake without using oil?

You don’t have to cook your pancakes in oil. You can use melted butter or ghee(clarified butter) for some incredible pancakes!

How to store leftover pancakes?

Pancakes are best eaten immediately, but they will remain fresh for 3 days in the fridge.

Freeze pancakes in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for 2 months. I like to wrap them in plastic wrap, three at a time.

Reheat the pancakes in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Crispy Thin Buttermilk Pancakes with syrup

More Pancake Recipes

If you’re a pancake fan like me, I know you’ll love these recipes!

Latest Recipe Video:

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Before You Begin

Here are my steps for getting organized before I start anything.

Step 1: Get all ingredients for the best buttermilk pancakes on the counter.

Step 2: Measure everything out into bowls.

Step 3: Follow this easy recipe for the best homemade pancakes.

The best pancake recipe is lightly browned with a crispy edge. I hope you’ll give them a try, and if you do, please leave a comment and star rating below.

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Crispy Thin Buttermilk Pancakes

Crispy Thin Pancakes

Kenneth Temple
These buttermilk pancakes produce light, fluffy and tender pancakes with crispy edges. They’re perfect for breakfast or dinner.
3.80 from 10 votes
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings 8 persons
Calories 127 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons oil plus more for cooking
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt and stir together.
  • In a medium bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and egg. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until smooth. Some small lumps are okay. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, and pour ¼ cup of pancake batter per pancake; cook pancakes until the top batter has small air bubbles form, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1 minute 30 seconds until golden brown. Depending on the size of your skillet, I wouldn’t cook more than 3 pancakes at a time.
  • Repeat with the remaining batter. You can keep pancakes warm in a warm oven. Serve with room temperature butter and maple syrup.

Notes

Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Keep these tips in mind while you’re whipping these crispy pancakes.
  • The more batches you make, the hotter your skillet will get, so be sure to reduce your heat to keep your pancakes from burning.
  • You can use a griddle instead of a skillet.
  • A cast iron skillet makes the best crispy pancakes.
  • Do NOT skip the step of letting the batter rest. This allows the flour to absorb the liquids creating a lighter pancake.
  • Feel free to use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
  • You can use any milk you have at home instead of buttermilk. Almond milk or whole milk will work.
  • I don’t recommend a buttermilk substitute using lemon juice.
  • Use equal parts of sour cream instead of buttermilk to make sour cream pancakes.
  • Use an oil with a high smoke point like canola oil, vegetable, grapeseed, or avocado.
  • Top pancakes with fresh fruit or whipped cream.
Storage:
Pancakes are best eaten immediately, but they will remain fresh for 3 days in the fridge.
Freeze pancakes in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for 2 months. I like to wrap them in plastic wrap, three at a time.
Reheat the pancakes in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 306mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 80IUCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
Keyword rispy thin pancakes, crispy pancakes, recipe for thin pancakes, crispy pancakes recipe, crispy pancake recipe,
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