Everyone loves pancakes, but I wanted to recreate that fluffy restaurant texture at home with real food ingredients. That’s why I came up with this whole-wheat pancake recipe using buttermilk—it’s so good you’ll hardly believe these pancakes are made from whole grains and natural ingredients.
These whole wheat pancakes are rich and fluffy—perfect for a weekend brunch. Or make them ahead and freeze for a quick, healthy breakfast that’s great for busy mornings.
What is buttermilk?
Buttermilk is one of those ingredients that sure does make food taste good! I love it in biscuits and salad dressings and am always looking for ways to use what’s left when I buy it for only one recipe. True buttermilk should be thick like yogurt and adds a nice texture to pancakes. Feel free to fold in your favorite berry (or banana) to this recipe and no matter what, don’t forget to top it off with fresh fruit!
What’s your favorite way to use buttermilk?
Can you substitute milk for buttermilk in pancakes?
Yes, you can! The end result won’t be exactly the same, but it will definitely work. I’d be willing to bet any type of milk (including dairy alternatives) would be just fine in this recipe—there seem to be so many alternatives to choose from these days. So if you’re in a pinch, I say go for it! And let me know how they turn out. :)
You can also make your own buttermilk alternative! Just add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a 1-cup measuring cup. Then fill the cup up the rest of the way with milk. Give it a mix, and then let it stand for about 5 minutes. Since this whole wheat pancake recipe calls for two cups of buttermilk you’ll have to do this twice (or double it in a larger container), but it works great!
Tips for making this homemade buttermilk pancake recipe with whole wheat flour
Whole wheat flour is substituted for white flour at a 1:1 ratio in recipes. You then make whole wheat pancakes the same as any other pancake recipe … simply stir, pour, cook, flip, and eat! The main difference is that whole-wheat pancakes are naturally a little darker so be careful when judging the doneness.
Just make sure your pan isn’t too hot and you flip them when the batter bubbles to keep your pancakes from burning.
I don’t have whole-wheat pastry flour, what can I substitute for buttermilk pancakes?
Any regular whole wheat flour can be substituted for whole-wheat pastry flour. The pastry flour is milled from a lighter wheat making it softer in recipes like pancakes. If you don’t normally like whole-grain recipes but haven’t tried baking with whole-wheat pastry flour, I strongly recommend giving it a try! You can order it online, or if you can’t get some I recommend at least trying white whole-wheat flour instead (which is still 100% whole-grain).
Healthy alternatives to sugar for baking (and pancakes!)
If you haven’t already noticed, this recipe calls for honey instead of sugar. Honey is one of my favorite swaps because it’s a more natural alternative to refined sugars.
For something a little less sweet, homemade applesauce will also work in this recipe; replace it one for one. Berry sauce is also delicious if you want a fruity flavor. (It also makes a great pancake topping!)
Finally, one trick I love is just adding some pure maple syrup in place of sugar. It’s good in most recipes, but it’s a perfect fit as a sugar alternative for homemade pancakes since you’re likely serving them with a little on top!
Troubleshooting homemade whole wheat buttermilk pancakes
How do I get fluffy pancakes?
Let your ingredients warm up to room temperature before starting—this helps your pancakes be light and fluffy. You can also pre-whip the eggs before adding them to the mixture and sift your dry ingredients so there’s more air in the recipe.
Why are my homemade pancakes rubbery?
You probably overmixed the batter. Mix your pancakes by hand until the ingredients are combined, but not overmixed. It’s OK if there are some lumps in the batter.
Help! The butter is burning in my pan, how do I stop it?
Turn down the heat or add a small amount of oil to the pan with the butter.
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (can sub regular whole-wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- butter (for cooking)
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Make a well (hole) in the center of the dry ingredients and drop in the buttermilk, eggs, honey, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl enough butter around the pan until it is well coated. Add pancake batter using a soup ladle.
- When the pancakes have begun to turn golden brown on the bottom and bubbly on the top, flip them over to cook the other side.
- Serve with warm pure maple syrup and fresh fruit. And don't forget to freeze the leftovers for another day!
These were amazing! Definitely double the recipe for leftovers. I made the homemade berry sauce to serve them with and the kids couldn’t get enough. Thanks as always!
Hey, Lisa. I love the wheat buttermilk pancakes. I have made the cake by following your recipe. I wish I could send you the pic.
It looks amazing. It was delicious.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!!!
My pancakes don’t raise quite a high as with storebought buttermilk, though still delicious, but most other recipes come out nearly the same. I especially love sour milk/buttermilk in chocolate cupcakes, whoopie pies, Irish soda bread and your corn bread.
Sorry to hear they aren’t rising as well as you’d hope. Love the suggestions for leftover buttermilk! – Nicole
Lisa, I’m a die-hard follower of yours for 6 years. I had buttermilk in the house (rare) and came upon this. Dare I say, this is best recipe you have! I made this as “breakfast for dinner” with bacon, and I’m not sure I ever want to make “dinner for dinner” again . P.s. I did sub King Arthur white whole wheat flour instead of pastry.
What is your suggested egg substitute for this recipe due to egg allergies in our home? Would you recommend flax egg or chia egg…or something else? Thanks!
I know a lot of people use flax although I’ve never tried it myself!
What is the best way to re-heat frozen pancakes?
I usually just pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. – Nicole
I use oat milk in all my recipes calling for milk.
Honestly, unless it is a fancy dessert/pastry recipe, I usually just make my own sour milk. It is convienent as I always have milk in the fridge, and cheaper, plus I can use organic milk. My pancakes don’t raise quite a high as with storebought buttermilk, though still delicious, but most other recipes come out nearly the same. I especially love sour milk/buttermilk in chocolate cupcakes, whoopie pies, Irish soda bread and your corn bread.
To make 1 cup of sour milk, measure 1 cup of milk (whole or 2% works best), remove 1 tablespoon of the milk. Pour milk in a wide bowl, then add 1 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) and stir. Let the mixture sit at least 15 minutes and it should curdle nicely. (The longer it sits the better.) Use in place of buttermilk in your favorite recipes.
Easier yet if you measure the 1 Tbsp of vinegar into a measuring cup first and then fill with milk till you measure 1 cup. ;)