How to Make Pancakes on a Cast Iron Skillet
Craving a delicious and heartwarming breakfast? Look no further than these fluffy buttermilk pancakes cooked to perfection in a cast iron skillet!
This easy recipe uses simple ingredients and requires minimal prep time, making it perfect for busy mornings. The cast iron skillet distributes heat evenly, ensuring crispy edges and a light, fluffy interior for every pancake.
Get ready to stack these beauties high and drizzle them with your favorite syrup!
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- Skip the Sugar: Ditch the added sugar and enjoy the natural sweetness of maple syrup.
- 5-Minute Prep: This recipe is quick and easy, perfect for busy mornings.
- Pantry Staples: Made with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
- Fluffy Perfection: Get ready for light and fluffy pancakes every time, cooked in a cast iron skillet.
- Family-Approved: A delicious recipe that’s sure to become a favorite.
Cast Iron Pancakes Ingredients
To make the best pancakes in cast iron, you will need the following ingredients:
- Buttermilk: the special ingredient in this pancake recipe; when combined with baking soda, this makes the pancakes thick and fluffy.
- Large Eggs: I always recommend farm fresh or organic eggs; for this recipe, you will need just one egg.
- Butter: Melt butter first so that it has time to cool a bit before adding it to your buttermilk and eggs.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Combining these two leavening agents will help the buttermilk pancakes rise as they cook to turn out light and fluffy.
- Salt: I always recommend using Celtic Salt.
- Flour: I recommend using organic all-purpose flour. Self-rising flour is not recommended, as the baking powder and salt are already accounted for.
Kitchen essentials you may need: Cast Iron Skillet, Small and Large Mixing Bowl, Dough Whisk, Large Spatula
How to Cook Pancakes On Cast Iron
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make cast iron pancakes:
- WHISK DRY INGREDIENTS: Whisk together 1 cup of flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- WHISK WET INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of buttermilk and one egg. While whisking, add two tablespoons of melted butter to the buttermilk mixture. Add this to the bowl of dry flour mixture ingredients.
- COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS: Very swiftly whisk together the wet and dry ingredients with a few swift strokes. Don’t overmix, and ignore the small lumps that you may see in the batter.
- COOK PANCAKES: Pour 1/3 cup of batter on a preheated hot skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on each side. See my tips below on how to cook cast iron skillet pancakes.
How To Serve Pancakes
- Serve hot buttermilk pancakes with slightly warm maple syrup, a pat of butter, or toppings of choice. Amazing pancakes are even better when topped with fresh fruit or peanut butter on top of the pancake.
- If pancakes are not served immediately, keep them on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven.
- Never stack individual pancakes one on the other without something between them because the steam they produce will make the pancakes flabby.
Easy Cast Iron Pancakes: Fluffy Stacks in 5 Steps!
- Hot Pan: Heat your cast iron skillet over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Water Test: Flick water on the pan. If it sizzles, you’re good to go!
- Butter Up: Add a pat of butter to the hot pan and swirl to coat.
- Pour Perfect Circles: Gently pour the batter from your spoon or cup for round pancakes.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix wet ingredients separately, then gently fold them into dry ingredients. A few lumps are okay!
- Bonus Tip: Don’t flatten your pancakes while cooking! Let those bubbles be for fluffy goodness.
Best Toppings for Pancakes
The possibilities are unlimited if you want to add more flavor to the pancakes, whether classic, sweet, or savory. Here are a few choices that taste delightful on top of a short stack:
- Maple Syrup: Forget about using pancake syrup, which is usually filled with artificial ingredients. Nothing stacks up to classic pure maple syrup drizzled over the top of warm pancakes.
- Peanut Butter: this is our family’s favorite way of eating pancakes. Slather peanut butter on each pancake and stack them high before drizzling them with warm maple syrup.
- Fresh Fruit: slices of sweet bananas, juicy peaches, and fresh berries or a little seasonal fruit make a delicious pancake topping.
- Whipped Cream: if you have time, whip up a batch of homemade whipped cream to serve on top of pancakes.
- Chocolate Chips: if you love chocolate, you can not go wrong with a few chocolate chips sprinkled on the top of a stack of pancakes.
How to Store Leftover Pancakes
Fridge: Leftover pancakes can become delicious second breakfasts! Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Freeze: Pancakes freeze great! Let them cool completely, then separate them with parchment paper sheets before placing them in a zip-top freezer bag. They’ll last for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Revive frozen pancakes by thawing them overnight in the fridge. Reheat them in a toaster or oven for a warm, fluffy treat.
Recipe FAQs
Are Cast Iron Pans Good For Pancakes? Yes, cast iron pans are good for making pancakes. It heats evenly for perfectly cooked pancakes: crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Does Pancake Batter Need to Rest? Let the batter rest 20 minutes for lighter, fluffier pancakes!
How Do You Keep Pancakes from Sticking to Cast Iron? Get your cast iron skillet nice and hot over medium heat. Then add a little butter or oil and let it get hot before pouring the batter. This helps prevent sticking!
What Does Buttermilk Do In Pancakes? Buttermilk is acidic, and when mixed with baking soda, it aids in adding extra height to the batter and the browning process. Buttermilk also helps break down the gluten, resulting in a soft, moist, and tender pancake.
Should You Cook Pancakes in Butter or Oil? Preferably butter because it adds a rich buttery flavor to pancakes, which many people find delicious.
How to Know When To Flip Pancakes? You will know you need to flip the pancakes when air bubbles appear on their surface. Before the bubbles break, lift them with a spatula and gently flip them.
What Temp Should Cast Iron Griddle be for Pancakes? The ideal griddle temperature for pancakes is 375°F, or a medium setting for gas stovetop burners.
What to Serve With Cast Iron Pancakes
Here are some delicious sides to serve with this cast iron pancakes recipe:
- Enjoy crispy pan-fried bacon alongside your fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
- Top your cast iron pancakes with this simple recipe for homemade pancake syrup.
Printable Cast Iron Pancake Recipe Card
Cast Iron Pancakes
Buttermilk pancakes are the comfort of a simple homemade breakfast from scratch. A freshly-cooked stack of buttery pancakes, drizzled with real maple syrup, this buttermilk pancake recipe will cook up perfectly every time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Whisk together 1 cup of flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Whisk together 1 cup of buttermilk and 1 egg in a separate bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter into the buttermilk mixture while whisking. Add to the bowl of dry ingredients.
- Very swiftly whisk together the wet and dry ingredients with a few swift strokes. Don’t overmix and ignore the small lumps that you may see in the batter.
- Pour 1/3 cup of the batter on a preheated hot griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on each side. See my tips below on how to cook pancakes.
- Serve hot buttermilk pancakes with slightly warm maple syrup, a pat of butter, or toppings of choice. If pancakes will not be served right away, keep them on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven. Never stack pancakes one on the other without something between them because the steam they produce will make the pancakes flabby.
Notes
This recipe, as written, makes 6-7 small pancakes. If you wish to make a larger batch, double or triple the recipe.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Wet ingredients should be mixed in a separate medium bowl and then added to the dry ingredients. This helps prevent over mixing the batter which results in flat tough pancakes.
- Don’t pat down the pancakes. Resist the urge to use the spatula to flatten the pancakes while they are cooking. This results in squishing the air pockets that make the pancakes fluffy.
- Don’t skip the buttermilk: Buttermilk is the key ingredient to making thick pancakes. The buttermilk is acidic and helps to activate the baking soda in the pancake batter. Buttermilk also helps to break down the gluten in flour which results in tender pancakes.
- Don’t overmix: Ignore the lumps and rest assured that you don’t want to overbeat the batter. Give the batter just a few simple turns with a wooden spoon to barely moisten the dry ingredients.
- Rest the batter: Superior results are achieved if most pancake batter is mixed and then covered and rested for 3 to 6 hours. Now, I rarely make the batter up that far in advance but I generally let mine rest for at least 30 minutes.
HOW TO COOK BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
Before cooking, test the griddle by dropping a few drops of cold water on it. If the water bounces, the griddle is ready to use. If the drops of water sit and boil, the griddle is not quite hot enough, and if the water vanishes the griddle is too hot.
To keep the pancakes from sticking, add a small amount of butter or other choices of oil to the large skillet. If the butter gets too brown between batches, you may have to wipe it out before cooking the next batch of pancakes.
For a well-rounded pancake, don’t drop the batter from on high but instead, let it pour pancake batter from the tip of a ladle or measuring cup.
After you pour the 1/3 cup batter onto the skillet or griddle, let the pancakes cook for 2-3 minutes before flipping. When air bubbles appear on the upper surfaces, but before they break, lift the pancakes with a spatula to see how well they have browned.
Turn the pancakes once and continue cooking until the second is done. Cooking the second side only takes about half as long as the first side. The second side will not brown as evenly as the first.
About Sarah
Wife. Mother. From-Scratch Cook. Homemaker.
I’m Sarah, the creator of Rocky Hedge Farm, where I share my love for simple living, homemade meals, and creating a cozy home. As a wife and mother, I’m passionate about slowing down, cooking from scratch, and finding joy in the everyday moments of life. From DIY projects and family-friendly recipes, I hope to inspire others to embrace a life rooted in simplicity and warmth.
Your pancakes look so delicious! And all your photos are fabulous!
They look wonderful! Anxious to try them. I usually put a little vanilla and sugar in my pancakes. These will be fun to try,