American Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberries Recipe
Thicker, soft buttermilk pancakes are a breakfast that in the USA often appears on weekends, when there’s time for relaxed frying and eating together at the table. The strawberry version is lighter than with maple syrup alone and works great in summer. They’re something between Polish thin crêpes and small yeast fritters – soft inside, slightly crisp on the outside.
These American buttermilk pancakes have the texture of fluffy, weekend diner pancakes – thicker than Polish crêpes but lighter than yeast fritters, with a tender, buttery interior. The buttermilk adds a slight tang that perfectly balances the sweetness of the strawberries and syrup, so the whole dish doesn’t feel too heavy even on hot mornings. It’s exactly the kind of breakfast that in the USA is eaten slowly at a big table, with more pancakes being fried as you go.
Chef's tips
Don’t overmix the batter – a few strokes with a spoon are enough, and small lumps of flour are actually desirable, because they help the pancakes rise higher and stay fluffier. Keep the pan over medium, not maximum heat; if the edges brown too quickly while the center stays raw, lower the temperature and fry a bit longer. If you slice the strawberries in advance, pat them very dry with paper towels so they don’t water down the sauce on the plate.
How to serve
They taste best served right after frying, in a tall stack, with plenty of fresh strawberries and a little maple syrup or honey – don’t overdo the amount, as the pancakes themselves are already rich in flavor. To drink, coffee with milk or a large glass of buttermilk or kefir works great, especially if you’re serving them as a late, lazy Sunday breakfast. They also make a lovely “breakfast in bed” for Mother’s Day or a birthday – you can plate individual portions and decorate with fruit at the last moment.
Ingredients
- wheat flour - 250 g
- buttermilk - 300 ml
- egg - 2 pieces
- sugar - 2 tablespoons
- baking powder - 2 teaspoons
- salt - 0.25 teaspoons
- butter - 40 g
- strawberries - 250 g
- maple syrup - 4 tablespoons
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt so there are no lumps of baking powder.
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, then add the melted (but not hot) butter and mix.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir with a spoon or whisk just until combined – if small lumps remain, that’s good, the batter shouldn’t be perfectly smooth.
- Set the batter aside for 5 minutes; in the meantime, wash the strawberries, remove the stems and slice them or cut into quarters.
- Heat a pan with a little oil over medium heat. When a drop of batter placed on the pan starts to gently sizzle right away, the pan is ready.
- Spoon portions of batter onto the pan, forming pancakes about 8–10 cm in diameter. Fry for 2–3 minutes, until small bubbles appear on the surface and the edges start to set.
- Flip the pancakes and fry for another 1.5–2 minutes, until golden. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and keep them covered so they don’t cool down.
- Serve the pancakes stacked in a pile, topped with strawberries and drizzled with maple syrup or honey.
Storage
Usmażone naleśniki przechowuj w lodówce, oddzielone papierem do pieczenia, aby się nie sklejały. Do odgrzania użyj suchej patelni na małym ogniu lub tostera. Po zamrożeniu rozmrażaj w lodówce lub bezpośrednio na patelni na małym ogniu.
