Light Fluffy Pecan Pancakes

Fluffy, buttery, nutty, pecan pancakes topped with maple syrup make for a tasty and easy breakfast we all enjoy.

syrup over pancakes stacked on blue plate

Pecan Pancakes

Pancakes are truly one of the best breakfasts. You can make them in mere minutes and my family just can’t resist them. The smell of pancakes will pull them out of bed every time.

My favorite setting on my oven is the “warm setting”. It is perfect for pancake mornings. I can get a jump start before everyone wakes up and have them made and kept hot. Simply place the pancakes on a baking sheet when they’re done on the griddle and then pop them in the oven to hold.

If your oven doesn’t have this setting. Just turn it on at 150-200 degrees. This is just enough to keep your pancakes warm but not bake or cook them.

The Secret to Fluffy Pancakes

The secrets of pancake making are ones anyone can master and I share my secrets freely! So here goes what I get asked the most:

How do you get your pancakes so fluffy? Three things, baking soda, baking powder, and patience. Yes, patience is a key ingredient. Many recipes only use soda or only use baking powder.

A combination of both helps your pancakes be super fluffy. And patience, after mixing your batter, wait until you see bubbles. Rest your batter until it is covered in bubbles. Trust me.

Why do you use real buttermilk? I know there are lots of hacks for making buttermilk. But trust me when I say nothing beats the rich, flavor of real buttermilk when making pancakes. Please, whatever you do; don’t skip on the buttermilk for the tastiest pancakes.

syrup pouring over stacked pancakes on plate with pecans

If you make pancakes often, nothing beats a great electric griddle for streamlining the cooking process. A few years ago, when my 15-year-old griddle finally died, I tested every single griddle I could get my hands on.

When I finally tried this extra large electric griddle, I knew I’d found THE ONE. It’s a little on the spendy side, but I am telling you now, it beats all the others hands-down.

This nylon flexible turner is a pancake-making must-have, as is a dough whisk. If you aren’t familiar with the awesomeness that is a dough whisk for pancakes and waffles, you are missing out. It’s a crazy-looking tool, but it stirs the batter just enough without overmixing it.

I’ve tried pretty much all of the nifty pancake-pouring gadgets out there, and I stand by a good old measuring cup as the easiest way to make pancakes. I use the ¼ or ⅓ cup sizes for most pancake making – this set that I use every day will allow you to improvise for all kinds of sizes.

fluffy panckes on blue plate with floral towel

Buttermilk Pecan Pancakes

all-purpose flour
sugar
baking powder
baking soda
kosher salt
ground cinnamon
buttermilk (not a buttermilk substitute)
eggs
butter
pecans
vegetable or coconut oil for the pan

Instructions

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. Add the buttermilk and the eggs, whisk to combine, and then add the butter. Whisk to combine and then stir in the pecans.
Let the batter rest while the griddle or pan heats. Be careful not to overbeat the pancake batter, lumps are fine. This is a very thick batter and the pancakes will thin out as they cook on the griddle.
Heat a flat-bottom nonstick skillet or electric griddle (this is my favorite griddle) over medium heat. Oil the skillet or griddle generously (using about a tablespoon of oil) and then pour ⅓ cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake.
Let cook until the pancakes begin to bubble on top and they are lightly browned on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until golden brown. Serve warm with the toppings of your choice.

pancakes stacked with syrup poured over them

Homemade Syrups for Pancakes

Topped with melted butter and maple syrup is the classic way to enjoy pancakes. However, my family loves changing up the toppings and I have created quite a few over the years. Pecan pancakes are so good topped with apple pie filling or apple butter.

Buttermilk Syrup is creamy, rich with brown sugar, buttermilk, and butter, and somewhat reminiscent of caramel sauce. However, it isn’t nearly as sweet as a traditional caramel sauce and it’s heaven poured over a stack of hot pecan pancakes.

Creamy, rich, vanilla waffle sauce is the best possible topping for your favorite breakfasts, especially pancakes.

Pecan Pancakes

Fluffy, buttery, nutty, pecan pancakes topped with maple syrup make for a tasty and easy breakfast we all enjoy.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Resting time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4-inch pancakes

Calories 120kcal

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2½ cups store-bought buttermilk (not a buttermilk substitute)
2 eggs
¼ cup butter, melted
¾ cup chopped pecans
vegetable or coconut oil for the pan

Toppings

butter
maple syrup
chopped pecans
whipped cream
fresh berries

Instructions

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. Add the buttermilk and the eggs, whisk to combine, and then add the butter. Whisk to combine and then stir in the pecans.
Let the batter rest while the griddle or pan heats. Be careful not to overbeat the pancake batter, lumps are fine. This is a very thick batter and the pancakes will thin out as they cook on the griddle.
Heat a flat-bottom nonstick skillet or electric griddle (this is my favorite griddle) over medium heat. Oil the skillet or griddle generously (using about a tablespoon of oil) and then pour ⅓ cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake.
Let cook until the pancakes begin to bubble on top and they are lightly browned on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until golden brown. Serve warm with the toppings of your choice.