Tags: VegetarianStovetop30 min or less
Ryan's Pancakes
Fluffy buttermilk freezer pancakes: cook one big batch, freeze them flat, then toast them straight from frozen on busy mornings.
- 30 min
- Serves 4 (about 16)
- Freezes 1–2 months
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4 · about 16
- Freezes
- 1–2 months
These freezer pancakes are my Sunday habit: one big batch of fluffy buttermilk pancakes, a few eaten hot off the griddle, and the rest frozen flat for the week. On a busy morning, two go straight from the freezer into the toaster and breakfast is ready in a couple of minutes. With a baby on the way, a full bag in the freezer is one less thing to think about.
Why it works
- Lumps keep them fluffy. Stir just until the flour disappears. A lumpy batter makes fluffy pancakes; a smooth one makes flat, chewy ones.
- Frozen flat, one by one. On a lined baking sheet they freeze separately instead of in a solid brick, so you can still grab just two.
- Toasted straight from frozen. No thawing: two go into the toaster and breakfast is ready in a couple of minutes.
What you'll need
The full list with amounts is in the recipe card below.
Buttermilk
It makes the pancakes tender with a little tang, and it's what wakes up the baking soda. No buttermilk? See the swaps.
Baking powder and baking soda
Both, for the most lift. If yours have been open a long time, a fresh can is worth it. Old ones make flat pancakes.
All-purpose flour
Spoon it into the cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs it in and makes a thick batter.
Melted butter
In the batter for flavor and soft edges. Let it cool a minute so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
Freezer bags and parchment
A gallon freezer bag holds a whole batch. Parchment on the baking sheet stops them sticking while they freeze.
How to make it
Step 1: Mix the dry
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a big bowl. Whisking now spreads the leaveners evenly, so every pancake rises the same.
Step 2: Whisk the wet
In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Let the butter cool for a minute first so it doesn't cook the eggs.
Step 3: Stir it together, gently
Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until you can't see dry flour. Stop there: a lumpy batter makes fluffy pancakes, and a smooth one makes flat, chewy ones. Let it sit 5 minutes while the griddle heats.
Step 4: Heat the griddle
Medium heat, or 350°F if your griddle has a dial. Flick a drop of water on it: it should sizzle and skitter, not vanish in a puff of smoke. Wipe on a little butter or oil. The first pancake is the tester: if it browns before the bubbles show, turn the heat down a little.
Step 5: Scoop the batter
Use a 1/4-cup measure for every pancake. Same size means they cook evenly and stack neatly in the freezer bag.
Step 6: Bubbles, then flip
Flip when bubbles pop on top and stay open and the edges look dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Give them 1 to 2 minutes on the second side, until golden and set in the middle. Flip once, and don't press them down; that squeezes out the fluff.
Step 7: Cool, then freeze flat
Eat a few hot, then spread the rest on a wire rack in one layer; stacked warm pancakes steam each other and go soggy. Once they're cool (about 15 minutes), lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, not touching, and freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Then stack them into a freezer bag, press out the air and write the date on it. Frozen one by one, they don't stick together, so you can grab two at a time.
Watch me make it
Video coming soon. In the meantime, I'm @dadatthestove on YouTube.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Top tips
- Let the batter sit 5 minutes while the griddle heats. It thickens a little and the pancakes come out taller.
- Scoop with a 1/4-cup measure. Same-size pancakes cook evenly and stack neatly in the bag.
- Flip once, when the bubbles pop and stay open.
- Cool them completely before they go in the freezer. Warm pancakes steam in the bag and stick together.
- Making them for the freezer? Tap 2x on the recipe card. A double batch makes about 32.
Questions you might have
- Can you freeze pancakes?
- Yes, and they freeze really well. Cool them on a rack, freeze them flat on a lined baking sheet until firm, then bag them. They taste best within 1 to 2 months.
- How do you reheat frozen pancakes?
- Straight from frozen, no thawing. The toaster is fastest and gives crisp edges. The microwave takes 45 to 60 seconds for 2 or 3, and for a crowd, bake one layer at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
- Why freeze them on a baking sheet first?
- So they freeze one by one instead of in a solid brick. Once they're firm you can stack them in a bag and still grab just two.
- Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
- Yes. Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into each cup of milk and let it sit 5 minutes. They're a little less tangy, but just as fluffy.
- Why are my pancakes flat?
- Usually it's overmixing or old baking powder. Stir just until the flour disappears, leave the lumps, and let the batter rest 5 minutes before you cook.
Serve it with
- Fresh fruit: Berries or sliced banana
- Yogurt
Ryan's Pancakes
Fluffy buttermilk freezer pancakes: cook one big batch, freeze them flat, then toast them straight from frozen on busy mornings.
By Ryan · dadatthestove.com
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Hands-on
- 30 minutes
- Cook
- 20 minutes
- Total
- 30 minutes
- Servings
- 4
- Makes
- about 16 pancakes
Freezer-friendlyJump to freezing
- Prep 10 min
- Hands-on 30 min
- Cook 20 min
- Total 30 min
- Serves 4 · about 16 pancakes
- Freezes1–2 months
- Prep
- 10 min
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Prep 10 min
- Hands-on 30 min
- Cook 20 min
- Total 30 min
Serves 4 · about 16 pancakes
Freezes 1–2 monthsTotal 30 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
Serves 4 · about 16 pancakes
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Ingredients
Serves 4 · about 16 pancakes
For the batter
For the griddle
Steps
For the batter
Step 1: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Step 2: In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.
Step 3: Stir the wet into the dry just until mixed, lumps and all. Rest 5 minutes.
Cook and freeze
Step 4: Heat a greased griddle over medium heat (350°F if it has a dial).
Step 5: Scoop 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles pop, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 6: Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until golden and cooked through.
Step 7: Eat some hot. Cool the rest on a rack, then freeze them (see below).
Made it? Tag @dadatthestove so I can see how it turned out.
Freezer & Reheat
- How to freeze
- Within 2 hours of cooking, cool them and freeze flat on a lined sheet. Bag once firm.
- How long it keeps
- Best within 1 to 2 months; kept at 0°F, they stay safe longer.
- Thaw
- No need to thaw. Reheat them straight from frozen.
- Reheat
- Toaster on medium, once or twice. Microwave 2 or 3 for 45 to 60 seconds. Oven: 350°F for about 10 minutes, under foil.
- In the fridge
- 3 to 4 days
- Make ahead
- Cook the whole batch on a weekend and freeze it, so breakfast is ready all week.
Notes and swaps
Notes
- Freezer batch. Cook them a shade lighter. They brown a little more when reheated.
- Raw batter. Don't taste it. Raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs until they're cooked.
Swaps
- No buttermilk. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to each cup of milk and wait 5 minutes.
- Melted butter. Neutral oil works in its place.
Nutrition facts, estimated per serving
| Nutrient, amount per serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|
| Total Fat, 16 grams | 21%21% daily value |
| Saturated Fat, 9 grams | 45%45% daily value |
| Cholesterol, 130 milligrams | 43%43% daily value |
| Sodium, 1070 milligrams | 47%47% daily value |
| Total Carbohydrate, 59 grams | 21%21% daily value |
| Dietary Fiber, 2 grams | 7%7% daily value |
| Total Sugars, 13 grams | |
| Protein, 14 grams | |
| Vitamin D, 0.5 micrograms | 2%2% daily value |
| Calcium, 300 milligrams | 25%25% daily value |
| Iron, 3.5 milligrams | 20%20% daily value |
| Potassium, 290 milligrams | 6%6% daily value |
The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Estimated from USDA FoodData Central · not medical advice
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From dadatthestove.com/recipes/ryans-pancakes
Hi, I'm Ryan
I'm a dad-to-be cooking real food for my family through the pregnancy: gentle first-trimester foods, my wife's cravings, and the freezer meals I'm stocking before the baby comes.
Every recipe here is one I actually make at home.
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