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Ryan's Pancakes (stand-in photo)

Ryan's Pancakes

Fluffy buttermilk freezer pancakes: cook one big batch, freeze them flat, then toast them straight from frozen on busy mornings.

Prep 10 minutesHands-on 30 minutesCook 20 minutesTotal 30 minutesServes 4Makes about 16 pancakes

Ingredients

For the batter

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk (see Swaps)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled a little (see Swaps)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the griddle

  • 1 tbsp butter or neutral oil, for the griddle

Steps

For the batter

  1. 1Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.A mixing bowl of flour with an egg and a whisk, eggs on the counter (stand-in photo)
  2. 2In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.Eggs being whisked in a metal bowl (stand-in photo)
  3. 3Stir the wet into the dry just until mixed, lumps and all. Rest 5 minutes.Eggs and vanilla poured into a bowl of flour, with a wooden spoon (stand-in photo)

Cook and freeze

  1. 4Heat a greased griddle over medium heat (350°F if it has a dial).
  2. 5Scoop 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles pop, 2 to 3 minutes.Fresh pancake batter cooking in a cast-iron pan (stand-in photo)
  3. 6Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until golden and cooked through.A golden pancake, flipped, in a black frying pan (stand-in photo)
  4. 7Eat some hot. Cool the rest on a rack, then freeze them (see below).

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.

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.

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.

Nutrition per serving: 430 calories · Total Fat 16g · Saturated Fat 9g · Cholesterol 130mg · Sodium 1070mg · Total Carbohydrate 59g · Dietary Fiber 2g · Total Sugars 13g · Protein 14g · Vitamin D 0.5mcg · Calcium 300mg · Iron 3.5mg · Potassium 290mg. Estimated from USDA FoodData Central · not medical advice.