These Strawberry Pancakes are made with buttermilk and fresh strawberries. They're easy to make, extra fluffy, and perfect for spring and summer. You can easily double or triple the recipe and serve it at a big family breakfast or brunch. They're freezer-friendly and perfect for kids!
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Why You'll Love These Strawberry Pancakes
Perfect for the summer - If you're looking for the perfect sweet breakfast recipe for late spring and summer, this is it! It's my favorite way to use up those fresh juicy strawberries while they're in season.
Light and fluffy - The buttermilk in these pancakes helps them rise extra high and be so soft and fluffy while butter in the batter helps them crisp up on the outside. The buttermilk also gives the pancakes a slight tang that goes perfectly with sweet strawberries.
Great for a crowd and freezer-friendly - These pancakes are great to make for a big family or a large gathering because the recipe is super easy to double or even triple! They're also perfect for small families or if you live alone because they're freezer-friendly and they taste just as delicious reheated as they do when they're fresh! I live by myself and I love making an extra batch to freeze or refrigerate for later that week as meal prep.
Ingredients
- Flour - You can use regular all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend. I always use my favorite Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Whole-wheat flour should work in this recipe as well.
- Eggs - Always make sure to use large eggs because different sizes could make the batter either too dry or too wet.
- Buttermilk - Buttermilk creates extra fluffy and light pancakes. While you can use regular milk as well, I highly recommend using buttermilk for the best pancakes. If you don't have any, you can make your own at home using regular milk or dairy-free milk and some lemon juice. See the instructions below and in the recipe card.
- Butter - The batter is made with melted unsalted butter but you can use cooking oil like avocado oil as well if you prefer. I recommend using butter both for the batter, and for cooking the pancakes. It adds flavor and makes the pancakes slightly crispy on the outside.
- Maple syrup - The pancakes are lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Honey would work well here too.
- Leavening agents - The batter is made with both baking powder and baking soda along with fine sea salt. They help the pancakes rise and make them extra light.
- Flavorings - The pancakes are lightly flavored with just a little bit of ground cinnamon and pure vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste is a great option too.
- Strawberries - Fresh strawberries are finely diced and spread through the batter like you would chocolate chips. Frozen strawberries won't work here because they're too wet and mushy, and they won't hold their shape once chopped.
Variations and Substitutions
- Homemade buttermilk - Measure 2 cups of regular milk or almond milk, remove 2 tablespoons of the milk, and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Gently stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. It's ready when it slightly thickens and curdles.
- Vegan butter or oil - If you want to keep the pancakes completely dairy-free, you can swap butter for vegan butter or cooking oil instead of regular butter.
- Chocolate chips - You can add a small handful of chocolate chips for some chocolate flavor. I like using mini chocolate chips because they spread through the batter better. You can also check out my Chocolate Chip Pancakes, they're my favorite!
- Different berries - You can add blueberries or raspberries if you don't have enough strawberries or if you want to add a mix of berries instead. Be careful not to add too much because it can make the pancakes harder to flip as the batter-to-berries ratio will be off so they might fall apart more. This is especially true if you're using frozen berries. I don't recommend frozen strawberries but you can use frozen wild blueberries or broken-up raspberries. If you're worried about them releasing too much water, toss them with cornstarch or tapioca starch first.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, melted unsalted butter, and fine sea salt.
- Pour buttermilk into the egg mixture and whisk again.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Don’t overmix the batter. I recommend using a spoon towards the end and folding the ingredients, rather than whisking.
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- Fold in chopped strawberries.
- Add a small knob of butter or cooking spray to a hot pan and spoon the pancake batter into the pan to make pancakes. Don’t overcrowd your pan. I make 3 at a time in a 12-inch pan. You can use a griddle as well if you prefer.
- Cook the pancakes on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. You'll know when to flip them when bubbles start to form on top and the sides start to set and don't look as shiny anymore. The pancakes should be easy to flip.
- Continue making pancakes with the rest of the batter, adding more butter or wiping the pan down as needed.
- Serve the pancakes with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Don't overmix the batter - It's okay if there are a few lumps of flour in the batter! I like to add the flour in two parts. I mix half of it in using a whisk and then I lightly whisk in the rest and use a spoon or a spatula to fold it in towards the end rather than using the whisk. Then you'll add the chopped strawberries and fold them in using a spoon or a spatula as well. Think of it the same as folding in whipped egg whites. This way, it's much harder to accidentally overmix the batter and it will give them the fluffy texture you're looking for.
- Keep your pancakes warm - Preheat your oven to 200F and keep the pancakes on a baking sheet in a single layer while you finish cooking the rest of the batter. This will keep them nice and warm until you're ready to eat. You can stack them as well but they might start to steam and lose their crispiness on the outside.
- Don't overcrowd your pan - Pancakes need patience and space. When you try to make too many at the same time, it makes it much harder to flip them because there isn't enough empty space. I find they also brown better when the pan isn't crowded.
What to Serve Them With
- Maple syrup - Always make sure you're using 100% pure maple syrup. I like the darker grades for a stronger maple flavor. You can also use some homemade Strawberry Syrup instead!
- Butter - I don't usually do this because there's butter in the batter and I cook the pancakes in butter as well but you can serve them with a little bit of melted butter if desired.
- Fresh berries - Add more fresh strawberries or other berries like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries on top. Red currants are also a fun addition if you can find them where you live in the summer. They're very tart and would go really well with the strawberries here.
- Warm berries - You can serve the pancakes with some warm strawberries by sauteeing fresh chopped strawberries with a tiny splash of water, some maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and a small pinch of sea salt. You can also blend the strawberries first to make homemade strawberry sauce if you're feeling extra fancy!
- Yogurt - They're delicious with a dollop of Greek yogurt or any other yogurt. They can also be served for dessert with a scoop of ice cream or some whipped cream!
- Nut butter - Add some almond butter on top for added healthy fats and protein. Use seed butter if you prefer.
Storing and Reheating
Fridge - Store the pancakes wrapped in foil or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer - Store the pancakes in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container. You can also freeze the pancakes first on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking together but I usually don't do this and they are fairly easy to pull apart unless you smush them together too much.
Defrosting and Reheating - Warm up your refrigerated pancakes in a preheated oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes. If your pancakes are frozen, you can either defrost them in the fridge overnight first or reheat them from frozen for 10-20 minutes at 300F. You can also use the defrost function if your oven has it.
FAQs
The main reason why pancakes don't rise is usually either because you overmixed the batter which yields denser pancakes, or your baking powder is past its expiration date. It's always important to use fresh baking powder because it loses its potency over time as it sits in your pantry.
This is most likely because you added too many chopped strawberries, or you used frozen strawberries which release too much water. When you add too many strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or anything else to your pancakes, the ratio is off and there isn't enough batter to help the pancakes keep their shape. Make sure to use a non-stick skillet or grease it with enough butter to make flipping the pancakes easier.
Eggs are the glue that holds these pancakes together so I can't guarantee the recipe will work with a vegan substitute. The batter has a small amount of maple syrup which you can try to replace with a sugar-free liquid sweetener. Keep in mind this may change the flavor and texture of the pancakes.
I don't recommend using a blender for this recipe because it's very easy to overmix the batter in a blender no matter the speed and strength of it.
Similar Pancake Recipes
If you want to try more buttermilk pancakes or pancakes with other fruits, check out the five recipes below! To see all the latest ones, head over to Pancakes and Waffles.
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Print📖 Recipe
Strawberry Pancakes
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Strawberry Pancakes are easy to make, extra fluffy, and perfect for spring and summer. You can easily double or triple the recipe and serve it at a big family breakfast or brunch. Freezer-friendly and great for kids!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter (plus more for cooking the pancakes)
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 cups buttermilk (see notes for dairy-free buttermilk)
- 1 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, melted unsalted butter, and fine sea salt.
- Whisk in buttermilk.
- Add the flour mix to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Fold in the chopped strawberries.
- Add a small knob of butter to a hot pan (or a griddle) and spoon the batter into the pan to make pancakes. Don’t overcrowd your pan. I make 3 at a time in a 12-inch pan.
- Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes on each side. You'll know when to flip them when bubbles start to form on top and the sides start to set and don't look as shiny anymore.
- Continue making pancakes with the rest of the batter, adding more butter or wiping the pan down as needed.
- Serve the pancakes with your favorite toppings.
Notes
The recipe yields 14-16 pancakes.
Keep pancakes warm: Preheat your oven to 200F and keep your pancakes in the oven on a baking sheet in a single layer to keep them warm while you finish cooking the rest of the batter.
Storing: Store the pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Reheating: Reheat the pancakes in a preheated oven at 300F for about 10 minutes or longer if frozen. You can reheat them from frozen or defrost them in the fridge overnight first.
DIY buttermilk:
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Veronika Sykorova says
If you've never tried swapping blueberries for chopped strawberries in your pancakes, I highly recommend giving these a try! They're my favorite for the summer now!