Overview

Homemade buttermilk pancakes, developed and refined over 7+ years of making them at home.

The recipe uses a quick homemade buttermilk made from milk, lemon juice, and distilled vinegar. The combination of baking powder and baking soda helps produce a fluffy pancake while the batter is intentionally left slightly lumpy rather than mixed completely smooth.

The most important cooking technique is low heat on the Camp Chef flat top. Pancakes can burn quickly if the griddle is too hot, so patience is part of the recipe.

Ingredients

Homemade Buttermilk

• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp distilled vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups milk (2% lactose-free, or whole milk)

Batter

• 2 cups unenriched organic flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp organic sugar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 pasture-raised eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract (homemade optional)

Equipment

• Camp Chef flat top
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Spatula

Instructions

1. Make the buttermilk

Combine the lemon juice, distilled vinegar, and milk.

Let sit for approximately 15–30 minutes until the milk begins to curdle and thicken.

2. Mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

• Flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Organic sugar
• Brown sugar
• Salt
• Cinnamon

Mix the dry ingredients until evenly distributed.

3. Add the wet ingredients

Add the eggs, melted butter, avocado oil, vanilla, and homemade buttermilk.

Mix until just combined.

Do not overmix.

A few lumps in the batter are desirable. Overmixing develops gluten and can produce pancakes that are less fluffy and more dense.

4. Preheat the Camp Chef

Set the Camp Chef flat top to low heat.

This is important.

The pancakes need enough time to cook through without burning the exterior. Higher heat can brown or burn the outside before the center is finished.

5. Cook the pancakes

Pour the batter onto the flat top.

Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes on the first side, watching for bubbles to form across the surface.

When the edges begin to set and bubbles appear, check the underside.

Flip and cook the second side for another 2–3 minutes, or until cooked through and golden.

Cooking time will vary with pancake size and the actual temperature of the griddle.

6. Serve

Remove from the griddle and serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

• Butter and maple syrup
• Fresh berries
• Bananas
• Powdered sugar
• Peanut butter
• Bacon or breakfast sausage

Derrick’s Notes

7+ Years of Iteration

This pancake recipe has been developed and refined over 7+ years of making homemade pancakes.

The recipe has evolved around the goal of producing a fluffy pancake with a lightly browned exterior without making the batter overly complicated.

Don’t Overmix

The batter should not be completely smooth.

Some lumps are desirable and help preserve the light, fluffy texture of the finished pancakes.

Camp Chef Temperature

The Camp Chef flat top should be kept on low heat.

This is one of the most important parts of the recipe.

Pancakes can burn quickly when the griddle is too hot, while lower heat gives the center time to cook before the exterior becomes too dark.

Baking Powder + Baking Soda

The recipe uses both baking powder and baking soda.

The baking soda works with the acidity from the homemade buttermilk, while the baking powder provides additional leavening.

Butter + Avocado Oil

The combination of melted butter and avocado oil provides both butter flavor and additional cooking fat without relying entirely on butter.

Pancakes vs. Waffles

The pancake and waffle recipes share the same basic homemade-buttermilk foundation and several of the same ingredients, but the cooking methods are intentionally different.

Waffles rely on the waffle iron to create a crisp exterior and structured pockets.

Pancakes require controlled griddle heat and careful handling of the batter to maintain a fluffy interior.

Benchmark vs. Our Version

The goal is a fluffy, lightly browned pancake with enough structure to hold toppings while remaining tender inside.

The biggest variables to control are:

1. Do not overmix the batter.
2. Keep the Camp Chef on low heat.
3. Watch for bubbles rather than relying only on a fixed cooking time.
4. Do not rush the second side.

Source

Original — 7+ years homemade development.