Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes with Fruit Topping – Made with buttermilk, whipped egg whites and a thick batter spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, these fluffy buttermilk pancakes with nectarine compote make the perfect pancake breakfast!
For me, breakfast means light, buttery, melt in your mouth buttermilk pancakes. It is a classic dish that never goes out of style. What puts pancakes over the top is airy whipped cream and fruit topping. I love any type of fruit compote, from blueberries to strawberries to stone fruit.
For this recipe, I topped my tried and true old fashioned buttermilk pancake recipe with nectarines cooked in a delicious cinnamon nutmeg syrup. It is pure bliss and the perfect brunch dish.
To make fluffy, golden buttermilk pancakes, the key is to separate the egg whites and yolks! By beating the egg whites into stiff peaks and gently folding them into the batter, you get maximum rise. Let the batter rest a bit then heat a skillet. Cooking pancakes on medium low heat with a little oil makes them brown with crispy edges. They are guaranteed to be absolutely delicious!
Ingredients You’ll Need
These fluffy buttermilk pancakes are made with simple pantry ingredients, but taste incredibly decadent.
You will need:
- All Purpose Flour – When measuring the flour, use a spoon to transfer it from the bag to the measuring cup. This ensures that you do not add too much flour to the batter, which will result in dense, dry pancakes.
- White Sugar – Sugar adds sweetness and moisture to the pancakes.
- Baking powder and baking soda – These ingredients are key to making light, fluffy, and golden brown pancakes.
- Buttermilk – For tangy, fluffy pancakes, buttermilk is key. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make some by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk.
- Eggs – Whipping the egg whites and adding them into the batter separately makes super fluffy pancakes. It is a simple step that makes a world of difference in the finished product.
- Unsalted butter– Butter adds flavor and moisture to pancake batter. It is also a great topping for pancakes.
- Spices – For super flavorful pancakes, add cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to the batter.
- Oil – I prefer to fry pancakes in oil, as butter tends to burn more easily.
- Fruit – I used nectarines, but any seasonal fruit will pair perfectly with pancakes.
- Citrus – Adding lemon juice to the fruit topping brings out the taste of the fruit and balances the sweetness with a little acid.
- Whipped cream – This is a critical ingredient for making the whipped cream to top the pancakes. You can make it yourself using heavy whipping cream or buy it from the store.
How to Make This Recipe
Beat the egg whites – Beat egg whites on medium high until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes.
Combine the dry ingredients – Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the wet ingredients and let the batter rest – In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg yolks, butter, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold the egg whites into the batter gently with a spatula. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.
Make the fruit compote and whipped cream – Simmer fruit, cinnamon, lemon zest, salt, and water in a pot until fruit is softened and syrupy.
Make the pancakes – While the compote is simmering, heat a skillet on medium low and add some oil. Add 1/3 cup pancake batter to the skillet and flip once bubbles pop on the surface. Remove the pancake and top with butter and whipped cream.
Recipe tips & frequently asked questions
- Fold egg whites into the pancake batter – Adding whipped egg whites to the batter makes for incredibly light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
- Make pancakes with oil – Using oil to cook the pancakes makes them brown and crispy; I’ve found that using butter makes them more likely to burn.
- Be patient – Wait until bubbles have formed and popped on the surface of the pancake before flipping it.
- Preheat the oven to keep pancakes warm – If you are cooking a batch of pancakes, store them in a 200 degree oven as you work so that the first pancakes do not grow cold.
pancakes with fruit topping q & a
A heavy bottom skillet (preferably cast iron), spatula, small pot, whisk/hand mixer, and measuring cup/spoons.
Buttermilk makes pancakes moist and light, which is of course what you want in a pancake!
If you don’t have buttermilk, add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk. Let it sit at room temperature for five minutes before using.
Flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, buttermilk, eggs, butter, spices, and oil make delicious, fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract are perfect for a flavorful pancake breakfast.
Old fashioned buttermilk pancakes with fruit compote can be refrigerated for up to three days. To reheat, butter pancakes, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for about five minutes.
I would not recommend it. The baking powder, baking soda, and whipped egg whites will deflate as the batter sits, and your pancakes will not be as fluffy as they could be.
Fruit compote is wonderful on waffles, crepes, cheesecake, and yogurt. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for future use.
Sides for old fashioned buttermilk pancakes
- Eggs: scrambled, omelette, fried–have it your way!
- Sausage or bacon
- Fresh fruit
More dishes to enjoy
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to know what you think.
PrintOld Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes with Fruit Topping
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes with Fruit Topping – Made with buttermilk, whipped egg whites and a thick batter spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, these fluffy buttermilk pancakes with nectarine compote make the perfect pancake breakfast!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 12 pancakes 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Pan Fry
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted + more for topping the pancakes
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Fruit Topping
- 1 cup fresh nectarines, peeled and chopped (about 2 whole nectarines)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons water
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes
- Beat egg whites on medium high until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside. (see note 1)
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl
- In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg yolks, butter, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Fold the egg whites into the batter gently with a spatula. (see note 2)
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes; meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 degrees and heat a cast iron skillet on medium low.
- Once the pan is hot, add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. (see note 3)
- Add 1/3 cup of the pancake batter to the pan. Once bubbles form and pop on the surface of the pancake, flip it over. Allow it to cook for about 2 more minutes, then remove.
- Rub the pancake with butter and place in the oven to keep warm.
- Repeat steps 7-9 until all of the batter is cooked.
Fruit Topping
- Heat a small pot over medium low heat.
- Once the pot is hot, add nectarines, cinnamon, lemon zest, salt, and water.
- Cook the compote for 30 minutes. Stir it occasionally until the nectarines are softened and the ingredients have become a syrup.
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- With a hand mixer on medium speed, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and flavorings for about 3-4 minutes. Stop as soon as the cream reaches stiff peaks.
Notes
1. When you take beaters out of the cream, the egg whites should be fluffy and able to stand up on their own.
2. Don’t overmix the batter! It should be thick and fluffy, and a few lumps are fine. This is what makes fluffy pancakes!
3. Be sure to wipe out the pan after each batch of pancakes! This will ensure that none of the leftover bits burn in the pan.
Keywords: Brunch recipes, Breakfast recipes, Pancake recipes
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