IHOP Buttermilk Pancakes: Restaurant-Perfect Fluffiness at Home

The first time I recreated these IHOP-style buttermilk pancakes at home, my Saturday morning kitchen transformed into a mini breakfast haven. As the first batch sizzled on the griddle, tiny bubbles forming across their golden surfaces, my family gathered around—drawn by that unmistakable sweet, buttery aroma. One bite of these cloud-like, perfectly tender pancakes, and I knew we’d never wait in a weekend breakfast line again. This recipe has become our special tradition: pajama-clad pancake feasts that rival anything from the International House of Pancakes.

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IHOP original buttermilk pancakes recipe

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So don’t settle for any old pancakes or waste your weekend waiting for a table at a restaurant. Make some just like the pros at IHOP, who’ve been slinging breakfast food and other tasty meals for over 65 years in more than a dozen countries.

You don’t need to be an experienced short-order cook to make these fluffy, delicious, filling pancakes, perfect for a quiet morning or a bustling brunch buffet. 

What makes IHOP buttermilk pancakes so good?

The combination of flavor and texture in these delicious pancakes can’t be beat. The batter has a subtle sweetness, complemented by the characteristic tang of buttermilk. This works perfectly with rich butter and sweet syrups or other toppings.

Meanwhile, forget about heavy, dense pancakes. IHOP-style buttermilk ones are light as air, allowing hungry diners to devour a whole stack!

What makes this the best recipe to try for making IHOP pancakes?

There’s no doubt there are a lot of recipes out there that claim to recreate IHOP buttermilk pancakes. But this copycat recipe takes the cake, as they say.

This IHOP pancake recipe is straightforward enough for any home cook (even before your morning coffee) and reliably delivers tasty, fluffy pancakes just like the ones fresh off the griddle at IHOP.

Plus, they serve as the perfect canvas for whatever flavors you’re craving or an easy way to turn basic ingredients into a filling breakfast feast.

Ingredients you’ll need

Simple pantry items and a few common, affordable, fresh ingredients combine to create this delightful, fluffy batter:

• All-purpose flour – Creates the structure of the pancakes while remaining light enough for proper rise
• Baking powder – A Primary leavening agent that creates carbon dioxide bubbles when wet and when heated, resulting in double the fluffiness
• Baking soda – Reacts with buttermilk’s acidity to produce additional carbon dioxide, enhancing the rise and tenderness
• Sugar – Adds subtle sweetness, promotes browning, and helps tenderize the pancakes
• Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances the sweetness, creating a more complex flavor profile
• Buttermilk – Provides tangy flavor, activates the baking soda, and creates a tender texture through its acidity
• Vegetable oil – Adds moisture and prevents sticking while promoting a tender crumb
• Egg – Binds ingredients together, adds structure, and contributes to the rich flavor and golden color

Ingredient notes and substitutions

If needed, those with dietary issues can make minor adjustments to this recipe. For example, the all-purpose flour can be swapped for a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend.

In addition, it’s easy to replace the buttermilk with non-dairy alternatives for those sensitive to real milk products, though it may lack the characteristic tang of buttermilk. Adding a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice to these alternative milks can add the acid they lack.

How to make IHOP buttermilk pancakes

Step 1: Prepare the Batter

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 1 large egg until smooth.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients all at once.
4. Gently stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until combined—about 10-12 strokes. The batter should be lumpy; overmixing will develop gluten and make tough pancakes.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the batter to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and allows the leavening agents to start working.

Step 2: Check Batter Consistency

1. After resting, give the batter a gentle stir to check consistency.
2. It should be pourable but thick enough to hold its shape momentarily when dropped from a spoon.
3. If too thick, add additional buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. If too thin, add 1 tablespoon of flour and gently fold in.

Step 3: Cook the Pancakes

1. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat (325°F-350°F is ideal if using a thermometer).
2. Lightly grease the cooking surface with a small amount of vegetable oil or butter.
3. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake, leaving space between them for expansion.
4. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges begin to look dry and set, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Flip with a thin spatula and cook the other side until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes more.
6. Transfer to a warm oven (200°F) on a baking sheet loosely tented with foil to keep warm while cooking remaining pancakes.

Step 4: Serve with Style

1. Stack 3-4 pancakes on each plate.
2. Top with a pat of butter, allowing it to melt into the warm pancakes.
3. Serve with warmed maple syrup or your choice of toppings.

Keep the finished pancakes warm by tenting them under aluminum foil on a baking sheet in a 200-degree Fahrenheit oven.

Serve the pancakes with butter, maple syrup (warm syrup is great), or other toppings.

IHOP pancakes toppings

Pancake toppings are nearly endless, from mundane everyday options to bizarre, outlandish ones. If you’re looking for some delicious new ones to tantalize your tastebuds, try these:

• Poached fruit: Apples and peaches are particularly delicious choices. Amp up the flavor by drizzling a bit of cooking liquid over the pancakes, too. 
• ‘Smores: Spread a thin layer of Fluffernutter between each pancake and top with chocolate sauce. Finish it off with a sprinkle of crushed graham crackers.
• Banana custard: Spread vanilla pudding between each layer of pancakes. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of the stack, add a few slices of fresh banana and a sprinkling of crushed vanilla wafers.

What goes well with IHOP original buttermilk pancakes?

While these hearty and filling pancakes are good on their own, they can also be a delicious part of a breakfast feast. Pancakes always pair well with breakfast meats like crispy bacon, savory sausage, or indulgent ham.

Adding scrambled, fried, or poached eggs can make it an even heartier meal, as can the addition of breakfast potatoes or hash browns.

Meanwhile, those focused on their health can enjoy these pancakes with delicious fresh fruit.

If you want new protein pancakes, check out my latest recipe for IHOP Protein Pancakes.

How to store

If your eyes are bigger than your stomach, or you simply want to prepare breakfasts ahead of time, you’ll be pleased to know these IHOP pancakes keep well. Pancakes that will be eaten within the next day or so can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge.

Preserving them for any longer than that requires freezing them, a straightforward process:

1. Cool the pancakes to room temperature on a wire rack.
2. While they’re cooling, cut squares of parchment or wax paper roughly the size of each pancake. 
3. Stack the pancakes with a square of paper between each to prevent sticking and make defrosting a few at a time easier. Store this stack in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag. 

They’ll keep in the freezer for up to a month.   

How to reheat

Reheating your IHOP buttermilk pancakes is nearly as simple as freezing them. Use the microwave to do it, heating three frozen pancakes for about a minute and a half. Pancakes that have been kept in the fridge only need about 45 seconds. 

FAQs for IHOP original buttermilk pancakes

How does IHOP get its pancakes so fluffy?

The secret to creating IHOP’s cloudlike fluffiness in its pancakes is the dual action of baking soda and baking powder. They’re both leavening agents, helping the mixture rise by releasing CO2 (carbon dioxide) bubbles. 

While they sound similar, the two substances have important differences. Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate and creates CO2 when it mixes with an acidic liquid, like the buttermilk. Baking powder is a mixture that already contains a powdered acid in addition to sodium bicarbonate. Therefore, adding any liquid will cause it to start working.

How many calories are in IHOP buttermilk pancakes?

According to IHOP’s nutritional menu, each buttermilk pancake contains about 150 calories and six grams of fat. Of course, this is before adding any butter or syrup, which can pack on the extra calories. 

What is the difference between original and buttermilk pancakes?

Traditional IHOP pancakes are made using buttermilk like this recipe, but other restaurants and home cooks may use regular whole milk instead. These are relatively similar but don’t have the same tang that buttermilk contributes and may not rise as well due to the lack of acidity in regular milk.  

Love IHOP? Check out these copycat recipes

• Bacon Omelette
• Banana Bread French Toast
• Buttermilk Griddle Cakes
• IHOP Cupcake Pancakes
• Cinnamon Pancakes
• Meat Lovers Omelette Recipe
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• More Copycat IHOP Recipes

More breakfast recipes

• Chicken and Waffles Recipe
• Egg McMuffin
• How to Make an Omelette Fluffy
• How to Make Homemade Waffles
• How to Make Sausage Gravy
• Monkey Bread

Check out even more of my easy breakfast recipes and copycat food.

Perfect IHOP-Style Buttermilk Pancakes

Light, fluffy buttermilk pancakes just like IHOP makes them! These golden, tender pancakes are perfect for soaking up butter and maple syrup or customizing with your favorite toppings.

4.87 from 44 votes

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buttermilk Pancakes, IHOP Recipes, Pancakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 356kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk plus 2 to 4 tablespoons if needed to thin the batter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for the pan
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• syrup for serving

Instructions

• Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk, oil, and egg and use a spoon to mix until smooth. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more buttermilk and mix well.
• Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and brush with a bit of oil. Pour the batter onto the skillet or griddle until it spreads to the desired size. When the pancakes begin to show tiny bubbles on top, flip them over and cook until golden brown on both sides.
• Serve warm with your favorite syrup.

Video

Notes

Pro Tips for Perfect Pancakes

• Don’t overmix: A few lumps in the batter are good—they disappear during cooking
• Test your heat: Drop a few drops of water on the griddle—they should dance and sizzle but not immediately evaporate
• Be patient: Wait for bubbles to form and edges to dry before flipping
• Fresh ingredients matter: Check that your baking powder and baking soda aren’t expired
• Warm your syrup: Microwave maple syrup for 15 seconds to enhance flavor and prevent cooling down your pancakes
• Make ahead: Mix dry ingredients the night before for quicker morning preparation

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 235mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 398mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 3mg