Straight from the heavens, these Angel Cakes (pancakes) are the BEST pancake recipe – I promise! These pancakes get their name for their light, fluffy, heavenly taste. These are one of my most famous, highly rated recipes, and for a good reason!
Fun fact: this is one of my top blog posts and recipes of ALL TIME, and is hands-down the most repeated recipe in my own home. The boys now are able to make it themselves which makes my mama heart so happy (now only if they could clean it up too).
The Best Buttermilk Pancake Recipe
These pancakes earned their name “Angel Cakes” by our family friend Drew who fell in love with them when I made them one morning while camping. He ate the WHOLE batch! Serve these beauties with a drizzle of pure maple syrup and fresh berries for a breakfast that everyone will love. My preference is to make these with half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour, but you can flex the ratio of flours as you wish!
How to Make Vegan Pancakes
If you’re looking for an awesome vegan pancake recipe, look no further than this one here, I spent a lot of time perfecting it to get a fluffy, no fail pancake that I am in love with (also helpful if you simply don’t happen to have eggs in the house but still want to make pancakes).
Homemade Pancake Mix
Want pancakes on the road? Pre-mix all of the dry ingredients in a jar or resealable bag ahead of the trip. We love making pancakes to start our day when camping or at the cabin. The beauty of this dry pancake mix is all you need to add is buttermilk, melted butter and eggs! A little secret to take them to the next level: add a pouch of powdered vanilla (Oetker brand, found in the baking aisle). My famous Angel Cakes are now easily a part of your mornings, no matter where life takes you.
Pancake Flavour Variations
We’ve made so many variations of this recipe over the years: I’ve offered a few below but if you search ‘pancakes’ on the blog you’ll get a whole bunch of yummy ones! If you really want to try something unique and incredible, try my Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. SO GOOD!
- Pumpkin Pie: Add 1 cup pumpkin puree + 1 tsp. cinnamon to the batter
- Apple or Pear Cinnamon: Add 3/4 cup grated apple or pear + 1 tsp. cinnamon to the batter
- Raspberry Lemon: Add 1 cup raspberries + 1 tsp. fresh grated lemon zest to the batter
- Banana Bread: Add 2 mashed ripe bananas + 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (1/2 c. chopped walnuts optional)
- Carrot Cake: Add 1 cup mixture of grated carrot and apple + 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (1/4 cup raisins optional)
Angel Cakes Pancakes
Angel Cakes (pancakes)
No-fail, buttermilk Angel Cakes, that are a breeze to make and a serious crowd pleaser! These pancakes get their name for their light, fluffy, heavenly taste.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 cups flour*
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (sifted)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk**
- 1 teaspoon vanilla***
Instructions
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Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave and set aside to cool.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk and add the buttermilk, vanilla and cooled melted butter.
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed: do not over mix! It will still look lumpy.
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Heat a griddle or pan with a small amount of vegetable oil on medium heat, pour into pancake shapes of your choice, and flip when the bubbles appear on the top and the bottom is golden brown.
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Enjoy with whatever you like to dress your pancakes with!
Recipe Notes
*substitute a 1:1 gluten free flour blend for the flour to make them gluten free
OR 1/2 whole wheat flour: you can substitute all of the flour for whole wheat flour but it becomes denser
**if you don’t have buttermilk, mix 2 cups of 2% milk whole milk with 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
***if making this as a pancake mix you can use a 9 gram package of vanilla sugar mixed into the dry mix (Oetker makes one in the baking section) to replace the vanilla.
These are amazing, I made a batch this morning and I’m speechless…….very yummy.
Wow, thanks Polina!
I know what I am making for me and my bestie next time I see her
I’ve followed your posts for some time but this was the first recipe I actually tried…
These are the most incredible pancakes I have ever made! Literally obsessed!
Cannot wait to try more of your recipes!
Oh wow thanks Janita!!! I look forward to hearing more of your feedback thanks for trying the recipes out!
I had to use a buttermilk substitute and these still turned out so great! Best pancake recipe I’ve ever come across. Thank you!!
Made these just now and I can say they taste really great! Balanced sweetness without being overly sweet.
Made some substitutions with spelt flour and coconut sugar. I also cut the recipe in half since I wanted to test it first.
I’m not sure if my measurement was off but it was runny when we finished mixing. Though I’m not sure if enlisting the help of a 3 y/o might have contributed to that 😅 Ended up adding 1/3cup more spelt flour to balance the consistency and it made decent pancakes. Will definitely keep this in rotation!
Hi Rachel it might be the spelt flour to be honest! If there are ever substitutions it can change the way it comes out but happy you enjoyed them! Take care, Tori
How many does this recipe make?? Thinking about making them while camping next weekend!
made these on the weekend for family and they were a big hit!! Delicious 🙂
Fantastic!!!
I love your site going to follow you and try some recipes. Thanks so much.
Thank you Alison, would love to know how they turn out!
I’ve been wanting to make these pancakes for awhile and finally did. They are delicious!! Definitely a hit in my house!
Hi Karen so happy to hear!
I make these pancakes at least twice a month for a big family breakfast. They are fluffy and taste amazing – loved by us all!
Thank you Teresa!!! xx
About how many pancakes does this make?
My son is lactose intolerant and we use almond milk in our house – could we use it instead of buttermilk??
Hi Roseanne I made that substitution last weekend and it worked well!
These are the best! I am making them again this weekend for friends. 🙂 Thank you!
I made these last week and they were incredible!! My husband who’s not a fan of pancakes loved them too!!! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
These look divine! Not gonna lie…sitting here contemplating unwrapping the griddle I know my mom bought me for Christmas so I can make these quicker! It’s sitting in my closet. 🤔 I can always re-wrap it….right?!? Hahah.
Haha, I like your style girl!!! I hope you loved them if you made them! Good luck with the re-wrapping:)
Would coconut milk work? Can’t wait to try these!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Amanda, that should work! Would love to hear from you if you give it a whirl!!
I used coconut milk and used lemon juice to make it “buttermilk” and it worked wonderfully! I hesitate to say that out of all the “milk” variations I’ve tried the subtle coconut flavour was really nice!
Love that! Thanks for sharing Grace!
I see we can substitute with GF flour and almond milk, what would you recommend to replace the eggs? Can’t wait to whip up a batch or two.
Hi Vanna,
You could try flax eggs… I have vegan pancakes on the roster of recipes to test, will get on it!
I’m not a big fan of pancakes….. but I make them for my husband and kids. THESE have changed me….best pancakes ! I was convinced they were all the same until now. Angel cakes is an appropriate name because they shouldn’t even be in the pancakes category hehe
That’s amazing, thank you Lacey!!!! So happy you like them so much!
These turned out amazing!!! Best pancakes I’ve ever had!! Can you use this recipe and make waffles as well?
My family loves these! Great recipe.
What is the serving size here? I’m serving a big crowd so am wondering if I need to double it….
Hi Julie! Yes you would want to double the recipe, each one makes about 6-8 pancakes!
Hi Tori, I made these and they tasted amazing but didn’t get as fluffy as I expected. Is it possible I over mixed them?
p.s. love your recipes!
Hi Molly! It is possible that is the case. Did you make them with the buttermilk? I find when I use a dairy-free substitute that they don’t get as fluffy. Thank you so much for following along and for taking the time to comment! Tori
I just made these but used blueberries and lemon zest and they were amazing! Thanks for the great recipe! I will definitely try the other variations.
Thanks Stephanie! That’s my favourite combination too! Tori
Do you have a vegan version?
Hi Tory, I’m working on it – I promise to post it as soon as I’ve perfected it!
I’ve never written a review anywhere before. These are SO good, I had to! Best pancakes maybe ever!
Thank you so much Jenn!!!! That means a lot to me!
Tori these sound amazing and I can’t wait to try them this weekend! Maybe a bit of a silly question but do you think you could try this batter in a waffle maker?
I think that’s a great question! I believe they would cook up well in a waffle maker, I will have to try it next weekend!
I made these pancakes this morning and they were delicious. Very fluffy.
I’ll be replacing my Martha Stewart pancake recipe for this one! I’m looking forward to making your lentil soup and some of your muffin recipes this month.
I just made these Angel Cakes for the first time. Not certain why it took me so long. They are so scrumptious, Tori. You really knocked this one out of the park. Thank you
Awe thanks Karen that made my day!
Made these this morning and just wanted to know if the batter is supposed to be a little stiff? I definitely couldn’t get mine to look like yours! Not sure if it could be the US flour or buttermilk that’s a bit different?
these are delicious, made it exactly and they turned out amazing!
Hi Bonni, fabulous!!!
Would half coconut flour and whole wheat flour work ?
Hi Ivana, it probably would I just haven’t tried it!
These by far are the best pancakes I’ve ever made and eaten!! Thank you for sharing. Any way to know the calories and break down by chance?
Thank you again
Thanks so much Jada! No I don’t have the nutritional break down sorry! Tori
Omg made these this morning. Best pancakes ever. Thanks so much for a lovely Sunday morning new ritual ❤️
Thank you Kerry I really appreciate you taking the time to comment!! Tori
just made these they are soooo fluffy and light, may try putting blueberries In next time.
Thanks for sharing
kim
Thank you Kim so happy you like them!! Tori
I think the non-dairy milk instructions could be tweaked. I followed the recipe as posted using almond milk substitution instructions and my pancakes were paper-thin (but tasted good!). I didn’t want to throw the batter out and waste it, so I added more dry ingredients to the batter and ended up with a pancake that was much thicker and fluffier. Taste was good even when they were paper thin, but everyone likes a big fluffy pancake 😉
I totally agree with you actually Ginny! I will just remove that and send people to my vegan pancakes which were created to address this issue (and are super fluffy!). Thanks for reminding me! Tori
Tori! If I have leftover batter could I save and use again tomorrow morn? These are scrumptious ps!!
Hi Debbie! I usually make them up and refrigerate them but I think it should work the following day – I will have to try the next time! My only concern would be the baking powder left activated that long? But it may be a non issue…
Tori — These are absolutely stunning! Easy to assemble, the cook perfectly and taste delicious. Definitely going to keep this in my recipe repertoire.
Thank you so much Kristen-Lynn that is awesome!
My father in law likes to say he makes the best pancakes and will never share his recipe! These are SO MUCH BETTER and I didn’t need to visit him to get them haha. Loved them!!!
Haha that’s awesome thanks Ella!!!
These are unreal! Didn’t have buttermilk so I tried the vinegar and milk and they turned out delicious!! My kids loved them! Thanks for this great recipe!
Hi Maryna, thanks for the comment so glad you and the kids loved them!
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!! Sunday night pancake suppers are my most favourite and these have made it even better!!! After we ate them tonight, my son said: “mommy you are just the best maker of pancakes.” Thank you so much xx
Thank you Destiny that is the sweetest feedback ever! Love that! xo Tori
Hi Tori,
Would homo milk work?
Do you have a preferred gluten free flour brand/blend (Canadian)? I have tried the Robin Hood gluten free but the pancakes were not great. Recommendations appreciated.
Hi Emily! The Superstore brand is really good!
I cannot tell you how WONDERFUL these pancakes are! I’ve tested, tried my own recipe for years, however, yours came along and I stopped! These are simply the very best! Thank you for all the wonderful content, and I’m ready for your recipe book to come out! Cheers…
Thanks Nicole! I’m excited for the cookbook as well!
Made these this weekend for my niece and nephew (both picky eaters) and they were a huge hit! So excited for your cookbook release!
I made these over Memorial weekend for a large crowd at our lake home, and I’ve never gotten so many compliments on a meal. I did add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to give it a twist. Easy and delicious. Fabulous Tori!
That’s so so awesome!
I have never been able to make a proper pancake but today I finally succeeded! These were amazing! And it makes enough to freeze and enjoy again.
Thank you for this recipe!
Hooray! Amazing!
I have this receipe a try and omg, some of the best pancakes I have ever had. They were light, fluffy and full of flavour. Thank you Tori for sharing. I truly enjoy following you; love your passion for healthy eating and alternative options.
I had to give this receipe a try and omg, some of the best pancakes I have ever had. They were light, fluffy and full of flavour. Thank you Tori for sharing. I truly enjoy following you; love your passion for healthy eating and alternative options.
Thank you so much Pamela!!!! That means a lot to me.
Am I able to use this recipe for waffles ? Love it for pancakes !!!! Xxx
Hi Jen! I haven’t tried it but I absolutely think you could! Please let me know if you try! xx
These are the BEST pancakes I’ve ever made. Simple ingredients yet the outcome is 💣
After seeing Jillian rave and post about these pancakes I decided to give them a try. I’m not a huge fan of pancakes until now!! These are simply delicious!! They must be called Angel Cakes because they are sent from heaven. Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed them! They’re definitely a staple in our house.
Can this be used to make waffles?
Hi Taisa! I believe it could though I will be honest I haven’t tried. Must try! Let me know if you do!
I have made it my mission to find some hit recipes for my family! Need I say more… my teenage kids are not easy to please! Their responses,”Wow Mom, theses are the best ever! Did you mean to make them this way?”
Hey Tori
First off I absolutely love following you!! Keep the amazing content coming!!
So I’ve been making these pancakes every Sunday for a few months now and when I made them the first few times they were SO amazingly fluffy and light we loved them!! but I’ve been struggling for a while now. I do 1/2 whole wheat 1/2 white flour and they turn out flat and gummy. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong please help!!
Hi Ashley! I’m so sorry to hear that – how frustrating! I am not totally sure what is going on there as I make that substitute all the time. I wonder if you try to increase the baking powder by a bit? Are you making them with the buttermilk? Or try sifting the flour?
Best pancakes we have EVER had and we are a serious pancake recipe! Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Thank you Pam!
The family loves these pancakes! Our new favorite recipe! Am I able to use the same recipe for waffles? Someone told me you need to adjust for waffles.
Hmmm I don’t know Irene I haven’t tried it but I think it should work? I would try adding a touch less milk to be honest – would love to hear if you try I keep meaning too but keep forgetting!
So yummy!! Kiddos ask for them all the time. Thank you much for sharing your recipes!
That’s awesome thanks Carrie!!! My pleasure:)
Wow I just made these from your cookbook and they are heavenly. So light and fluffy and so easy to make. They were definitely husband approved lol. I have to say I have made 6 recipes from your cookbook this weekend (it’s cozy and raining) and every one has tasted amazing and easy to make. Best cookbook I have ever bought. Congratulations on a huge success.
Thank you Becky!!! I love that, thanks for the great feedback and for purchasing the book!
I made these from the cookbook and wow. Amazing. So light and fluffy and delicious. And so easy. Definitely husband approved lol. I have made 6 recipes from the book and all have worked out and taste so good. And I didn’t have to shop for special ingredients. I love your cookbook.
Hi Becky! Thanks so much so happy you like them! Tori
Tori, I absolutely love these pancakes! I make them with my boys (ages 3 and 5) every Saturday now and is part of our morning weekend routine! I tried the recipe with whole wheat flour as well and turned out beautifully! Definitely a household favourite. Thank you!
Love that these have become a staple recipe in your house Natalie! So glad your boys enjoy them.
Made these this morning for my family…by far the BEST pancakes we’ve ever had!!! So yummy and they smell dreamy. Thanks for sharing such wonderful recipes!💙
Amazing! So glad you liked them Tanya, thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I am in BC visiting my family over Christmas. We have made this recipe twice so far. Once for pancakes and once for waffles. They were amazing both times! I have a funny feeling I will be making them again before I head back to Ontario.
so glad this recipe is a hit for your family too! Safe travels!
This is the first recipe I made out of the cookbook and they were amazing! I used oat milk instead of buttermilk and it didn’t seem to affect the recipe. I also cut the recipe in half because I was cooking for just me. I slightly cut down the cooking time mentioned in the cook book to 2 – 3 minutes per side because they were browning a little more than I like. Delicious!
So glad you liked them Caresse!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Been wanting to make these and finally have, they are delicious. Can they be frozen and what’s the best way to re-heat?
Made these this past weekend and they are by far the best homemade pancakes I have ever made. Delicious and so fluffy and light. Thanks for the recipe.
Since it is Pancake Tuesday I made these pancakes for my 2-year old – boyyy were they yummy! The smell in the kitchen, the taste – by the looks on her face my 3-month old would have really loved to be able to eat them too!! Seriously delicious!
so glad you enjoyed them Stina!
My 6 year son now makes these every weekend after a few trial runs with me, his momma;) He wants me to tell you about how he added his own touches with cinnamon and nutmeg and thought you’d love them as much as we do. Thanks for sharing with recipe Tori!
xx natalie and ashbee
Hi Natalie,
That is so wonderful thank you! Love that!! Tell him great job:)
I’m pretty good at cooking/baking but my batter way very thin and made more of a crepe than a pancake. Needed to ad a lot more flour. Is it just me?
Hi Elissa – hmmm I’m not sure what happened? Did you mix them a lot? If you mix the batter too much it can thin down!
Hi Tori,
We love your Angel Cakes and have made them successfully a few a times. The last couple times we’ve made them the batter was clumpy and runny and the pancakes were super thin when cooked. Would chilling the batter in the fridge help to thicken it before cooking?
Thanks!
Diana
Hi Diana,
Sorry to hear that! Over mixing the batter can make them thin – perhaps try to add a bit less liquid and see if you can just mix to combine.
I hope that helps!
Tori
Love, love, love them!
Make the one with grated apple and carotte and my kids absolutely loved it!
So happy you enjoyed them Jasmine! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Just made those amazing pancakes this morning for my family and they all loved it! It was so fluffy and light and so easy to make! That’s my favourite pancakes recipe! Thanks Tori!
These are heaven!!! My husband made these from the cookbook and the whole family couldn’t believe how amazing these were! Love love love <3
Hey Tori!
I’m wondering about leaving out the sugar? I know it isn’t a lot, but I’m wanting to make them for my 1yo and 2yo tomorrow, and they’ve been getting more sugar this summer than I’m proud to admit!
Any tips on how to cut it out without altering the likelihood for success with them (or can I just plain cut it out without having a big impact on the outcome for consistency etc)?
Thanks!!
Hi Tory
Is there a substitute for eggs? We don’t eat eggs , we are purely vegetarian.
Hi Heena, I have a vegan pancake up on the blog if you search ‘Vegan pancakes’
Love these pancakes and have made them multiple times. They are a hit at my house! I will say, I usually have to add about 1/4-3/4 more flour than what is called for. Not sure why, but that seems to do the trick! The recipe as it stands for me is quite watery and more like a crepe batter.
My angel cakes always seem to be a bit more runny than intended ? Is the butter in the recipe 3 tables melted or 3 tablespoons solid and then melted ? Any tips ? Thank you
Hi Sara, if you are finding this consistently I would suggest just reducing the amount of milk by 1/4 cup it should do the trick! The butter is melted butter but it shouldn’t make a huge difference.
This is my go to pancake recipe and it continues to be a hit! Got a waffle maker over the holidays and angel cakes are also angel waffles! 🧇
Thanks so much for the review Teresa!! I am thrilled to hear this is a hit in your home. xx Tori
These are amazing!! Made them today for the first time. So delicious! You are very talented, Tori! Thanks for the recipe.
So if I’m adding vinegar to milk, do I let the vinegar and milk sit for 10 minutes or do I let the whole batter sit 10 minutes before using?
H Amira you will add the vinegar to the milk, let that sit for 10 minutes then add that to the rest of the mixture! Tori
Thank you so much!
Hi Tori, We LOVE these and make them ALL the time from your cookbook. My 4 year old daughter was just diagnosed with Type I diabetes so now we must carb count everything. Do you by chance already have the nutrition facts for the angel cakes to save me the calculation? I know it’s a lot of work, but a suggestion for your upcoming cookbook would be to include the nutrition facts. It would super helpful for families like ours. Thanks so much!
This is the only pancake recipe you need. The. Best. Ever.
Thank you so much Brook!!!! Tori
Just made these yesterday before my son headed back to university. These are the only pancakes my boys will eat. They are so good and easy to make for someone who doesn’t really enjoy cooking
Thank you that means so much! Love it.
I was a die-hard fan of the Bon Appetit buttermilk pancakes – that is, until this past weekend. I made Sunday brunch pancakes with your Angel Pancakes recipe and well, my discerning family denounced all previous pancake recipes. It is now and forever more, Fraiche Living’s Angel Pancakes for my family. The fluffiest pancakes EVER! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with us.
Thank you so much Jennifer!!!!
Wow wow wow!!! I literally just made a batch this morning for my family and what a winner!!! Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe! This will definitely be our go to Sunday morning pancakes 🥞 from now on.
Thank you so much Yvonne! I’m thrilled you love them!
I made these for the first time this morning Tori. I will NEVER make any other pancake recipe in my life. I have had many “fails” in past. These were awesome. thank you.
I made these for the first time this morning Tori. I will NEVER make any other pancake recipe in my life. I have had many “fails” in past. These were awesome. thank you.
Love these! Such a staple in our home! How can I turn this batter into waffles??
Hi Shannon it works well as waffles too! Just as is:)
The best pancakes (restaurant or homemade) that you will ever try!
My kids love these pancakes, we have been making them for years and usually make a double batch to have some on hand in the freezer. I have also made them as sheet pan pancakes and that works quite well too. I did try the “sheetpan pancake” recipe from Fraiche Table and I was quite disappointed as they came out dry and overcooked 5 mins early. I will stick to the angel cakes recipe from now on as it is a sure win!
Hi Barb! Thank so much for the Angel Cake review. It is truly one of the best. So sorry to hear about your sheet pan pancake experience! xx Tori
These are the BEST pancakes we have ever tasted…and I can’t believe I made them lol. Thank you SO MUCH!!!!!!
I’ve made many of your other pancake recipes and they are all delicious, but only last week I made this recipe for the first time. I made this recipe again today. A total hit and so easy to make! So fluffy and light. 😊
Thank you so much Melanie!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’m wondering if it can be used on a waffle press. If so, any tips? Thanks in advance!
Also wondering if you’ve tried this recipe in a cupcake pan? Just for a simple school lunch idea. Thank you!
I have not tried it in a cupcake pan! I clearly should…. have you? how did it go?!
This recipe worked great using a waffle press. I’m scared to experiment using the cupcake pan. Have you tried it?
Heavenly goood! A great choice for when you have company!
Thanks so much Jody xox
Hi, can you add protein powder to the pancake mix?
Hi Sherry, you can but I haven’t tried. I believe you would need to adjust the flour a little bit or add more liquid. Let me know if you try!