These are the pancakes you make when you want something delicious, quick, and a little different-without going full "dessert for breakfast." They're lightly sweet (not cake-sweet), with a gentle corn flavor and a tender bite. Perfect with maple syrup… and surprisingly great with crispy bacon and sliced spring onions when you're feeling savory.
At a glance
- Recipe name: Easy Cornmeal Pancakes From Scratch
- 🕒 Ready in: about 25 minutes ⏲️ Prep: 10 minutes 🍳 Cook: 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serves: about 4 (makes a bunch of small pancakes) Calories: 132 kCal per pancake
- 🥘 Key ingredients: cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, eggs, butter
- 👩🏻🍳 Taste: lightly sweet, tender, mild corn flavor
- 📋 Why you'll make this: fast, fluffy, works sweet or savory
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🎉 Perfect for: weekend brunch, quick lunch,
Jump to:
Cornmeal Pancakes Made With Buttermilk
If you've only had plain flour pancakes, cornmeal changes the vibe. It adds warmth, a little texture, and that golden color that makes the pile look so delicious.
These cornmeal pancakes are different because most cornmeal pancakes lean either very sweet or very gritty. These hit the sweet spot: lightly sweet, tender, and easy to top however you like-maple syrup for the classic route, or savory toppings for a fun twist.
What You'll Need
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Flour: Gives structure and keeps the pancakes fluffy.
- Cornmeal (fine yellow cornmeal): Adds mild corn flavor and that golden color. Fine grind keeps them tender.
- Eggs: Bind everything and help with lift.
- Baking powder and baking soda: This combo gives a fluffy rise.
- Salt: Makes the flavor better.
- Buttermilk: Makes the batter fluid and reacts with baking soda to start working.
- Butter (melted): Adds flavor and keeps the crumb soft.
How to Make It
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe card below.
- Step 1: Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 2: Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter.
- Step 3: Pour wet into dry and mix until mostly smooth. Rest 5 minutes if you see lumps.
- Step 4: Cook small pancakes on medium heat, flip when bubbles appear, and keep warm if needed.
Top Tips
- Best cornmeal to use: Fine yellow cornmeal gives you a smoother bite and more tender pancakes. Medium or coarse cornmeal will taste more rustic and "gritty."
- Batter consistency test: The batter should be thicker than crepe batter, but still pourable. When you lift a spoon, it should fall in a steady ribbon and slowly melt back into the bowl.
- Lumps: what to do (without changing ingredients) Cornmeal can clump. Mix until most lumps are gone. If you still see a few, let the batter sit 5 minutes, then whisk again-often the lumps soften and disappear.
- Pan heat (nonstick, medium heat): Cook on medium heat. The pan is ready when a tiny drop of batter sizzles gently and sets within a couple of seconds (not instant browning).
- Scoop size for small pancakes (~2 inches / 5 cm): Use about 1 tablespoon batter per pancake (a small cookie scoop works great). They cook quickly and stay fluffy.
- When to flip: Flip when you see bubbles on top and the edges look set. The underside should be golden. The second side cooks faster.
- Keep pancakes warm: Place cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in a warm oven (low heat) while you finish the batch.
Topping ideas (my favorites)
- Sweet: Maple syrup, honey and Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- Savory: Crispy bacon + sliced spring onions
Yes. Mix ahead and keep covered in the fridge. Whisk briefly before cooking.
The heat is probably too high. Turn it down and give them a little more time.
Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.
Need more inspiration?
- You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
- And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Recipe Help
Two easy tools to make cooking even easier. Cooking mode keeps the screen on. The easy-step recipe displays the recipe step by step, including the ingredients needed. And you can adjust servings easily
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, size L
- 2½ cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons butter, unsalted, melted and cooled down
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1¼ cup yellow cornmeal, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter.4 eggs, 2½ cups buttermilk, 6 tablespoons butter
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until most lumps are gone (don't overmix).
- Heat a little oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scoop about 1 tablespoon batter per small pancake (about 2 inches / 5 cm). Cook a few at a time.
- Cook about 1½ - 2 minutes, until bubbles appear and the underside is golden.
- Flip and cook about 1 minute more.
- Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep pancakes warm in a low oven if needed.
- Tip: Serve with maple syrup (or bacon + spring onions).
Notes
- Use cornmeal (fine yellow). Cornflour can mean cornstarch-wrong ingredient here.
- Fine cornmeal gives tender pancakes Medium/coarse makes them more gritty and rustic.
- Refrigerator: Fridge 2 to 3 days airtight.
- Freezer: Freeze up to 2 months (place parchment between the pancakes) and wrap in two layers of plastic foil.
- Reheat: in a toaster/toaster oven or skillet.
Nutrition
Cher Rockwell says
Frankly, I prefer my pancakes for supper - that's probably not very American of me 🙂 And always with a healthy dose of maple syrup & preferably with a side of apple sauce
These look good!
Gingered Whisk says
Wonderful job! I love pancakes, no matter which meal of the day they are for! And yes, maple syrup is a must with pancakes! 🙂
pizzarossa says
Your pancakes look fantastic!!! So fluffy! 🙂
yummychunklet says
These look delicious!
yummychunklet says
What tasty looking pancakes!