Fluffy buttermilk pancakes are good with any kind of flour but einkorn takes them to the next level. The fact that einkorn has less gluten than any other wheat flour, makes the pancakes especially tender. You know how we have to ‘not over mix the batter’? Well, it’s because excessive mixing strengthens the gluten bonds making pancakes chewy and tough, bread-like. I think einkorn leaves more room for error, at least in my humble experience.

Why einkorn?

Besides its sweeter taste and beautiful golden color, einkorn is nutritionally superior to other types of wheat:

It has significantly more vital nutrients like Zinc, Copper, Iron, Magnesium and Selenium than modern wheat (1)(2).
Einkorn is lower in gluten proteins that cause negative reaction not just in people with celiac disease but even in those with sensitivity, or even regular folks! (3).
It’s better for your good old arteries, keeping down inflammation (4).

What make fluffy buttermilk pancakes fluffy?

Buttermilk pancakes are fluffy when we use a proper ratio of leavener. In this case, baking soda and baking powder react with acidic buttermilk and create a network of bubbles from carbon dioxide. This is a fascinating read from The Food Lab about the chemistry of creating a perfect pancake.

The other important thing is to cook pancakes shortly after we mix the batter, otherwise we lose the bubble power. That will lead to flat pancakes. One way around that is whipping egg whites separately, then folding them at the end. I am normally too busy trying to put together a breakfast, and prefer the least amount of steps, so I can fill a bunch of little bellies quicker.

Buttermilk

There is no mystery in buttermilk – you go to the grocery store and buy it. But did you know you can make your own buttermilk from scratch? Buttermilk is a delicious by-product of making butter. Plus you can use some of that fresh butter to top your fluffy pancakes ~

HOW TO MAKE FLUFFY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH EINKORN FLOUR

Ingredients
Wet:
3 eggs
2.5 cups buttermilk (kefir works great too!)
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, warmed up but not hot
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry:
3 cups all-purpose einkorn flour (I use Jovial)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Fat for greasing the cooking surface (I use ghee or bacon fat, or olive oil)

Instructions
Preheat griddle or large skillet over medium heat.
Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large bowl starting with eggs (if I have time, I let the buttermilk and eggs warm up a little for easier mixing).
Place a medium mesh strainer over the bowl, add the dry ingredients and sift into the buttermilk mixture.
Stir with a large spoon until just combined, don’t over mix (it’s okay if it’s lumpy).
Grease the griddle or skillet. Cook pancakes until bottoms brown, tops form bubbles and tops are no longer runny. I use a scant 1/3 cup of batter per pancake. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
If you want to keep fluffy buttermilk pancakes warm while you are making the rest, keep them in 250ºF oven.

Notes
It’s important to not over mix the batter, otherwise pancakes will become rubbery and flat.
Try to not leave batter too long before cooking – baking soda has limited ability, and after the original bubble reaction, you will be more likely to get flat pancakes.
I sift the dry ingredients straight into the bowl to save me from washing an extra bowl. Feel free to mix them separately.

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