Chef notes
Making a batch of pancakes for overnight guests or morning visitors always seems like a good idea until you actually get started. It’s almost impossible to get the timing right, so everyone ends up eating their own stack as small batches come off the griddle, one at a time. You could keep them warm in the oven to ensure everyone eats together, but pancakes just never taste quite as good when held in the oven.
That’s why a skillet pancake is a brilliant invention. It solves the problem of how to get everyone to enjoy their breakfast at the same time. Bake one giant pancake and cut it into wedges and no one is left eating alone. This skillet blueberry pancake is as fluffy and tender as your favorite diner stack, thanks to tangy buttermilk in the batter and a kiss of melted butter. It bakes up thick, with browned, crispy edges, and generously feeds six. Serve it dusted with powdered sugar and of course, plenty of maple syrup for drizzling.
What’s great about this skillet pancake is that it’s as much of a formula as it is a recipe. Once you've mastered the technique of baking one big pancake, let your family’s taste dictate how to transform it into your own sweet treat. Try diced banana or apple, raspberries, halved blackberries or strawberries, chocolate chips or a combination. No matter what you use, sprinkle it on top of the pancake rather than stirring it into the batter. This prevents it from sinking to the bottom of the skillet.
Technique Tip: Warming the cast iron skillet in the oven while the heats helps the edges of the pancake brown and crisp, just like regular pancakes.
Swap Option: No buttermilk? Squeeze 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup, pour in milk until you hit 1 1/4 cups and let rest for 5 minutes until the mixture looks slightly curdled.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, divided
- 1½ cups blueberries
- powdered sugar, for serving
- maple syrup, for serving
Preparation
1.Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or other nonstick oven-safe pan) in the oven to heat up.
2.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined (a few small lumps are fine; do not overmix).
3.Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter into the pan and tilt to coat the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it out into an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with blueberries. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the pancake is puffed, golden-brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar, cutting into wedges and serving with maple syrup.
