I made a trip to the farmer’s market last weekend, ready to welcome a warm Summer’s day. I was greeted by the prettiest vegetables there, but the thing that really caught my eyes was the blueberries. 

Sitting proudly in a pile were cute tiny blueberries, all proudly handpicked by these independent farmers. Of course, I thought to myself. Blueberries are in season, and that can only mean one thing: HELLO, blueberry pancakes! 

I love this recipe for pancakes loaded with blueberries. Every bite promises a burst of sweet and sour blueberries accompanied by a buttery pancake and golden maple syrup. Fresh blueberries are generously decorated on top of each pancake stack, and if that isn’t tempting, I don’t know what is!  

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe is quick and easy, demanding only fresh blueberries and magic powder – I mean, pancake batter. All of the ingredients work together to make these pancakes the fluffiest pancake yet. 

• Blueberries – Use fresh blueberries (if not in season, use frozen blueberries) for this recipe. There will be blueberries in the batter as well as over the pancake stack.  
• Vinegar and milk – If you’ve never used vinegar in your pancake before, you probably feel quite apprehensive about this. That’s understandable. White vinegar mixed with milk creates a mixture similar to buttermilk, which is slightly acidic and more curdy than regular milk. 
• All-purpose flour – Wheat flour is a classic ingredient for making pancake batter. 
• Baking powder and baking soda – This recipe uses baking powder and baking soda. When combined, the pancake rises to its fluffy potential and achieves a beautiful golden brown. 
• Eggs – One egg for every cup of flour is the general rule for pancakes. Eggs keep the moisture and add flavor to this batter.
• Sugar and salt – Sugar does its thing by adding sweetness into the pancake, and a little bit of salt keeps that in check. 
• Butter – Melted butter gives a lovely flavor to the pancake batter, and is also a perfect ingredient to oil the skillet before frying the pancakes. 
• Maple syrup – With Canada’s wide variety and longstanding supply of maple syrup, I’m sure you already have your go-to brand, so grab whichever is in your pantry. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

The steps to making this blueberry pancake are simple! 

Step One: First, we will make the buttermilk. Combine the milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set this aside for at least 5 minutes. As the milk reacts to the acid, the liquid will begin to curdle and you may see some liquid separate at the surface. 

Step Two: Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a large bowl using a spatula or spoon to mix.

Step Three: Microwave butter in a small bowl and allow it to melt. 

Step Four: Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Cracking eggs separately has become a habit for me – I can check the freshness of the eggs before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients. 

Step Five: Next, whisk the egg and melted butter into the soured buttermilk, mixing well. 

Step Six: Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until there are no more clumps of flour. A more efficient method is to sieve the flour in small portions. 

Step Seven: Add blueberries to the batter and fold using a spatula. 

Step Eight: Now, we’re ready to fry the pancakes! Heat a large skillet over medium heat or 180˚F, and coat with butter or cooking spray. Pour 1⁄4 cup of batter onto the skillet to start cooking the pancake.

When bubbles appear on the surface, flip the pancake with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat this until all your batter is used up. 

Step Nine: To serve, stack all pancakes above each other. Drizzle maple syrup over the pancakes and top off with fresh blueberries. 

Expert Tips & Tricks

How to create the perfect circle pancake:  

The perfect circle doesn’t come easy! Here’s how it’s done -whether you’re using a ladle, a measuring jug, or a measuring cup. When transferring the pancake batter into the skillet, don’t pour it in the shape of an actual circle. 

Instead, fix a position on the skillet and pour the batter straight into that spot. The batter will naturally spread out, creating a circle shape. 

But let me make this clear: the Instagram-worthy stacks that you see in most cookbooks (and this blog post) have been intentionally styled, and who knows how many imperfect pancakes had to be made before getting there? 

So, don’t throw out your pancake if it’s not round and pretty! Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

How to get the fluffiest pancakes:

As I mentioned in the Recipe Ingredients section, the pancake gets its light and fluffy texture from a few ingredients working together. However, the trick also relies on the cooking method. 

As soon as your pancake begins to bubble on the surface, it’s your cue to flip it. I recommend only flipping the pancake once. This keeps your pancakes nice and airy instead of dry and flaccid. 

Variations & Toppings

This blueberry pancake recipe is just a stepping stone to some of the best pancake variations! 

To make this a gluten-free pancake: 

Swap the all-purpose flour with almond flour, gluten-free flour, or buckwheat flour (on a 1:1 ratio). Add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to stabilize the batter. 

To make this a dairy-free pancake: 

Use lactose-free options such as almond milk, soy milk, or even oat milk. 

Make this blueberry pancake a fun treat with these sweet toppings! 

Blueberry compote – Simmer those extra blueberries in a bit of water, lemon juice, and sugar to make a compote of soft blueberries enveloped in thick syrup. 

Blueberry and peanut butter – Make it a PB & J pancake, instead of a PB & J sandwich. Peanut butter always makes everything taste better.   

Blueberry and chocolate chips – Sprinkle dark chocolate chips over the stack, or mix them in the batter together before cooking for an extra yummy treat. 

Whipped cream – I love the occasional whipped cream on my pancakes! But if you are counting calories, then you can offset this by using less maple syrup or swapping white sugar for brown sugar. Everything in moderation, my friends.