Am I the only one who's never separated an egg for pancakes? I mean, honestly, I've never even heard of such a thing.

Never separated in my life and see no need to start now.

Yeah, funny, I was going to say that I never separate the eggs for my pancakes. Although I do for waffles, and beat the whites...and actually, I do also when I make ricotta pancakes. But never for regular buttermilk pancakes... But I will definitely try this recipe/technique sometime!

these are the world's best pancakes!

Verrryyyy interesting. I've always beat the egg white separately too. I'll have to try this method.

Never heard of separating the eggs for pancakes. I use Marion Cunninham's recipe, which uses baking powder for lift.

I have never separated them nor ever thought to. I think that sounds weird. lol!

I've never heard of separating them. The key to great pancakes is the buttermilk, in my opinion!

What is the reason behind the separating?

Oh, and since I never have buttermilk in my house, I usually add yogurt to my pancakes: buttermilk only gets half milk half yogurt, or, in the case of these pancakes, the buttermilk gets completely replaced by yogurt. Delicious and less cake-y (I hate cake-y pancakes and prefer a firmer texture).

Yum! These pancakes looks so delicious :)

I've never separated my eggs either, but I have heard about it. My boyfriend mentioned it once as well. Maybe one day I'll try it to see if there is a difference and if it is worth the effort. But honestly, in the morning, it is enough for me to mix and stir, not pull out the mixer and whip egg whites.

I don't see the point of separating the egg in this recipe. My buttermilk pancakes turn out great without separating the eggs. The real trick is how you mix the batter and how hot the griddle is.

i'm not an egg separater either. but i do like adding a bit of vanilla extract to my pancake batter!

Separating the eggs makes them THAT much fluffier and lighter.

I use oatmeal and it just melts away into the batter so deliciously so it's not like oatmeal pancakes, the oatmeal just adds this new layer of flavor.

This is very similar to the America's Test Kitchen recipe, which is fantastic. Yolks and butter mixed together, and then whites and milks mixed together. Then both added to dry. They of course offer the science behind the protiens bonding etc. etc.

I just open a box of Hungry Jack Buttermilk pancake mix! Just add water, no egg separating required at all!

I have never separated eggs for anything. Well, except coconut macaroons. I make an exception for those.

My pancake recipe is from the Joy of Cooking (the '70s version) and includes 1 egg, some milk, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Oh, and maybe some melted butter, I can't remember. But that's it. And they turn out lovely. I don't like pancakes that taste like souffle, but these (if your baking powder isn't expired) are tender and delicious.

My favorite thing to do is add chocolate chips or cocoa powder to the batter (heavenly with chopped dried cherries) and make extra to eat cold, straight out of the fridge. The little bit of sugar in the pancakes makes sure that when cold, they don't even need syrup or butter.

The only time I've seen a pancake recipe call for a separated egg was so you could whip the whites into soft peaks and fold them into the batter. This makes for a very light pancake.

Weird - I just posted about pancakes this morning. Except mine are gluten-free, and the egg whites are whipped separately then folded in. Super fluffy and delicious.
http://lauren-likes.tumblr.com/post/2144736061/gluten-free-buckwheat-yogurt-pancakes

I always add a teaspoon of vanilla to my pancake batter - just like my mother always did. These sound soooo good!

I never heard of this technique, gonna have to try it. I separate and whip the whites when making souffle pancakes, but never for plain old pancakes though.

Let me put in another plug for Sacco Powdered Buttermilk. It lasts forever in the fridge, so you'll always have it around when you need it. I use it with regular milk (the instructions call for water) and have always gotten great results.

I use Martha Stewart's pancake recipe and don't normally separate the egg. I tried it once but it was lots of extra work on a Sunday morning for not that much of a benefit. But I do add vanilla paste to my mix and occasionally some cocoa powder. Or chocolate chips. And banana slices. And blueberries.
I'm hungry now...

Instead of buttermilk, mix some milk or 1/2 and 1/2 with some canned pumpkin...and you have pumpkin pancakes (super delish)

Yeah, that's strange. I've never separated the eggs for pancakes, either, and I've NEVER had them be anything other than light and fluffy. Strange! I don't use buttermilk, either.

Nope, not convinced.

My husband makes the best pancakes outside of Mitchell London's at the Fairway Market. In trying to re-create that recipe (Mitchell's mother's apparently), we've come as close as we're going to get by 1) separating the yolk and white, and beating the white into peaks, and 2) adding sour cream into the batter. Divine.

the best pancakes don't have ANY egg at all. my great-grandmother always made them without egg and with buttermilk to make them a little tart. i'll take those over fluffliness any day of the week.

http://veganyumyum.com/index.php?s=overnight+pancakes&searchbutton=Go!

These are seriously some of the best pancakes that I have had and they are vegan. Whenever I have the motivation to mix them the night before I make them.

my pancake recipe is a buttermilk pancake passed down from an old amish cookbook from my great-grandmother. it calls for buttermilk, but if you don't have that, we always just use one cup of milk and one TB of vinegar, which actually substitutes quite nicely, as weird as that sounds.

i've never separated the eggs when i make pancakes, and mine get quite a bit taller than the ones in the picture. my recipe came from sunset magazine, an issue published maybe 10 years ago. it was for blueberry buttermilk pancakes, and i've made the same recipe with and without the blueberries. either way, they're the best i've ever had.

@melissakay - i've done that many a time when making everything but pancakes/waffles. i always make sure i have buttermilk when i make those! however, the vinegar trick has saved my ass many a time when making cornbread :)

I make my pancake and waffle batter in the blender. Super simple and my way to make them fluffy is to let the batter sit in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes. Fluffy and light as can be.

I try to stay away from milk and buttermilk (lactose intolerant). I can substitute lactaid milk for the 1/4 cup milk, any suggestions for the cup of buttermilk?

This recipe is similar to my grandma's pancake recipe. (No egg separating there either--but ever since I was a kid, I can't seem to make pancakes without burning myself on the griddle.) I like adding pecans and cinnamon, too--or making waffles instead.

Man oh man. I made these last night and my tastebuds screamed with delight. Best ever indeed!

@jbenhaim- poor thing! a friend of mine just figured out he was lactose intolerant. Do you still have problems when the milk product is cooked?

I'm sure if you added a little lemon juice to the lactaid it would be the equivalent of lactose-free buttermilk.....otherwise maybe some tofu-based sour cream?

My friend has taken to reading a lot of vegan boards now to find dairy substitutes that hold up to cooking.

the alton brown pancake recipe calls for separating the eggs, but you mix the yolk with the butter and the whites with the buttermilk. it's really the only recipe i've ever used (except joy of cooking, which i really don't like), and i've always had great results. also, it calls for all the dry ingredients to be combined in a big tupperware/jar to make "mix," which we do in big batches, so then when we want them it's just a matter of scooping out a cup or two and adding the buttermilk, eggs and butter.

My everyday pancake (and waffle) recipes don't call for beating the whites and I use regular milk.

When I have the time and desire to fuss, then I have a buttermilk pancake recipe we like, as well as a richer waffle recipe that both call for beating the whites. Since they take more time (and have more calories) I don't do them for everyday.

I made these pancakes last night and they were actually fluffier than my usual pancake recipe and very tasty, but I felt like the instructions were a little lacking. Where does the 1/4 cup of regular milk go? I added it after the fact when the batter was so thick I figured I must've missed something (and I did). And the salt amount is crazy! I used a 1/2 teaspoon only. I couldn't bring myself to add the full amount. Also I've never purchased buttermilk, I just add a little lemon juice or vinegar to some milk and it does the job perfectly.

Idle Wife:

Thank for the heads up on the milk omission in the instructions. It usually goes in with the buttermilk (I adjusted the post accordingly) but I'm glad adding it in the end worked, too!

These were fantastic!
I've never separated eggs (nor met anyone who has) for pancakes.
I used Greek yogurt though and had to add extra water to make up for the thickness.

This recipe makes a tasty stack of pancakes.

I didn't have any butter milk or yogurt on hand so I mixed 1 T vinegar and 1 C milk and let it set for 5 minutes.

I used 2 T of batter for each cake.

I will never buy "just add water" pancake mix again

Hmmm, I'm going to try this. Separating the eggs is a great idea. Funny, I naturally separate them when I make Dainish pancakes (Aebleskiver). Though I do whip them separately too. Can't wait to try your recipe this weekend. Thanks!

I'm surprised people substitute milk for the equivalent serving of a few tablespoons. I've been lactose intolerant for as long as I remember... I usually eat creamy sauces and bits of ice cream (sometimes pay for it later) but I never would imagine subbing milk with Lactaid. Hope this doesn't come off harsh - I'm just saying I don't know if it's necessary.

Not sure if that completely made sense - what I'm saying is - I would keep using milk in small amounts and avoiding it when you can. I think your body eventually gets used to it in small quantities. But I'm no expert.

I made these last night, and they were freaking awesome! I've tried several different recipes for homemade pancakes, and always ended up wishing I'd just used the store bought mix. Not this time. The whole family agrees this is going to be our recipe from now on.

They look really soft. Love pancakes!

This recipe turned out very good for me. I used yogurt (labne) instead of buttermilk. I don't drink milk so I never have it on hand, can I substitute a homemade nut milk for the regular milk?

Back in the days when Pullman railcars were the preferred mode of transportation in the country all Pullman porters were named George after George Pullman. Pullman cars were not sold to the railroads, but leased, and the porters were employees of the Pullman Railcar Company. George Pullman wanted the porters to be familiar to the riders, so all responded to the name George.

A young salesman of baking goods asked "George" how they could get the breakfast biscuits ready so fast and was told that the company supplied all the dry ingredients pre-blended. That salesman commercialized Bisquick.

As a child, every Saturday morning my dad made Bisquick hotcakes using 50% more milk than the recipe on the box called for. Every Saturday I did the same for my kids. They are grown now, and one day they will do the same for their kids.

The best pancake recipe is the one we grew up with. It may not be yours, but it is mine.

I often separate the eggs and i make sure to make them small (no bigger than 3 inches in diameter). Folding in the egg whites makes a huge difference. They're more like little souffle pancakes that way.

OMG! The new best thing about the weekends is that I can make these delicious pancakes! I just had three with strawberries and maple sirop :d

I always make them with whole grain flour and yogourt and milk instead of butter milk. They are ridiculously good and easy! I also freeze them and have them for breakfast in week days. My baby boy and I love them. Thank you so much!

I just made these and they ARE really good. I have a lot of "best" pancakes pinned and this might be my comparison one! I never have the patience to whip the egg whites, but this was super easy to just add the whites and they were super fluffy and delicious.

I think I would add a small 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract because I always love that flavor in my pancakes.

these are great...becoming a weekend staple in my house (: i think not overbeating the batter, and the addition of buttermilk (i'm substituting milk and 1 T vinegar, and it works great) is crucial...

If you don't tend to keep buttermilk around, a mix of sour cream and milk will also work for these!

If you're not going to whip the whites separately, why even bother to stir them in separately? I've always just plopped the eggs in directly and mixed. I suppose I'll just have to try and see if it makes such a dramatic difference.

Don't get me wrong, I love butter, but 10 tablespoons seems like a lot for a pancake recipe..

I greatly appreciate this. since the debate is somewhat indecisive, I would also appreciate it if each of you could make a batch of pancakes and send them to me along with generous amounts of maple syrup, butter and honey so that I may resolve the issue.

I've never seen so much butter in a pancake recipe. I'm both attracted and repelled...I mean, I could just eat cookies...

Was just pondering what to have for dinner. Pancakes it is.

Am I the only pancake lover who doesn't like thick cakey pancakes? I looove thin (not crepe thin, but thin) pancakes. Sugar and Spice restaurant in Cincinnati is famous for its Thin and Whispy Pancakes ... and my mom's were always think and somewhat chewy. Yup, favorites are what you grew up with!

Regardless of the pancake recipe you choose, most of them are greatly improved by allowing the batter to rest 12-15 minutes. This is the whole point of using leavening---to let the batter rise. Do not stir the batter after it has risen. Just spoon out (I prefer a small gravy ladle) a small amount of batter onto your griddle. Delicious!

How weird, so many of these comments say "two years ago." I'm on board with the separating. I've been doing it for years with waffles and I just discovered Christopher Kimball's recipe and it's very similar to this one.

I don't make pancakes. I make waffles using the recipe that came with my Mom's blender back in the mid 70's. What I learned in the last decade or maybe longer is to make the batter in the blender and then place the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to using it. Perhaps it allows time for the baking powder to unleash the magic. Stellar waffles every time.

My Mom also taught me to make baking powder biscuit dough, roll it out and cut the biscuits out and place on baking tray. Keep them in the fridge that way until you make are going to pop them in the oven. I don't know why but it makes the best/fluffiest biscuits. I don't know how long but I figure probably long enough to get them uniformly chilled.

There is a ton of butter in this recipe. I wonder if it could be half or even cut into fourths. Most recipes only call for a few tablespoons. I suspect that the generous amount of butter is helping contribute to the fluffiness of these pancakes.

Just made these pancakes. They are absolutely top notch. I've made a lot of from-scratch pancake variations, and this is the first one that rivals KAF buttermilk pancake mix.

One prep note: I highly recommend allowing the eggs, buttermilk and milk to reach room temperature before mixing, to allow for a good emulsion and keep the melted butter from congealing.

I have always avoided recipes that call for beating the egg whites to fold into the batter, but since this one simply needs to be stirred into the batter, I am definitely going to try this out!

I tried many, many pancake recipes before finally settling on this one as my favorite They are so fluffy and light, with great flavor, and best of all they don't require a ton of extra work or dishes. Glad to know they can rest for a bit before frying too! Here's my version: http://www.neighborfoodblog.com/2012/06/perfect-fluffy-pancakes.html

Here's another buttermilk pancake recipe (Spice Pancakes with Fresh Lemon Sauce) that requires a separately beaten egg, but this one has lemon and spices to really brighten up a morning.

Wow, the number of "no way" comments on this recipe is impressive! Why bother commenting if you're just going to be impolite?

I'm absolutely intrigued by this recipe and will probably try it this weekend. I've made a number of Marion Cunningham's "Breakfast Book" pancake recipes, including a few of hers that ask for separated and soft-peaked egg whites. Like many commenters above, I find that stiff-peaks step to be a little too much effort in the morning... but it produces undeniably ethereal pancakes.

If this method produces anything similar, I am totally on board! Thanks for posting it! (Although I may try to reduce the amount of butter...)

I too am amazed at the number of people with egg white separation issues. I'm always more intrigued when a recipe calls for separation. The result is almost always delightfully scrumptious.

I'm so with you!

I used to skip separating the egg, but it really does make all the difference! Granted, I live at a high altitude so maybe the separation isn't needed at sea level...

I never separate the eggs, always use good baking powder, I add the juice from I lime to the milk before whipping with the eggs. I also add a couple teaspoons sugar and always add vanilla to the liquids. When the dries are mixed and the liquids are mixed, then fold them together just until everything is wet. I also like to let the batter rest for about 30 minutes to allow the levenings to work.. They are the best pancakes ever! Just ask my husband! :-)

Now those are some fluffy pancakes. I like the addition of buttermilk. I make mine with soy milk and vinegar... works like a charm.

Has anyone tried this recipe with less butter? Or substituted canola oil?...

I look forward to making these tomorrow. It's a good thing that letting the batter rest makes better pancakes ... otherwise, I would be tempted to make these right now since (It's late & I didn't eat dinner).

I may use a combination of butter & coconut oil instead of all butter. I've used coconut oil in pancake batter before & loved it. Vanilla extract & a handful of rolled oats are almost always added to my pancakes. Sometimes fruit (mashed banana or chopped apple or pear with a little lemon zest) or dark chocolate chips make their way in as well.

these are wonderful soft and fluffy pancakes. I halved this recipe--it made about 12 pancakes, which served 4 people, and that amounted to just over one tablespoon of butter per person-- so I'm not sure why people are freaking out over the amount of butter-- it's proportional. You need a decent amount of butter to make a tender, fluffy pancake or waffle.

Well I just made my normal pancake recipe but with the separated egg part and it did make them extremely fluffy! I always use the recipe from Jane Hornby but instead of melting the butter I use a liquid version and instead of lemonzest I use limejuice. I ate them with bacon and banana. Loved it!

@jbenhaim and lactose intolerant people, soy yoghurt might be a good substitute for buttermilk.

Wow is all I can say! Loved these pancakes and I am way too lazy to beat my egg whites so just separating was super easy! For just my husband and I, we could have easily cut this recipe down by 1/4 or by 1/3 - it made about 24 silver dollar size pancakes for us. Extras for the dog I guess:-)
Thanks so much for this fabulous recipe!

How come this turned into the great pancake debate? You either like them or not. I loved them. If you like light fluffy cake-like pancakes, you will love these. They would make a great light strawberry shortcake!!

I made these on the weekend for friends using the yogurt-sub for buttermilk version and the batter was so thick I couldn't 'drop' it from a spoon, nor did it spread in the pan. Needless to say they were dense and not at all light and fluffy. Did anyone else have this problem? Is it the yogurt maybe!

I made these this weekend for my boyfriend and they turned out amazing! Thank you for the post!

The most interesting part about this is that you put the melted, cooled butter into the liquid first, not the flour. I didn't understand the part about the oven, plus mine is broken at the moment, so I'm going straight to skillet. Batter is resting - we'll see!

I used less than half the butter it called for. (around 3Tbsp), and it turned out lovely. I agree, it was too much butter. I also agree that this was one of the better, if not the best, pancakes I have made.

Might be the type of yogurt you are using. Greek might definitely make it too thick. If it is thicker than buttermilk, you can make a mix of yogurt with milk to make it a thinner consistency.

I just made these and boy, substituting a cup of greek yogurt for a cup of buttermilk, I may have ruined the batch. I don't understand the purpose of the oven part either, but I let the huge pancakes sit in there to fully cook through since they were still raw on the inside. I ate one serving and I can't say I enjoyed the tart taste or the density (I can feel them sit in my insides) or the ambigiously cooked insides. If I knew of someone who loved buttermilk pancakes, I would try again with no substitutions. this recipe may have kicked my pancake cravings, thank goodness.

I have been making pumpkin pancakes where I work (restaurant) for many years. The customers love them and they always sell out. Though we use a buttermilk pancake mix that is wonderful, I just add canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and that it all...a hit every time I make them. I do not measure the pumpkin and spices, just go by smell.

Months later, I'm compelled to comment again: best pancakes ever. More good news: no need to separate the eggs, and butter can be 8T (one stick) instead of 10T. Let ingredients reach room temp before mixing.