Diner-Style Buttermilk Pancakes, Inspired by IHOP
A blender batter of buttermilk, oil and a little sugar, raised with baking soda alone, griddled into tender 5-inch pancakes in the style of the all-day pancake house. Inspired by, not official.
Inspired by IHOP. This is not IHOP's recipe, and nothing here claims to reproduce it. Wikipedia says brothers Jerry and Al Lapin and commercial artist Albert Kallis founded the International House of Pancakes, which opened its first restaurant on July 7, 1958, at 4301 W. Riverside Drive in Burbank, California; it was said that Kallis's wife Trudy came up with the name. The early restaurants were steep A-frames with a blue roof, the last built in 1979. In 2018 the chain's "IHOb" stunt turned out to be a promotion for hamburgers, aimed at the idea that IHOP only does breakfast. It is now owned by Dine Brands, and about 99% of its restaurants are run by franchisees.
Copycat author Todd Wilbur has published his own version for decades. He says early printings of his first book, "Top Secret Recipes", left the buttermilk out of this recipe, which he calls essential, and later printings fixed it.
Why it works the kitchen science
Baking soda alone
Wilbur skips baking powder; the acid in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk reacts with the soda for all the lift, so cook the batter right after blending while the bubbles are fresh.
Oil in the batter
A quarter cup of oil keeps the pancakes tender and lets them brown evenly on a lightly greased griddle, the way a busy restaurant griddle does.
Step by step
- Step 1
Heat a griddle to 350°F, or a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°F.
- Step 2
Put the flour, egg, buttermilk, sugar, baking soda, oil and salt in a blender (or a bowl) and blend about 15 seconds, just until smooth.
- Step 3
Spray the griddle lightly. Pour about 1/3 cup batter per pancake to make 5-inch circles.
- Step 4
Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges look set and the underside is golden brown. Flip and cook the second side the same amount of time.
- Step 5
Keep the cooked pancakes warm in a single layer in the oven while you make the rest.
- Step 6
Serve in short stacks with a scoop of softened butter on top and warm syrup.
Diner-Style Buttermilk Pancakes, Inspired by IHOP
Serves 3 · 8 to 10 pancakes (5-inch) · 25 min total
Batter
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the griddle and serving
- Nonstick spray
- 3 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/2 cup pancake syrup, warmed
Method
- Heat a griddle to 350°F, or a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°F.
- Put the flour, egg, buttermilk, sugar, baking soda, oil and salt in a blender (or a bowl) and blend about 15 seconds, just until smooth.
- Spray the griddle lightly. Pour about 1/3 cup batter per pancake to make 5-inch circles.
- Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges look set and the underside is golden brown. Flip and cook the second side the same amount of time.
- Keep the cooked pancakes warm in a single layer in the oven while you make the rest.
- Serve in short stacks with a scoop of softened butter on top and warm syrup.
Adapted from Todd Wilbur, "IHOP Buttermilk Pancakes", Top Secret Recipes (no date shown), as written. Wilbur's batter: 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 egg, 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 tsp salt, blended, about 1/3 cup per 5-inch pancake over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side. He says 8 to 10 pancakes; 3 servings, the 350°F griddle setting and the butter and syrup for serving are ours. Inspired by, not official. topsecretrecipes.com. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
All sources (2)
Tips
- Use real buttermilk; Wilbur calls it essential for a pourable batter.
- Whipped butter is easy at home: beat softened butter with a mixer 2 minutes until fluffy.
- A blender with a spout makes pouring even circles easy.
The rules people argue about
What the sources agree on, what they don't, and what is just a good story.
- This is IHOP's recipe. Folklore: it is a copycat, inspired by, not official.
- IHOP's first restaurant was in Burbank. Documented (Wikipedia: 4301 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank, July 7, 1958). Some accounts place it in neighboring Toluca Lake; we did not check them.
- Trudy Kallis named it. Folklore: Wikipedia says "it was said".
- IHOP really changed its name to IHOb. Documented as a 2018 marketing campaign for hamburgers (Wikipedia).
- Pancakes need baking powder. Folklore: Wilbur's batter uses baking soda only.
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