Oatmeal and Brown Butter Pancakes Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated May 13, 2020
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Light and fluffy pancakes with lots of nutty oatmeal flavor. . J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

These aren't the easiest oatmeal pancakes, but they're damn good ones. Toasted oats, browned butter, tangy buttermilk, and a texture so light and fluffy it makes clouds nervous about keeping their jobs.

Why this recipe works:

  • Toasting steel-cut oats delivers maximum oat flavor in each bite.
  • Browned butter adds nuttiness and complexity.
  • The right balance of dry to wet ingredients and just enough leavening produces pancakes that are hearty but light and fluffy.

Recipe Details

Oatmeal and Brown Butter Pancakes Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces (about 1 cup) steel-cut oats

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • 5 ounces (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 1/4 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 16 ounces (about 2 cups) buttermilk

  • Vegetable oil, for cooking

  • Warm maple syrup, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat oats in a medium skillet over medium heat, tossing and stirring frequently, until toasted and nutty, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly.

  2. Add butter to now-empty skillet, place over low heat, and cook, swirling constantly, until solids turn a golden brown and butter smells nutty, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a second bowl.

  3. Transfer oats to the jar of a blender and blend on high speed until completely powdered, about 1 minute. Return to bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar, and whisk to combine.

  4. Preheat a griddle or a large pan over medium heat. Rub with a paper towel dipped in oil.

  5. Add eggs and buttermilk to bowl with browned butter and whisk to combine. Dump dry ingredients into wet ingredients and whisk until just incorporated and no dry pockets or streaks of flour remain but batter is still lumpy.

  6. Add batter in 1/3-cup ladles and spread gently with the bottom of the ladle into 4-inch disks. Cook without disturbing until bubbles form on the top surface and bottom is a deep golden brown (peek underneath with a spatula). Carefully flip pancakes and continue cooking until second side is golden brown.

  7. Transfer cooked pancakes to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and store in a warm oven while you cook the remaining pancakes. Serve pancakes immediately with warm maple syrup.

Special equipment

blender, griddle

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
431Calories
14gFat
66gCarbs
11gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories431
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g18%
Saturated Fat 6g31%
Cholesterol 86mg29%
Sodium 662mg29%
Total Carbohydrate 66g24%
Dietary Fiber 4g13%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 1mg4%
Calcium 242mg19%
Iron 3mg16%
Potassium 334mg7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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