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Copycat Cracker Barrel Pancakes

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These Copycat Cracker Barrel Pancakes are the best buttermilk pancakes! Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to have hot pancakes from scratch on the griddle.  I would also like to think they will be the best pancakes you have ever eaten!  (I think it is the buttery crust…)

A lovely plate of copycat cracker barrel pancakes topped with syrup and butter. There is a vase of lilac in the background and half a grapefruit garnished with a pansy.

I am an absolute pancake fiend! From time to time we make trips to Cracker Barrel for my all time favorite pancakes. Unfortunately, it is hard for me to justify paying about $10 for a plate of white flour in a noisy room. The truth is you can make excellent pancakes at home for pennies on the dollar and never have to wait for a table.

Because I know you like simple, I put together a mix option for this recipe too! It is really easy and there is no reason to not make your own mix at home.

This Cracker Barrel Buttermilk Pancake Recipe is My Masterpiece

I spent six months experimenting with pancake recipes. I have pretty much tried every option out there. Milk, Belgian buttermilk, low fat buttermilk, cream, loads of butter, flour measurement techniques, sugar options, cooking styles, store bought mixes and on and on.

After literally hundreds of pancakes (all dutifully taste tested!) this is my masterpiece of pancake recipes.

When I started I did not even know there was such a thing as Belgian buttermilk. It turns out success is all about the simple combination of ingredients and buttering the griddle before every new pancake goes on it. Who would have guessed?

Getting The Cracker Barrel Pancake Recipe RIGHT

The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of baking soda. I’m not crazy. It’s not a typo. You really need to add 2 teaspoons.

It also calls for a full teaspoon of salt. If you are sensitive to salt you can try cutting this down to 1/2 teaspoon and see what you think. These pancakes are intended to have more salt and sugar than other recipes (it is part of the Cracker Barrel Secret) but by all means adjust for your needs.

Using an Ice Cream Scoop to make buttermilk pancakes

This is the type of ice cream scoop I use to make the pancakes.  Any 4oz scoop of this style will do.

The Best Electric Pancake Griddle on the Market

We have owned multiple electric griddles and dealt with broken handles and uneven heating. Several years ago I took the plunge and bought the amazing Zojirushi Gourmet Electric Sizzler.

This is a serious workhorse of a griddle! It comes with a LID which is great for hash browns and bacon. The thing is a beast – it heats evenly, has a big cooking surface, and you can even use a metal spatula on it because it is SO durable! (Seriously they even ship you a metal spatula – that is how durable it is!)

In general getting good quality cooking equipment is worth it for great breakfasts – a solid electric griddle is definitely worth it!

Using Buttermilk Substitutes for Buttermilk Pancakes

Good news / bad news with buttermilk substitutes.  Yes you can use one for these pancakes but it is never quite as good! I’ve tried the 1 Tablespoon of vinegar in milk. I’ve tried powdered buttermilk. I know people use kefir and sour cream and even yogurt substitutions. But nothing is quite the same in this recipe!

I’ve done it in a pinch but always end up missing that extra special consistency and flavor from true, cultured buttermilk.

Great Homemade Syrups for Pancakes

  • Sticky Bun Breakfast Syrup!  It is like pouring the gooey cinnamon part of a stick bun all over your pancakes and that, my friends, is perfect!
  • Wild  blueberry syrup – one of my absolute favorites and really easy to make!
a pate of copycat cracker barrel buttermilk pancakes sits on a blue and white checked napkin. There is butter and maple syrup on the pancakes.
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4.16 from 118 votes

Copycat Cracker Barrel Pancakes

These Copycat Cracker Barrel Pancakes are easier to make than most pancake recipes you can get your hands on! Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to have hot buttermilk pancakes from scratch on the griddle. I would also like to think they will be the best pancakes you have ever eaten!  (I've included notes below the recipe on how to make this into a Pancake Mix.) 
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 255kcal
Author Mirlandra Neuneker

Ingredients

For Pancakes

  • 2 cups flour measured with spoon, not sifted (See note)
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 Tbsp. granualted sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/3 cups low fat buttermilk don't use anything above 1%
  • butter for cooking

For Pancake Mix

  • 10 cups 10 cups all - purpose flour measured with spoon, not sifted (see note)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 5 tsp. salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make Pancakes

  • Preheat a pancake griddle to 350. Peel the paper off of one end of a stick of butter and set on a plate next to the griddle for greasing.
  • Whisk eggs and buttermilk together in a medium bowl. Add flour*, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Whisk just until combined.
  • Rub butter in a circle on the griddle and drop 1/2 cup of batter into the butter spot. I like to use a large ice cream scoop for this. As soon as the batter hits the griddle, level it out and smooth it quickly into a circle with the back of the ice cream scoop.
  • The pancakes should be flipped when the 2nd bubble pops. This will take about two minutes on most griddles. Flip the pancake and cook on the second side until no longer doughy.
  • Every time you put new batter on the griddle you need to butter it again.
  • Pancakes should be served piping hot off the griddle. Stacking them up or holding them in an oven can cause them to lose the crunchy outside and / or become tough.

To Make Pancake Mix: As easy as this recipe is you can also make it up as a mix and then have homemade pancake mix at the ready whenever you like! Fair warning, before you know it, you might find these tasty pancakes sneaking into the weekday breakfast routine. You can mix up six or 12 pancakes at a time. I find that six feeds two pretty hungry adults. If you make more than 12 at a time the batter gets a bit harder to stir together. Also, make sure to cook the batter quickly - it does not do well if you let it sit a long time before cooking. Leftover batter should be discarded.

  • Whisk together all ingredients and store in an airtight container with cooking directions.  
  • To make 6 pancakes whisk together 1 cup + 1 Tbsp. low fat buttermilk with 1 egg. Gently whisk in 1 cup of mix and cook as directed above.
  • To make 12 pancakes whisk together 2 1/3 cups of low fat buttermilk and 2 eggs. Gently whisk in 2 cups of mix and cook as directed above

Notes

The best way to measure the flour is to spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it off. This will help ensure you don't pack too much flour into these tender pancakes.
Makes 12 pancakes. A child will probably eat one, most adults will eat 2-3.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Copycat Cracker Barrel Pancakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 255 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 887mg37%
Potassium 205mg6%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 125IU3%
Vitamin C 0.9mg1%
Calcium 123mg12%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I read each and every comment and I try to respond to questions asap, so ask away! If you’ve made a recipe, I would love to hear about it! Please come back and share your experience and give the recipe a 5-star rating so other people will know how much you loved it!

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copycat cracker barrel pancakes promo image

 

Recipe adapted from one posted on Food.com that says it is from the Cracker Barrel Cookbook.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Mirlandra

      Thank you! I adore these pancakes (and pancakes in general). I’m very glad so many people loved the recipe! I always enjoy hanging out with you ladies. See you again next week!

      Reply

      • Kim

        Thanks so much for sharing ! I don’t usually eat pancakes because I hate box mix ! These are exactly like Cracker Barrel which I love ! But question … can I keep batter until tomorrow ! There are only two of us and I hate to waste ! Kim

        Reply

        • Mirlandra

          Hi Kim – I’m so glad you love this one! I don’t find the batter lasts well in the fridge. However, my husband and I (before we had the kids) sometimes made a half batch! It worked really well for just the two of us. I hope that helps – enjoy those pancakes!

          Reply

      • Kim Bridges

        5 stars
        Thanks so much for sharing ! I don’t usually eat pancakes because I hate box mix ! These are exactly like Cracker Barrel which I love ! But question … can I keep batter until tomorrow ! There are only two of us and I hate to waste ! Kim

        Reply

  4. Caryn

    I made these and it was like a restaurant delivered the best pancakes ever right to my house. SO GOOD!!! Unfortunately, the container of buttermilk I bought contained more than 2 cups, so I have to make another batch today. Rats!

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      I feel exactly the same way about these pancakes! I now buy buttermilk by the quart and I use every drop…

      Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Once you make the batter you need to cook it right away. I left one batch sitting for 45 minutes or so while I was arranging props to take photos (pancakes are hard to photograph) and the pancakes were less nice when I went to cook the batter. My suggestion if you need to make more than four batches is to make up the mix and then just make a batch or two at a time as you cook. Unfortunately, it is the price we pay for such a light, fluffy and tender pancake.

      Reply

  7. Betty

    I was so excited to give this recipe a try. I followed the instructions exactly. I ended up with a very runny batter. I have no idea where I went wrong. The very flat pancakes did have a good taste!

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      I’m sorry to hear that! Sometimes in cooking something little manages to create a weird problem. The first thing to check is to make sure you are measuring all of the ingredients exactly. I spooned flour into measuring cups and leveled it off with a knife. Make sure you are using a liquid specific measuring cup for the liquid. If you are using eggs from your own chickens you could be using an abnormally large egg. The next thing is to make sure you have the correct kind of buttermilk. It needs to be low fat (1%) buttermilk and not a vinegar and milk substitution or reconstituted from powdered buttermilk.

      If measurement is not an issue try reducing the buttermilk by about 1/3 of a cup and see how it comes together for you. I have used a range of buttermilk measurements and you can adjust this to taste more or less.

      Also, just make sure your baking soda is not ancient. If it is far enough expired you can run into problems. I hope that helps!

      Reply

    • Andrea

      I had the same issue – very runny, and I did measure correctly and used the right buttermilk. I used less than 1 tsp of salt, and greased the pan with unsalted butter, but they still tasted too salty to me and my family. Worth trying, but still not my personal favorite pancake.

      Reply

      • Mirlandra

        Pancake recipes tend to run salty. I have no idea why this is, but it seems to be quite standard. If your family likes things with very low salt I would always go easy on that to start and see where you end up. These pancakes are intended to be pretty thin and not as fluffy as you would expect for more of a flapjack recipe. That being said my husband made a batch last week that came out very, very thin. As far as I could tell having not been in the kitchen there was an issue with the way he made buttermilk. If you like a fluffier pancake I would check out Oh Sweet Basil – her blog has a great pancake recipe that you might enjoy more 🙂

        Reply

      • Mirlandra

        I have some notes above in response to Betty that might be helpful. It is a thinner batter but cooks up as shown in the picture. A thinner pancake but plenty fluffy. If you are looking for something thicker you might want a different recipe 🙂 I hope you find our perfect pancake!

        Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Rice milk and almond milk have different consistencies and do not activate the leavening the same way buttermilk does. Great recipes are discovered through experimentation and I think it is wonderful to try new things but I suspect this would not be a successful substitution. I think you might be able to use a lactose free type of milk with a little vinegar though.

      Reply

  9. Miranda

    I live in Canada, where we aren’t fortunate enough to have the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain … but I have fallen in love with them on my travels to the States, so I was very excited to come across this recipe! I have to say, these pancakes were superb! Your recipe was so well-written and your cooking tips really helped me make the best pancakes I have ever cooked. My 2 1/2 year old daughter had a lot of fun helping with the recipe too. 🙂 Thanks so much, this one is going in our weekend brunch rotation and I will be taking a peek at your other recipes too!

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Thank you so much!!! I’m so honored to be a part of your family tradition. We can’t get enough of these pancakes and they are frequent additions to our weekends and even a few weeknights. I’m sure your daughter is a lucky girl. Getting to cook with mom is a great part of growing up! If you like breakfast dishes, you might also like my Creme Brulee French Toast. It is easy and family friendly. You can find it in the recipe index under breakfast recipes.

      Reply

  10. Renee VanEpps

    Milandra – what a pretty name!! First time to your site, found the pancake recipe on Pinterest, and needed something sort of quick to make for my 8 yr old and her sleepover friends.. After breakfast, they all sprawled out on the floor talking about how their bellies were about to burst, and that they’ve never had better pancakes!!! I have to agree, they’re delicious and could be very very dangerous! (I also did not have buttermilk, so subbed milk and vinegar, still delish!!!!!) Thank you!

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Oh that sounds like a perfect sleepover! What lucky girls. Thank you for telling me. Knowing they had so much fun with the recipe is a lovely start to my day! I find them a bit dangerous too, if I’m being honest. This week I needed to buy buttermilk for another project and convinced myself I just had to buy extra and make pancakes this weekend.

      Reply

    • Mirlandra

      That is a good question, Sue. I don’t advocate many low fat foods myself. In this case “low fat” buttermilk is what most stores carry and what is generally used for baking. It is a good product I think you will be happy with. It is possible to get a higher fat content buttermilk but it is a specialty product and hard to find. I was curious if it would make a difference in the pancakes so we tracked it down and did try it. In the end we found that it did not make good pancakes. Go figure! I think you will be happy with the results as written. Enjoy!

      Reply

    • Mirlandra

      The general rule of thumb is to put 1 Tbsp. of white vinegar into a measuring cup and fill to the 1 cup line with whole milk. Let it set for 15-30 minutes and then use. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  13. Jennifer

    I read comments about runny batter. A trick to all pancakes are to wiskey up all ingredients until just mixed then let the batter set until it bubbles. Letting it rest will give you fluffier and lighter pancakes.

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      If a recipe does not call for self-rising you should not use it. Self-rising flour has leavening already included with the flour so it will mess up what you are making. You might be able to find a conversion chart on Google that would allow you to use it if you want to try to do the conversion.

      Reply

  16. Dennis

    I tried several batches using vinegar and 2% milk to make the buttermilk. It turned out very runny and the taste was too “eggy.” The next week I bought “fat free” buttermilk (they didn’t have 1%) and the pancakes turned out perfect. The taste was much better and egg taste was not as prevalent. Thanks for the recipe.

    I just wish I could use vinegar or lemon juice for buttermilk as we never use buttermilk for anything else and so I’ll waste a lot of buttermilk.

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      I have found the same to be true with a substitution of this nature for this recipe. Sometimes I have had better luck letting the vinegar and milk sit and curdle for about 20 minutes before use but it is still not quite the same.

      Some stores carry small containers of buttermilk – just a cup or two. I also personally use buttermilk for some weeks past the date which it expires. Some people are comfortable doing that and others not. But that saves us the hassle of having it go bad.

      Good luck!

      Reply

      • Terri

        I just now found your page, so I haven’t had time to try it…that comes tomorrow! But I wanted to bring up the idea of pre measuring the left over buttermilk and freezing it. This works for other recipes with milk and buttermilk. I am the person who usually does the vinegar thing but for these I’ll buy 1% buttermilk. Thanks in advance for the recipe.

        Reply

    • Mirlandra

      I am glad you enjoyed it! Somehow I feel like Pancakes just make life better! How could they not? I have never tried freezing buttermilk but now I plan to give it a try. Thanks for the great tip!

      Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Thanks for the feature! We really love these pancakes and I hope everybody else will enjoy them too! I love hanging with you ladies every weekend 🙂

      Reply

  20. Terri

    You specify to use only 1 % buttermilk, hubby bought whole buttetmilk. What should I expect? Could I possibly water it down? I’ve been dying to try rhese.

    Reply

    • Terri

      I wanted to update you on my try at these pancakes. They are undoubtedly the fluffiest, lightest, most scrumptious pancakes I have ever made…period! These are my new go to recipe…there are no other. Now, about the buttermilk, all I had was whole, so I used it but went a little shy of the full amount then finished it with water hoping to thin it down amount a bit. It must have worked okay, they were great. I did add a bit of good vanilla extract also. Thank you for a wonderful no fail recipe that I will keep and pass down to my girls.

      Reply

      • Mirlandra

        I’m SO glad you loved them so much! The whole buttermilk just gives a bit of a different texture. It sounds like your trick to thin it a bit worked great!

        Reply

  21. Alicia

    Good Morning everyone,

    Couldn’t rustle up my 18 year old to go have breakfast with me at Cracker Barrel, ended up here! Made buttermilk with skim and lemon juice. Batter was runny and pancakes tasted great except were not fluffy at all!
    Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      The first thing to check is always measurements but I will say in my experience making buttermilk from vinegar and 2% that I don’t get fluffy pancakes. My fluffy pancakes have been from using traditional store bought buttermilk. Some readers said they got good results with a quick home made buttermilk that they let sit and curdle for some time before using it. I suspect they might have reduced the amount of liquid a bit which could have helped too.

      Probably your best bet is to try using store bought buttermilk and be careful to measure everything exactly. I would expect that to solve all your problems. If not try reducing the amount of buttermilk you are using by about 1/4-1/8 cup and see if that helps.

      Reply

  22. Kisha

    I usually use the boxed pancake mix, and I end up with cornbread type pancakes! I had leftover buttermilk and found your Crakel Barrel recipe for pancakes. Well my family enjoyed them (first time) so much, they are asking for them for dinner as well! Thanks

    Reply

  23. jessica

    Made these this morning and they were fantastic! Used lowfat buttermilk (label didn’t specify fat content, but nutritional info showed same day content as 1% milk). This recipe will be replacing my former favorite pancake recipe. Thanks Mirlandra!

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Awe, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! I can’t imagine us ever falling in love with another pancake recipe…

      Reply

  24. texan

    For twenty years I have used a similar but slightly different recipe. My recipe has 1/4 cup oil in the batter.
    For freezing…here is the trick that works for almost everything!

    after cooking the pancakes – decide on a serving size or portion size you prefer.
    I would choose 3 pancakes.
    Wrap the serving/portion in Saran Wrap or plastic wrap then place the wrapped portion in a large ziplock bag. Continue wrapping portions until all have been used.
    Label the zip lock bag with name and date. Freeze.
    Then you can retrieve one serving at a time to thaw, microwave and enjoy!

    I use this technique with French Toast, cornbread, cake – well almost anything!
    It prevents a glob of frozen together food as well as prevents freezer burn.
    It is very helpful for someone who lives alone.
    It is also great to prepare a batch for kids who might fend for themselves from time to time.
    It gives them something to eat without having to cook at that exact moment!

    I do this with uncooked bacon, too. Even uncooked chicken breasts.

    Reply

  25. Gentle Joy Homemaker

    I have made lots of pancakes…. with recipes and w/o recipes… and we love them too….. but I have not ever used buttermilk in my pancakes…. or actually buttered the griddle. Those things would make them extra special! Thank you for sharing the result of your experimenting! 🙂

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      I grew up on buttermilk pancakes but never buttering the griddle. I was very impressed by the difference it has made! Enjoy 🙂

      Reply

  29. Brenda

    4 stars
    This recipe is good and easy. I only put 1/2 tsp. of salt vs. 1 tsp. But the only thing I would change I would use oil to on the griddled. I’m just not a big fan of butter. The pancakes I made using oil on the griddle where more cake like and not as soggy looking.

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Yes! Using a different kind of fat creates a very different pancake! We love the butter ones here but plenty of room in the pancake world for different tastes. Glad you found something you liked. Cook on!

      Reply

  30. J Gantt

    I just bought the cracker barrel pancake mix and the have you add water to the mix. A few weeks ago I found a copy cat recipe for Bear Bear restaurant pancakes that I hear are amazing. It’s a sweet cream pancake. I tried it and mine didn’t turn out to well. I have two questions. It’s just me, I just need 2-3 pancakes. How can I tweek the recipe. Also, any suggestion for the syrup that taste just as good as cracker barrel?? I will cook today!!!!

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Hey! Are you thinking of Black Bear pancakes? I have to say personally I’m not a fan of their sweet cream pancakes. They seem to be very cakey and bland. When we want to make a small batch of this pancake mix we just cut the recipe in half. That seems to work pretty well for us. For the syrup Cracker barrel uses a real maple syrup that is cut with sugar. This makes it cheaper for them than serving 100% real maple syrup but it still tastes a ton better than using a fake syrup that is just maple flavored. I suggest buying a real maple syrup at your local grocery store. I buy the one that Costco sells but it is a good sized jug. Make sure to store it in the refrigerator 🙂 Enjoy those pancakes!

      Reply

  31. Joanna

    1 star
    Wanted to love these but didn’t like them at ALL – no one in my family did. They were too salty, too egg-y, and the mix was too runny. I’m confused why others are having such luck with them! I know everyone’s taste is different, but these aren’t anything like the Cracker Barrel ones I have had, either. 🙁

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Hi Joanna – thanks for the feedback. I’m sorry you didn’t like them! IT is so frustrating to make a recipe and discover you don’t like it 🙁 It is entirely possible that it is just not to your taste. But if you want to try again I have a few suggestions:
      1. Make sure you are using large eggs – nothing bigger
      2. Make sure you are measuring the flour by the dip and sweep method
      3. Omit the salt – CB food can be very salty and if your tastes are different leaving this out may help.
      4. Make sure you are measuring the buttermilk correctly! Only use a glass, liquid measuring cup – don’t use the metal ones. Get down on eye level and check to make sure that the milk comes right to the line – not over at all. Too much milk or egg could be making the batter runny.
      5. Check the date on your baking soda. If it is expired it won’t create the leavening action the same way and your pancakes will be thin, runny, and flat.

      I hope these are useful ideas for you in trouble shooting even if you don’t want to try this recipe again. I wish you the very best of luck cooking! Also you might like this more fluffy recipe I personally enjoy: https://ohsweetbasil.com/melt-in-your-mouth-buttermilk-pancakes-recipe/ Oh Sweet Basil does wonderful recipes.

      Reply

  32. Tanya

    5 stars
    I made these last night for Shrove Tuesday, and they are the best pancakes I have ever had at home! They really did taste just like the ones you get at Cracker Barrel, unlike the ones made with their pancake mix. I was also very impressed with how spot on the recipe was for the serving size. I cut the receipt in half, and I had six pancakes exactly. No small rinky dink one or one giant one to use up the last of the batter. That never happens, so kudos to you on your recipe testing.

    Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Thanks, Tanya! I try really hard to make sure recipes are clear and you get what you think you signed up for! I’m not perfect but that is my goal for sure! I’ve never understood the Cracker Barrel mix – it is hopeless! I don’t even know what they were trying to do! Thanks for your kind words and stopping to say hi 🙂

      Reply

    • Mirlandra

      Hi Cherie – I assume you mean 100% whole wheat flour? I have not but you could give it a shot! I would expect a denser pancake. You could try the first time doing 50/50 white flour and whole wheat flour and see how they turn out. Nothing ventured nothing gained! I still think you would get something good but only one way to find out 🙂

      Reply

  34. Val

    5 stars
    Best Pancakes for our family – i have memorized the recipe by now and passing on to my kids.
    The pancakes are fluffy, light and taste wonderful still a few days later – when they are some left over 🙂

    Reply

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