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    Home » Pancakes » Butterscotch Pancakes

    Butterscotch Pancakes

    First Published: Jan 4, 2021 · Modified: Nov 5, 2023 by Sandra · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases with no additional cost to you.

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    Our easy and delicious buttermilk butterscotch pancakes are perfect when you're looking for something sweet for breakfast. The batter is flavored with a foolproof homemade butterscotch sauce and the recipe makes enough sauce to pour over the top. Double yum!
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Butterscotch sauce being poured on a stack of butterscotch pancakes

    If you're looking for heaven on a plate for breakfast, look no further than these crazy good butterscotch pancakes. I thought our cornbread pancakes with butter pecan syrup were good, but these beauties take the pancake goodness to a whole 'nother level! Seriously. If you like these, you will love our bananas Foster pancakes. They're like having dessert for breakfast.

    The homemade butterscotch sauce is well worth the effort to make. You can even make a second batch to use as a dessert topping or in this tasty butterscotch milkshake! This all-American pancake recipe has got to be one of the best I have ever tasted!

    Table of Contents
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 📝 Instructions
    • 🥄 Equipment
    • Complete Pancake Guide
    • ❓ FAQs
    • 🥞Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • 📚 References
    • Comments

    🧾 Ingredients

    Butterscotch pancakes ingredients

    Butterscotch Sauce

    • Unsalted butter (½ cup). It's important to use unsalted butter because you will be adding kosher salt. We don't want the sauce to be too salty.
    • Dark brown sugar packed (½ cup). When measuring out the dark brown sugar, press it down into the measuring cup with the back of a spoon. See photo below.
    • Heavy cream (1 cup). This may be labeled heavy whipping cream. Be sure to use fresh cream.
    • Kosher salt (½ teaspoon). Adds flavor.
    • Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons). Adds flavor.
    • Scotch whiskey (1 tablespoon). This is an optional ingredient. It adds flavor if you choose to use it.
    Brown sugar being pressed into a measuring cup with a spoon
    When measuring out the dark brown sugar, be sure to use the back of a spoon to pack it down into the measuring cup.

    Pancakes

    This recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder which makes for fluffy pancakes despite the additional of the butterscotch sauce, which could weight them down a bit. The flavor payoff is well worth it!

    • All-purpose flour (1½ cup).
    • Baking powder, double acting (1½ teaspoon). Necessary to add rise. Double acting baking powder is the most common and what you are likely to find in your grocery store. It is first activated when you add liquid to it, then it is activated again when baked (in this case on a griddle or skillet).
    • Baking soda (¾ teaspoon). Adds rise. This ingredient needs to be very fresh to be effective. It only lasts a couple of months. If your box of baking soda is very old, put it in your fridge to absorb odors and buy a new carton.
    • Salt (¼ teaspoon). Helps to bring out the butterscotch flavor.
    • Large eggs (2). Adds structure and rise.
    • Buttermilk (1 cup). Adds tangy flavor and helps with the rise.
    • Homemade butterscotch sauce (1 cup). The recipe for this sauce is included here. This is where the flavor and sweetness lies. Good stuff!
    • Unsalted butter, melted and cooled (3 tablespoons). Using unsalted butter allows us to control the salt content. It's a good idea to melt it and allow it to cool fully before using it in this recipe. If you forget to allow it to cool, it's no biggie, but I usually try to avoid adding anything hot to raw eggs. We don't need to make scrambled eggs here! 😉

    📝 Instructions

    Butterscotch Sauce

    Butter melting in a saucepan
    Step 1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
    Brown sugar melting in a saucepan
    Step 2. Add the brown sugar.
    Brown sugar and butter in a saucepan
    Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a slow and steady boil and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes.
    Heavy cream in a saucepan with a red spatula.
    Step 3. Carefully add the heavy cream and salt. Stir to combine. Bring mixture back to a slow boil. While stirring, cook another 3-4 minutes.
    Vanilla extract being added to a saucepan
    Step 4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and Scotch (if using).
    Red spatula stirring butterscotch mixture in a saucepan
    Step 5. Set aside and allow to cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

    Pancakes

    Butterscotch pancakes dry ingredients in a large glass bowl
    Step 1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    Wet ingredients in a medium glass bowl with a whisk
    Step 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, homemade butterscotch sauce (recipe included here) and melted butter.
    Wet and dry ingredients in a large glass bowl
    Step 3. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture.
    Wet and dry ingredients in a large glass bowl being stirred with a red spatula
    Stir until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will still be slightly lumpy.

    Step 4. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with butter, then ladle ⅓ cup batter onto griddle for each pancake.

    Butterscotch pancakes cooking on a griddle
    Step 5. Cook until the edges are golden and bubbles form and pop on the surface, about 2-3 minutes.
    Cooked butterscotch pancakes on a griddle
    Flip and continue cooking, about 2-3 minutes longer.

    🥄 Equipment

    This recipe uses the following equipment (affiliate links):

    • Griddle (not needed if using a skillet).
    • Large skillet (not needed if using a griddle).
    • Large glass bowl.
    • Medium glass bowl.
    • Whisk.
    Stack of butterscotch pancakes on a dark blue plate with a gold fork

    Complete Pancake Guide

    Looking for more information about making pancakes? Visit our complete guide for making homemade pancakes from scratch, including detailed ingredient information, step-by-step instructions and more!

    ❓ FAQs

    How do I store leftover butterscotch pancakes?

    You can store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. To freeze, cut a few pieces of wax paper to size and place a sheet between each pancake. Place the pancakes in a freezer bag and seal tight. You can reheat each pancake in the toaster as needed. Making pancakes ahead and freezing them is a great way to have homemade pancakes ready to go during the week when everyone seems to be so busy. Step aside Eggo!

    Why are my pancakes flat?

    Your baking powder and/or baking soda may have expired. Make sure that you use fresh baking powder and baking soda. Once opened, baking soda is only good for a couple of months.

    🥞Related Recipes

    Love pancakes? Here are a few more recipes to try!

    • Stack of bananas Foster pancakes on a white plate with a gold fork with topping in a skillet in the background
      Bananas Foster Pancakes
    • Close up of stack of peanut butter pancakes topped with whipped cream and peanut butter syrup on a white plate
      Peanut Butter Pancakes
    • Cornbread pancakes with butter pecan syrup on a white plate
      Butter Pecan Syrup with Cornbread Pancakes
    • Maple syrup being poured on a stack of chocolate chip pancakes topped with sliced bananas and chocolate chips on a white plate
      Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

    Made this recipe? We would love it if you could leave a rating. Either tap or click the stars in the recipe card or leave a comment below. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to receive a free e-cookbook of quick and easy breakfast recipes. Thanks!

    Recipe

    Butterscotch sauced being poured over a stack of butterscotch pancakes

    Butterscotch Pancakes

    Author: Heavenly Home Cooking
    Our easy and delicious buttermilk butterscotch pancakes are perfect when you're looking for something sweet for breakfast. The batter is flavored with a foolproof homemade butterscotch sauce and the recipe makes enough sauce to pour over the top. Double yum!
    Print Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List Save Saved! Rate
    Servings 8 pancakes
    Calories 424
    Total Time 40 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric

    Butterscotch Sauce

    • ½ cup unsalted butter
    • ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon Scotch whiskey optional

    Pancakes

    • 1½ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1½ teaspoon baking powder double acting
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • 1 cup butterscotch sauce recipe included
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled

    Instructions

    Butterscotch Sauce

    • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
    • Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.
      Bring to a boil then reduce to a slow and steady boil and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes.
    • Carefully add the heavy cream and salt. Stir to combine. Bring mixture back to a slow boil. While stirring, cook another 3-4 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and Scotch, if using.
    • Set aside and allow to cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

    Pancakes

    • In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, homemade butterscotch sauce (recipe above) and melted butter.
    • Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will still be slightly lumpy.
    • Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with butter, then ladle ⅓ cup batter onto griddle for each pancake.
    • Cook until the edges are golden and bubbles form and pop on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking, about 2-3 minutes longer.

    Notes

    Butterscotch sauce recipe adapted from Ridiculously Easy Butterscotch Sauce from The Cafe Sucre Farine.

    Equipment

    Griddle
    Large skillet
    Large bowl
    Medium bowl
    Silicone whisk

    Nutrition

    Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1040IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1mg

    📚 References

    Butterscotch sauce recipe adapted from Ridiculously Easy Butterscotch Sauce from The Cafe Sucre Farine.

    « Croque Madame
    21 Quick & Easy Breakfast Recipes »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. AMBER CHAPMAN says

      May 08, 2021 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      This was an awesome recipe! My 17 year old son wanted butterscotch pancakes for his birthday (all three of my kids get to select their entire daily menu 🙂 but I'd never even heard of them before! I searched the internet and with 5 starts, I selected this one. I was not hard to make, and all the photos matched all of the steps I did at home. That gave me comfort. I accidentally added the scotch and vanilla too early (it didn't make a difference actually, but be CAREFUL as it began to sizzle, pop and bubble I got splattered and it could have been more dangerous I think). I have never eaten butterscotch pancakes, but as a child that was one of my favorite candies! This was incredible and they were delicious! I felt like I had baked something (and I don't bake). I had extra sauce leftover and we all used it in place of syrup, incredible! Also, I added a handful of butterscotch baking candy melts because I wanted to make sure it was really flavorful. It was perfect! :)Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sandra says

        May 08, 2021 at 6:09 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed the pancakes, Amber! I hope your son had a wonderful birthday! 🙂 We have a butterscotch shake coming up soon also. Stay tuned!

        Reply
    2. Preston says

      March 17, 2021 at 10:54 am

      Sandra’s pancake recipe is really good!
      Butterscotch really enhances the flavor. Can’t wait to make them again.

      Reply
      • Sandra says

        March 30, 2021 at 4:00 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed the pancakes!

        Reply

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    Sandra Pennell

    Hi, I'm Sandra! I believe that you can make a hearty and satisfying breakfast even if you're short on time. Here I share my best recipes which will hopefully help you start your day with ease, nourishment and joy.

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