These easy cornmeal pancakes made with buttermilk and cooked in bacon grease are a unique spin on your traditional pancake recipe. Johnny Cakes are a delicious way to enjoy the great flavors of cornbread or breakfast!
Cornmeal Pancake Recipe
I grew up enjoying a large stack of buttermilk pancakes on Sundays that my Dad would cook up. This cornmeal pancake recipe with buttermilk is a unique spin on a family favorite.
The cornmeal adds a bit more texture to the bite of the pancake. Oatmeal pancakes are another fun way I like to change up the breakfast classic. Cooking them in a little bacon grease puts them over the top!
Johnny Cakes
If you grew up in the south, you may know cornmeal pancakes by their more popular name, Johnny Cakes. These buttermilk cornmeal pancakes are a fantastic way to enjoy all the flavors and textures of cornbread for brunch!
Just like cornbread, the recipes for Johnny Cakes can vary quite a bit. I opted to use buttermilk which is more reminiscent of the light and fluffy pancakes I grew up with.
Making cornmeal pancakes from scratch
To get started, gather the ingredients you will need to make your cornmeal pancakes.
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined.
Cooking pancakes in bacon grease
Cooking cornmeal pancakes in bacon grease adds a little extra flavor to your pancakes, but isn’t overwhelming. You don’t want to use a lot, just enough for a thin coat on the pan. It also crisps up the edges nicely for amazing texture.
If you want to make these pancakes a little bit healthier, feel free to skip the bacon grease. These buttermilk cornmeal pancakes will still be great. If you want a healthy recipe, be sure to check out these insanely popular Protein Pancakes.
The bacon grease adds an unrivaled flavor to the cornmeal pancakes that can’t be beat though!
How to store bacon grease
Whenever you are cooking up bacon, never let all that fat that renders down will all the amazing flavor go to waste! Allow the grease to cool in the pan, for around 10 minutes so it isn’t too hot to handle. You also don’t want it to melt your plastic container.
Pour the bacon grease into a small container and seal it with a lid. Pop it in the refrigerator and it keeps for around 3 months.
Your grandma might store her bacon grease in a container on the counter, but that isn’t really in keeping with current food safety guidelines.
How to make the best cornmeal pancakes
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. I like cooking pancakes in a well seasoned cast iron pan.
Add a dab of bacon grease to your pan and using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer over the pan. I you don’t have bacon grease on hand, butter is the next best thing.
Pour 1/3 cup of the batter onto a hot greased skillet. Repeat making as many pancakes as your pan will accommodate. Just be sure to space them out the a few inches apart so they don’t run into each other as they spread rom being poured.
When to flip pancakes
After 2-3 minutes when bubbles start forming, use a spatula to lift the edge of the pancake up while checking or a nice golden brown color.
If your pancakes are that beautiful golden brown color, flip the pancakes and cook about 2 minutes more until the other side is golden brown.
Serve the pancakes immediately, or keep warm on a warm plate covered with foil, while you cook the remaining pancakes.
Serving cornmeal pancakes
The classic combination of salty butter and sweet syrup is a tradition for a reason. It’s absolutely delicious!
If you want to change things up a bit more, check out some of these awesome toppings perfect or cornmeal pancakes.
Fruit toppings for pancakes
Cook up some fresh fruit for a hearty and delicious topping on any pancakes.
Syrups & butters for pancakes
From homemade fruit syrups to honey butters, these sauces will add amazing flavors to your cornmeal pancakes.
- Homemade Blueberry Syrup
- Fresh Cherry Syrup
- Prickly Pear Syrup
- Buttermilk Syrup
- Cinnamon Butter with Honey
- Orange Honey Butter
Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
Cooking & Serving
- Bacon grease for cooking
- Butter and maple syrup for serving optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together
- In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until well combined.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add a dab of bacon grease or butter to your pan and using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer over the pan.
- Pour 1/3 cup of the batter onto your hot greased skillet. Repeat making as many pancakes as your pan will accommodate, while spacing them out the a few inches apart.
- After 2-3 minutes when bubbles start forming on the top of the pancakes, use a spatula turner to lift the edge of the pancake up, checking for a golden brown color.
- Once golden brown, flip the pancakes and cook about 2 more minutes, or until the other side is golden brown.
- Serve the pancakes immediately, or keep warm on a warm plate covered with foil, while you cook the remaining pancakes.
MKB says
Very easy & tasty, thanks!
Summer Yule says
5 stars
Summer Yule says
These are FABULOUS! I ended up making pancakes with 1/4-cup of batter because they were spreading on me like crazy. Seriously love these, the bacon fat was the perfect touch! I hope the leftovers are just as good reheated tomorrow 🙂 Thank you for a super tasty recipe!
Malinda says
My whole family loved these pancakes!! I didn’t have bacon grease on hand so I used butter instead and they were still super tasty!
Julie says
My family loved these for Sunday breakfast! Definitely a unique spin and we really enjoyed it, thank you!
Megan says
These were SO yummy! I loved the bacon grease touch, so much flavor! Thank you!
Alison LaFortune says
Never had cornmeal in pancakes before and these were delish! A new Sunday brunch favorite for sure.