This Is Why Your Pancakes Never Come Out Fluffy

If there's one other ingredient that can give your pancakes bounce, says Wilson, it's buttermilk. The stuff isn't actually fattier than regular milk, but it's cultured, which makes it thicker and more acidic. The reaction between its acid and the baking powder's base gives you results that blow away anything that could happen with regular milk. Wilson also likes buttermilk's thickness and viscosity, which make the pancakes tender. (Though, if you're in a pinch, you can improve upon milk by adding a little lemon juice to it, or using a mixture of whole milk and plain yogurt, she says.)