This thick and fluffy pancake casserole is filled with blueberries and topped with a brown sugar crumble. This is a great way to make pancakes for a crowd, and it’s a great meal prep dish (it reheats beautifully).
This is one of my most popular recipes – and for good reason. This recipe is easy, delicious, and it’s always met with rave reviews. Think of it as a mashup between pancakes and coffee cake.
Jump to:
Why you’ll love this recipe
Flavor: Buttermilk pancakes with a touch of vanilla, lemon, blueberries, and maple syrup.
Texture: Imagine a super thick and fluffy pancake filled with juicy blueberries and a crunchy crumb topping.
Ease: Although this recipe has several steps, it is super easy. No special equipment or techniques needed.
Feed a crowd: If you don’t feel like standing over the stove flipping individual pancakes for a crowd this is a great alternative. I often make this dish for holiday breakfast/brunch.
Great leftover: Reheat individual servings in the microwave, this casserole reheats beautifully.
Pancake casserole recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
Crumb topping:
Combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Pop the topping into the fridge while you proceed with the pancake batter.
Pancake batter:
- Combine dry ingredients in one bowl.
- Combine wet ingredients in another bowl.
- Combine wet and dry.
- Be careful not to overmix (it will be lumpy).
Add the batter to a greased 9×13 pan. Top with blueberries and crumb topping.
Bake!
Make ahead options
Can this be made ahead?
I highly recommend serving this right after baking but you can do most of the prep in advance. Note: individual leftovers reheat well in the microwave but I do not bake and reheat the whole dish.
Use this method to prep ahead and you will only have a couple of “hands-on” minutes in the morning:
- Prepare the crumb topping and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 1 day in advance). It will firm up quite a bit as the butter chills in the fridge. Let it sit at room temp for an hour (if you have time), or just use your fingers to break the crumb topping into chunks as you scatter it over the pancake batter.
- Pancake batter: combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda) in a large bowl and tightly cover at room temp overnight.
- Pancake batter: in a large glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, milk, lemon zest and vanilla (all of the wet ingredients except the melted butter). Tightly cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning: Preheat the oven, whisk 4 tablespoons melted butter into the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stir well, pour into a prepared casserole dish. Top with blueberries and the refrigerated crumb topping and bake!
Can you use pancake mix?
I have tried swapping the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt and leaveners) in place of 2 ½ cups of pancake mix. It did work, but I found that the packaged pancake mix puffed up really high, which made the blueberries and crumb topping sink in. It tasted fine, but I prefer this recipe made the way it is written.
Can you use frozen blueberries?
YES! Swap the fresh blueberries for frozen blueberries (without thawing them). Note: You might need to increase the bake time by a couple minutes, and the blueberry color will bleed into the pancake batter a little more than it does with fresh blueberries. It will still taste fine.
Psst: If you absolutely LOVE blueberries (like my family does), you can top this Pancake Casserole with Blueberry Sauce.
Serving and storage
Serve warm topped with maple syrup. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
SUBSCRIBE to our free NEWSLETTER – Follow on INSTAGRAM
Recipe
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole
Ingredients
Crumb topping:
- ½ cup flour
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pancake:
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, see note
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ½ cup milk, I used skim milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1-2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cups blueberries
- maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
Crumb topping:
- In a medium bowl combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted butter and stir until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the pancake batter.
Pancake:
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, and vanilla extract (the butter might clump from the chill of the cold ingredients- that’s ok). Whisk wet ingredients until well combined. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to stir until combined. The batter will be lumpy; do not over mix.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the blueberries over the top. Remove the crumb topping from the fridge and crumble over the top of the blueberries and batter. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until puffed and light golden brown (check the center for doneness). Serve warm with maple syrup.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Kim
I work at a university dining hall and I’m constantly looking for ideas to break the monotony of every day breakfast items, and boy was this a success!!!!! I varied it just slightly to be able to mass produce, and the guests love it!! Thank you for this deliciousness!!!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. 🙂 Take care!
Melanie
Has anyone tried making and baking, then freezing for later? If so, did you hear it in the oven, by the slice, or microwave. I’m making this for a friend who recently had surgery.
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Melanie. I have not baked and frozen the whole thing. I would guess that it would be best to reheat it by the slice, and microwave should be fine. Thanks for stopping by!
Lisa Fear
I made this the other day and just wanted to tell you how amazing it is!!! I love that it’s not as sweet as some breakfast casseroles. Such a tasty recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m happy that you liked it. It’s one of my favorite breakfast recipes. Thanks for stopping by! Happy holidays.
Brianna
Could you used a premade pancake mix in a pinch?
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Brianna. I haven’t tried that. If you do, I would suggest swapping 2 1/2 cups pancake mix for the flour and omitting the sugar, baking powder and baking soda. You pancake mix should already include leavening. If you try this let me know how it goes. Thanks!
Celebrating Sweets
EDIT: Brianna, I had a typo on my last response to you. You should be substituting TWO AND A HALF cups of pancake mix NOT 1 1/2. Apologies!
Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky
I am obsessed with pancakes! Definitely blueberry buttermilk pancake casserole will be yummy! I’m seriously so inspired right now. I need to add 1 tsp. of honey to recipe and it would be perfect. Thx for sharing!
Sarah
Is the topping flour SR or AP?
Celebrating Sweets
All purpose. Fixing the recipe now. Thanks!
Sarah
Is the topping flour Self Rising or All Purpose? Thanks.
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Sarah. I’m sorry I didn’t answer sooner, I was traveling. It is all-purpose flour. Sorry I left that off, I am adding it to the recipe now. Thanks for pointing this out. Happy holidays!
Amy M
Is the lemon zest absolutely necessary?
Celebrating Sweets
Nope! Feel free to leave it out if you don’t have it. Enjoy!
Heather
Just made this this morning and it was delightful!! The only thing I might try next time is add more brown sugar to the crumb topping!! But otherwise it was awesome!!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m so glad that you liked it! Thanks for stopping by!
Karen Louey
Made this today for Christmas breakfast. It was great. Going to try some other fruits. I guessing that peaches or strawberries would be good also. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Celebrating Sweets
Fantastic! Thanks for taking the time to stop by. Happy holidays!