The Absolute Best Cracker Barrel Breakfast Menu Item To Order On Repeat

Breakfast-lovers know that diner pancakes somehow always taste better than the ones foodies make at home. This is especially true at Cracker Barrel. In Tasting Table's definitive ranking of nine popular Cracker Barrel breakfast menu items, the chain's Buttermilk Pancakes took the first-place position by a long shot. Cracker Barrel's pancakes are notably thinner than some of the ultra-thick offerings at other diners. However, it's this thinness that sets the pancakes apart, yielding mouth-wateringly caramelized crispiness on the edges and plushness in the center. This contrast helps the mouthfeel from leaning one-note or overly cakey. 

According to the Cracker Barrel website, its Buttermilk Pancakes are customarily served with butter and 100% pure natural syrup. But the texture and flavor of these flapjacks are so knockout, in fact, that they don't even need accouterments. Arguably, they perform even better without the sticky stuff. As our taste-tester noted, "I spread around the generous scoop of butter that came on top and doused the pancakes in warmed, pure maple syrup, but they really didn't need any extra butter, and just a little drizzle of maple syrup would have sufficed. Each bite had a touch of zestiness from the buttermilk, but it didn't overshadow the decadent flavor of high-quality butter and a touch of cinnamon and vanilla." The Cracker Barrel menu is also serving up fully-loaded versions like the Chocolate Chip Pancake Plate and the Strawberry-Stuffed Cheesecake Pancakes. But, by our count, the simpler the better when it comes to these masterful hotcakes. 

The internet is filled with copycat recipes of fans trying to recreate Cracker Barrel's craveable hotcakes at home. A commonly speculated element in the mix is baking soda. That namesake buttermilk creates the tangy flavor, but on a molecular level, the ingredient also seemingly reacts with baking soda for a light, airy, yet crispy batter texture. While the exact recipe remains up for speculation, elsewhere online, foodies are trading theories about the chain's signature fluffy yet crispy texture, which makes hotcakes an art form. One Reddit post in r/pancakes raves, "God I love the Cracker Barrel," with an enticing photo of the buttered flapjacks at a restaurant table. Comments rave, "Golden goodness," "One of the best pancakes ever," and "When I go out for pancakes I go [to] Cracker Barrel. I think most diner pancakes are too thick. Cracker Barrel does them right. On the thinner side [and] crispy on the edge." Here at Tasting Table, we're also loving the chain's newly released seasonal fall menu for 2025. (No comment on the new logo, or the equally controversial modernized interior rebrand).

At a restaurant location in Ohio, a side order of two Buttermilk Pancakes costs $5.29. They also appear in Grandma's Sampler Pancake Breakfast alongside two eggs, a choice of meat, and one breakfast side ($12.49). Or, for diehard flapjack fans looking for a third round, the Momma's Pancake Breakfast includes three Buttermilk Pancakes, along with two eggs and a choice of meat ($9.99).