Description

Essentials of fluffy pancakes: tang, rest, and proper skillet heat.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry
1 1/3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Wet
3 tbsp. butter
3/4 c. whole milk
1/2 c. whole milk plain yogurt (Stonyfield is our favorite)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
splash of vanilla extract

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

In a medium-large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
In a saucepan, melt butter until a couple small pieces remain. Remove from heat and whisk until melted. Add in milk and whisk together. If butter solidifies, heat a bit longer until the two mixtures become one. The mixture should be warm, not hot. Whisk in remaining wet ingredients until evenly combined. (If you’re using extra tangy yogurt, skip the vinegar.)
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold batter together until the stripes of flour disappear. Batter will be a touch lumpy. Allow batter to rest for 10 minutes. Trust.
Meanwhile, heat cast iron griddle on medium-low. Once batter has rested and cast iron is hot, spray skillet with a neutral tasting, high-heat oil. Using a #16 spring release scoop (1/4 cup), add batter to pan. Gently, using the back of the scoop, pull the batter to make a circle. Once bubbles appear on the surface, flip the pancake using a flexible metal spatula (about 1 minute depending on your heat setting). Pancakes will immediately lift and begin peaking in the center. Allow to cook for another minute or until center feels firm. Stack on a plate and repeat. Add more oil only if necessary. See recipe notes for troubleshooting over- or under-cooked pancakes.

Notes

The heat of the skillet is super important in making great pancakes. Too low of heat will keep the pancake from rising to its potential. Too high of heat will cause the pancake to burn before the insides cook through. Of course every cooking surface is different, so it will take a bit of trial and error to get it right. As I always say, marry a recipe and adjust to work best in your kitchen. If using cast iron, know that it keeps heat really well. Because of that, you don’t want to preheat your cast iron at too high of a heat as it will take a good while for the heat to wear off.