Delicious Pancakes

Everyone should have a reliable from-scratch pancake recipe in their back pocket, and this is it: pantry staples, one bowl of dry and one of wet, and breakfast in minutes. No boxed mix, no buttermilk, nothing you don’t already have.

The secret to light, fluffy pancakes is in how you mix, or rather, how little. Stir the wet into the dry just until the flour disappears and leave a few small lumps behind. Overmixing develops the gluten and gives you flat, rubbery pancakes instead of tall, tender ones.

From there it’s all about reading the pan. Pour the batter onto a preheated skillet and wait: when bubbles rise and break across the surface and the edges look set, it’s time to flip. About a minute on the second side, and they’re ready for butter and maple syrup.

Kitchen Tips

• Mix the batter just until combined; a few lumps are fine, and overmixing makes pancakes tough and flat.
• Flip only when bubbles break across the top and the edges look dry, not before.
• Keep the heat at medium so the insides cook through before the outsides over-brown.

Variations

• Scatter blueberries or chocolate chips onto each pancake right after pouring the batter.
• Add a splash of vanilla or a pinch of cinnamon, or swap some of the flour for whole wheat.