Perfect Pancakes

If you’re making pancakes for a bigger crowd, you can double this recipe. For a double batch, use only 2 tablespoons baking powder. If you want, you can replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat or spelt flour (any more, and the pancakes become heavy).

Makes 12 small pancakes

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1 to 1¼ cups milk

1 large egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving

Maple syrup, for serving

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup of the milk, the egg, and the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, add the butter, and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. The batter will be thick and lumpy but still pourable; if it seems too thick, add the additional milk by the tablespoon until it’s the right consistency.

Preheat a nonstick griddle or frying pan over medium heat. When the griddle is hot, make a tester pancake: Spoon or ladle a small amount of batter onto the griddle and use the bottom of the spoon to gently spread the batter into a circle (the batter is so thick, it won’t spread easily on its own). Cook until golden brown and set on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook on the second side for 2 minutes more, until browned on the second side. Adjust the heat on the griddle, then cook the remaining pancakes in batches until all the batter has been used. Though pancakes are best eaten right away, you can hold the first batch in a warm oven while you cook the second. Serve hot, with butter and warm maple syrup.