Bubbie's Short Stack Pancakes Recipe

Prepare dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and sea salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl whisk the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Mix batter

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined; small lumps are okay. If the batter seems very thick, whisk in up to 1/4 cup milk to reach a pourable but thick consistency (like heavy cream). Avoid overmixing to keep pancakes tender.

Rest the batter

Let the batter rest 5 minutes at room temperature. This relaxes the gluten and helps bubbles form for a lighter pancake.

Heat and grease griddle

Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat (about 350°F/175°C). Brush with a little vegetable oil or melted butter and wipe excess with a paper towel so the surface is lightly greased.

Cook short stack pancakes

For each small pancake (short stack size), pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle, spacing them so they don't touch. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges look set, 2–3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden and cooked through, 1–2 minutes more. Keep cooked pancakes warm on a plate tented with foil while you finish the rest. This recipe yields about 6–8 small pancakes (short stacks).

Combine chocolate and cocoa

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate (if using) and cocoa powder in a small heatproof bowl.

Warm maple syrup

Gently warm the maple syrup in a small saucepan over low heat until just simmering — you want it warm, not boiling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Emulsify tahini and syrup with chocolate

Pour the warm maple syrup over the cocoa and chocolate. Whisk immediately to melt and incorporate. Add the tahini and a pinch of sea salt and whisk until smooth. If the mixture is too thick to drizzle, add up to 1 tablespoon warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a pourable syrup consistency.

Taste and adjust

Taste the sauce and adjust: add more tahini for nuttiness, a touch more maple for sweetness, or a pinch more salt to brighten. Keep warm over the lowest heat or transfer to a small serving jug.

Stack 3 pancakes per serving on plates. Dot each stack with a small pat of butter if using.

Generously drizzle the warm chocolate tahini maple syrup over the pancakes so it seeps between layers.

Finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or chopped walnuts and scatter fresh berries or banana slices alongside. Serve immediately.