Short Stack Pancakes Recipe

Whisk dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and fine salt until evenly combined and aerated. Breaking up any clumps with the whisk.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the egg until lightly beaten. Add the milk, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract; whisk until smooth and uniform.

If you don’t have buttermilk, combine 1 cup milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes, then use as directed.

Combine wet and dry

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the wet into the dry just until combined. A few small lumps are okay — do not overmix or the pancakes will be tough.

If the batter seems very thick, add 1–2 tablespoons additional milk to reach a pourable but slightly thick consistency (batter should fall slowly from a spoon in a ribbon).

Let the batter rest 5–10 minutes at room temperature to allow the baking powder to begin working and the gluten to relax; this yields lighter pancakes.

Preheat pan

Place a nonstick skillet or cast-iron griddle over medium heat and let it preheat for 3–5 minutes. Lightly oil the pan with the vegetable oil (and/or ½ tablespoon butter) spread with a paper towel; the surface should be shimmering but not smoking.

Spoon batter

For a short stack, measure about ¼ cup batter per pancake (you’ll get roughly 6–8 pancakes depending on exact size). Pour batter onto the hot pan, leaving space between pancakes.

Watch for bubbles

Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 1½–2 minutes. The bottoms should be golden brown when you lift an edge with a spatula.

Flip and finish

Flip the pancakes and cook until the second side is golden and the centers are cooked through, about 45–60 seconds more. Avoid pressing down on the pancakes.

Transfer cooked pancakes to a warm plate and keep warm in a low (200°F / 95°C) oven while you finish the rest.

Stack the pancakes (short stack of 3) on plates, top with a pat of butter if desired, drizzle with maple syrup and serve with fresh berries or fruit on the side.