Half Recipe

Combine dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup granulated sugar, 1.5 tsp baking powder, and 0.5 tsp fine salt until evenly distributed.

Mix wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk 0.75 cup whole milk with 1 large egg until combined. Add 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter and 0.5 tsp vanilla extract; whisk again until smooth.

Combine wet and dry

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon just until no large streaks of flour remain — batter should be slightly lumpy. Do not overmix.

Rest

Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flour to hydrate and the baking powder to begin activating.

While the batter rests, whisk together 0.5 cup half-and-half, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 0.5 tsp lemon zest, and 1/8 tsp sea salt flakes in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust salt or lemon if desired. Keep chilled or at room temperature until ready to use.

Preheat pan

Place a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil or butter and swirl to coat the surface. Heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Cook pancakes

For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet (you should get 6–8 pancakes depending on size). Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until bubbles appear across the surface and edges look set. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until golden and cooked through. Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning.

Keep warm

Transfer cooked pancakes to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you finish the rest.

Serve

Stack pancakes on serving plates. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the half-and-half topping over each stack so it soaks into the pancakes, then dust with 1 tbsp powdered sugar if using. Serve immediately.