How to make pancakes?

The secret to fluffy pancakes is handling the batter as little as possible. Mix the dry ingredients — 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 3½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt — in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk 1¼ cups milk, one egg, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter (cooled slightly so it doesn’t cook the egg). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a spatula until the flour is just moistened. A few lumps are not just okay — they’re preferred. Overmixing develops gluten, and gluten makes pancakes tough, not tender.

Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat and add a small pat of butter. Once it stops sizzling, pour about ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Cook until you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look set — about 2 to 3 minutes — then flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. The first pancake is almost always a test pancake, so don’t worry if it comes out oddly shaped.

For variations, substitute buttermilk for regular milk (add ½ teaspoon baking soda to balance the acidity), fold in blueberries or chocolate chips after the initial mix, or replace ¼ cup of flour with cocoa powder for chocolate pancakes.