Silver Dollar Pancakes

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large cast iron griddle or 12-inch nonstick skillet
• •Wire cooling rack and sheet pan for warming
• •Tablespoon measure or small ladle
• •Thin flexible spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Whisk the dry ingredients

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Make a well in the center. This takes thirty seconds and ensures your leavening is evenly distributed throughout. Clumps of baking powder mean uneven rise.

2. 2

   Combine wet ingredients

   In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture looks uniform. The butter may form small clumps when it hits the cold buttermilk. This is fine. They'll disappear when mixed into the flour.

   Room temperature buttermilk matters. Cold buttermilk will solidify your melted butter into hard bits that won't incorporate properly.
3. 3

   Make a lumpy batter

   Pour the wet ingredients into the well of dry ingredients. Stir with a fork or whisk using gentle circular motions, pulling flour from the edges into the center. Stop the moment the flour disappears. The batter should look rough and lumpy, like cottage cheese stirred into paste. This is correct. Those lumps are your insurance against tough pancakes.

   Count your strokes if you must. Fifteen to twenty is usually enough. Every additional stir develops gluten and robs your pancakes of tenderness.
4. 4

   Rest the batter

   Let the batter sit for five minutes while you heat your griddle. During this rest, the flour hydrates fully and the baking powder begins its work. You'll see small bubbles forming on the surface. The batter will thicken slightly. Do not stir it again.

5. 5

   Heat and test the griddle

   Heat a cast iron griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat for at least three minutes. Rub a thin film of butter across the surface using a folded paper towel. Test the temperature by dropping a tiny splash of batter onto the griddle. It should sizzle immediately and begin to set around the edges within seconds. If it sits there silently, your pan is too cold. If it browns instantly, reduce your heat.

   The ideal griddle temperature is 350°F. An infrared thermometer removes all guesswork, but the splash test has worked for generations.
6. 6

   Pour silver dollar rounds

   Using a tablespoon measure or small ladle, drop batter onto the griddle in rounds about two inches across. Work quickly and leave an inch between each pancake. You should fit eight to ten on a large griddle. The batter will spread slightly, so pour less than you think you need. Perfect circles come with practice. Imperfect circles taste exactly the same.

7. 7

   Watch for bubbles

   Cook until bubbles rise to the surface and begin to pop, leaving small craters that don't fill back in. The edges will look set and slightly dry, the undersides golden brown. This takes about ninety seconds. Resist the urge to peek constantly. Lifting the pancake breaks the seal with the griddle and interrupts the crust formation.

8. 8

   Flip once only

   Slide a thin spatula under each pancake and flip with a quick, confident motion. Cook the second side for sixty to ninety seconds until golden. The second side never browns as evenly as the first. This is universal pancake law. Press gently on the center. When it springs back, the pancake is done.

9. 9

   Keep warm and continue

   Transfer finished pancakes to a wire rack set inside a sheet pan in a 200°F oven. Never stack them directly or they'll steam and turn soggy. Wipe the griddle clean, add fresh butter, and continue with the remaining batter. The whole batch takes about fifteen minutes once you find your rhythm.

10. 10

    Serve immediately

    Pile the pancakes onto a warm platter or individual plates. A stack of eight to ten silver dollars makes a proper serving. Add a pat of butter to the top of each stack and pass warm maple syrup at the table. These are best eaten within moments of leaving the griddle, while the edges still crackle slightly against your fork.

Chef Tips

• •Real buttermilk produces superior pancakes. If you must substitute, stir one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk and let it sit for five minutes. It works, but lacks the complexity of cultured buttermilk.
• •A well-seasoned cast iron griddle holds heat more evenly than anything else. If using nonstick, choose a heavy pan. Thin pans create hot spots that burn some pancakes while undercooking others.
• •For even faster mornings, keep a squeeze bottle of batter in the refrigerator. The cold batter takes an extra minute on the griddle but lets you pour perfect circles with zero mess.
• •Maple syrup should be warm when it hits the table. Cold syrup cools the pancakes too quickly. A minute in the microwave or a small saucepan over low heat makes all the difference.

Advance Preparation

• •Dry ingredients can be whisked together the night before and stored covered at room temperature. In the morning, you're only mixing wet into dry.
• •Leftover pancakes freeze beautifully. Cool completely, arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan, freeze solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Reheat directly in the toaster until warm through, about two cycles.
• •Batter holds overnight in the refrigerator but loses some lift. If making ahead, reduce the baking powder by half and add a fresh half teaspoon in the morning. The pancakes will still be tender, just slightly denser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 100g, 6 small pancakes)