Thick buttermilk pancakes with semi-sweet chocolate chips folded through — straightforward weekend breakfast that comes together in one bowl and one pan.
1Mix the dry — Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
2Mix the wet — In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until combined.
3Combine — Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until the batter comes together. Lumps are fine and expected; overworking kills the lift. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4Rest the batter — Let the batter sit 5 minutes while the pan heats. This lets the leaveners activate and the gluten relax.
5Cook the pancakes — Set a skillet or griddle over medium heat and coat lightly with oil or butter. Pour 1/3 cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles break across the surface and the edges look set, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook 1-2 minutes more. Adjust heat if the bottoms brown before the tops set.
6Serve immediately — Stack and serve hot. Chocolate chips in the bottom layer will have set; those on top will still be soft.
Buttermilk is doing real work here — its acid reacts with the baking soda for extra lift and tang. In a pinch, add 2 tbsp white vinegar to 2 cups whole milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
Keep finished pancakes on a wire rack in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest. A plate stacks steam into the bottom ones and turns them soggy.
Leftover pancakes keep 3 days in the fridge and reheat well in a toaster — better than a microwave, which softens them.