Why This Recipe Works

These light, lemony pancakes are inspired by the ones served at the Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine. They get their superfluffy texture from baking powder and baking soda, which are known as chemical leaveners because they help baked goods rise without the use of yeast. Baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients, such as the lemon juice and buttermilk in this recipe, to create bubbles of carbon dioxide gas that get trapped in the batter and make it fluffy. Baking powder contains its own acid, so all it needs to make bubbles is a liquid. To see this kitchen science in action, have your young chef put some lemon juice and water in two separate glasses, then sprinkle a pinch of baking soda in each. They’ll notice that only the lemon juice glass fizzes. Repeat this process with baking powder, and notice how both mixtures make bubbles!

Before You Begin

If you don’t have a griddle, you can cook these flapjacks in a 12-inch nonstick skillet instead. Cook them in batches over medium heat, two at a time for medium-size flapjacks or one at a time for large-size flapjacks. If you love lemon, use the full 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Serve flapjacks with butter and maple syrup.

Instructions

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg and egg yolk, and lemon zest and juice until combined. Add melted butter and whisk until well combined.

Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture. Use rubber spatula to stir gently until just combined (batter should remain lumpy—do not overmix; see Step-by-Step: Mixing Pancake Batter,” below). Let batter sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add oil to large stovetop griddle or electric griddle. Use paper towel to spread oil into thin, even coating over surface of griddle. Discard paper towel. For stovetop griddle, place over 2 burners and heat over low heat for at least 5 minutes. For electric griddle, heat to 350 degrees.

When batter is ready, if using stovetop griddle, increase heat to medium and heat for 1 more minute.To make medium-size flapjacks: Use ⅓-cup dry measuring cup to scoop ⅓ cup batter onto griddle. Use rubber spatula to scrape batter from cup and spread into 5-inch circle. Repeat 3 more times, leaving space between mounds of batter.

Cook until edges are set and first side is deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Use spatula to flip flapjacks and cook until second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. (If you’re using a stovetop griddle set over 2 burners on your stove, 1 side of your griddle may cook faster than the other.)

Use spatula to transfer pancakes to plates. Repeat portioning and cooking with remaining batter. Turn off heat. Serve.