Jordan and I love having a nice "fancy" breakfast on Sunday mornings. Fancy of course meaning not cereal or toast. These pancakes are perfectly sweet, tart, and crisp all in one (crisp from frying them in butter). The poppy seeds also add a perfect crunch to the pancake. My husband says it's kind of like pop rocks in a pancake! Except not really. You'll find out for yourself once you make them. Go ahead and add these pancakes to your breakfast rotation, you won't be disappointed.
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
butter, shortening, or vegetable oil for frying
maple syrup for serving
In a small bowl combine granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until sugar is fragrant. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the lemon sugar. Set aside.
In a separate bowl (or you can use a large liquid measuring cup), whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients. Add the poppy seeds and stir to combine. If a few lumps remain, that’s no problem. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while the griddle heats.
Place a griddle, or a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add a bit of butter, shortening, or vegetable oil to the pan. A teaspoon of fat will do for a n0nstick saute pan, a bit more fat may be necessary for a griddle. Dollop batter onto hot pan. For small pancakes, use about 2 tablespoons for each pancake. For larger pancakes, use about 1/4 cup of batter. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and and bubbling on top. Flip once and cook until golden brown on each side.
Place cooked pancakes on an oven-proof plate and place in a warm (about 150 degrees F) oven until all pancakes are cooked and ready to serve. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.
Adapted from Joy the Baker