Whisk together your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make sure there are no lumps hiding in the flour—I like using a fork to break them up. This dry mixture is where all the rise happens, so don't skip sifting or whisking it around.

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, melted butter, vanilla powder, and honey. Stir it together until it's mostly mixed—don't overthink it. You want these wet ingredients ready to pour into the dry mix without sitting around.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. This is super important because overmixing makes tough pancakes, and nobody wants that. A few small lumps are totally fine and actually better than overworking the batter.

Heat your griddle or skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. You'll know it's ready when a drop of water sizzles immediately on the surface. Don't crank the heat too high or the outside burns before the inside cooks through.

Lightly butter or oil your cooking surface, then scoop batter onto the griddle using a 1/4 cup measure. Space them about 2 inches apart so they don't touch while cooking. I like making mine consistent sizes so they all finish at the same time.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look set. Flip gently and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. The second side always cooks faster, so keep an eye on it after that minute mark.

Transfer finished pancakes to a warm plate and serve immediately with your favorite toppings. If you're cooking a big batch, I set them on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven to keep them warm while I finish the rest. This buttermilk pancakes recipe makes about 12 pancakes total, depending on size.