During the school year, weekday breakfasts fall into the “Hurry up and eat, so we can get out the door” camp. But on weekends, breakfast can be a luxurious and leisurely way to start a day. And for anyone who has not gone through the exercise of making true lazy weekend pancakes from scratch, know there are few things more satisfying. Making pancakes from scratch isn’t that hard. The secret — and the science experiment — is that the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to form a foamy texture. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the measuring out of ingredients, but what might be tedious for you is fun for your kids, so get them involved.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
2 large eggs (60g each), separated
1 1/2 cups (350g) buttermilk
1 cup (245g) whole milk
2 tablespoons (30g) distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon (15g) vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted
4 tablespoons (55g) butter, melted and cooled

For serving
4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, plus more for serving
Maple syrup, for serving

Directions

1. In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a second bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they create soft peaks.

3. In a third bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, milk, vinegar, vanilla, and 4 tablespoons melted butter.

4. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in the egg whites.

5. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a stainless steel skillet over high heat. Once melted, reduce the heat to medium and scoop 1/2-cup (120ml) portions of batter into the hot pan. Cook until the edges become crispy and bubbles start to appear on the surface of the pancake, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the edges are crispy and the center is firm. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

6. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Excerpted from Dad, What's For Dinner? © 2025 by David Nayfeld. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.