Fluffy Stovetop Blueberry Pancakes

aka The Portland Morning Stack

There’s something sacred about a quiet Portland morning — the fog rolling off the Willamette, a fresh pot of coffee brewing, and a stack of blueberry pancakes sizzling on the griddle. I’ve been chasing the perfect blueberry pancake for years, and this recipe is the one I keep coming back to. The secret? A touch of lemon zest and Greek yogurt in the batter that makes them impossibly fluffy and just a little tangy. I make these almost every weekend, and my neighbors have started timing their visits suspiciously well.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder (we recommend aluminium & corn-free version, ex Gefen)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk (or oat milk for dairy-free)
• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, melted, plus more for the griddle
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1½ cups fresh blueberries
• Pure maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, and coconut sugar until well combined.
2. Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, Greek yogurt, avocado oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth.
3. Make the batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined — a few lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing makes pancakes tough. Gently fold in 1 cup of the blueberries, reserving the rest for topping.
4. Heat the griddle: Warm a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Brush lightly with avocado oil. The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly.
5. Cook the pancakes: Pour about ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle. Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set. Flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until golden brown underneath.
6. Serve and enjoy: Stack the pancakes on a warm plate. Top with the remaining fresh blueberries, a drizzle of pure maple syrup, and an extra squeeze of lemon if you’re feeling fancy.

Tips

• Don’t overmix: Lumpy batter = fluffy pancakes. Stir until the flour is just incorporated.
• Low and slow: Medium-low heat gives you evenly golden pancakes without burning the outside before the inside cooks through.
• Frozen blueberries work too: Just toss them in frozen — no need to thaw. They’ll burst open beautifully as they cook.
• Make it dairy-free: Swap the milk for oat milk and the Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt.
• Batch and freeze: These reheat beautifully in a skillet. Make a double batch on Sunday and toast them up all week.