1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a mini muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray. This is where the magic happens—mini muffin tins give you perfectly sized poppers that cook evenly.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. These dry ingredients are the base, so make sure everything is well mixed—my kids love helping with this part because it’s quick and hands-on.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. I always crack the egg into a small bowl first to avoid any surprise shells—trust me, that saves time and frustration later.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir just until combined. The batter will be a bit lumpy, and that’s okay! Overmixing is the enemy of fluffy pancakes, a lesson I learned early after too many dense, rubbery batches.
5. If you’re adding chocolate chips or fruit, fold them in now, spreading the goodness evenly throughout the batter.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin tin, filling each cup about ¾ full. This ensures they have room to puff up without spilling over and making a mess in your oven.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I like to peek around the 12-minute mark because ovens vary—this also keeps me from overcooking and drying them out.
8. Let the poppers cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing them with a butter knife or small spatula. They’re best warm but still great at room temperature, which is perfect for busy mornings.

Pro tip: If you want to double the batch, these freeze like a dream. Just cool completely, then pop them in a freezer bag with parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick.