Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil, for the skillet

Directions

1. Measure out 1/2 cup of the oats and keep them back for later. Put the other 2 1/2 cups in a food processor and run it until you have something like rough whole-wheat flour, with some small oat bits still hanging around.
2. To the processor, add the baking powder. Add the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt next, then the eggs. Pour in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, add the oil or melted butter, then the honey and vanilla; pulse a few times just to bring the batter together.
3. Scrape the batter into a bowl, then fold in the reserved 1/2 cup oats. Give it 5 to 10 minutes to rest; it will be a little nubby rather than silky, and it will get thicker while it waits. Whenever it seems heavier than you want, stir in a splash of the buttermilk that is left.
4. Drizzle a few drops of oil into a skillet or griddle and wipe it around with a paper towel. Warm the pan over medium heat; when a sprinkle of water hits and sizzles, lower the heat to medium-low.
5. Scoop about 1/3 cup batter for each pancake onto the hot pan. Use the back of the scoop to nudge it into a 4-inch round, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles show up on the surface and a quick spatula peek shows browning underneath. Flip and cook for 2 minutes more, until the second side is browned. Keep cooking pancakes until the bowl is empty.
6. Serve straight from the griddle, or hold the pancakes in a 325ºF oven on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Put out butter and maple syrup, and add fresh fruit if you wish.