Whip the egg whites:

Cup of Yum
1. Separate the yolks into a small dish and place the egg whites and sugar in a bowl big enough to use a hand mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer.
2. Whip the egg whites and sugar to a stiff peak. This is when the egg white stands stiffly and does not run down when turned upside down.

Make the pancake batter:

1. In another bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the egg yolks, the milk, melted butter, and vanilla if using. With a whisk, mix until there are no visible lumps and everything is combined.
2. Slowly, add about ¼ of the egg whites to the batter bowl. Mix these completely to make a runnier batter. Next, gently fold in half of the egg whites into the batter, just enough until the white disappears into the batter. Add the remaining egg whites and minimally fold them in with the spatula -just until the white disappears. The batter should be soft and airy.

Cook:

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add butter or oil. Immediately, pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Wait to flip until you begin to see bubbles forming on top, the edges are defined, and the bottoms lift easily and are golden brown. Flip, and cook the other side for an additional minute. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
2. Serve with your favorite syrup or pancake toppings.