1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or lightly brush with melted butter to prevent sticking.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. This ensures the dry ingredients are evenly distributed and eliminates clumps.

3. Combine the Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter until smooth.

4. Make the Batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir the mixture with a whisk or spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay. Overmixing can result in dense pancake poppers.

5. Add Mix-Ins (Optional)

If using mix-ins like chocolate chips, blueberries, or sausage crumbles, gently fold them into the batter. For variety, you can divide the batter into separate bowls and add different mix-ins to each batch.

6. Fill the Mini Muffin Tin

Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, fill each cup of the mini muffin tin about 2/3 full with batter. This allows room for the poppers to rise while baking.

7. Bake the Poppers

Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the pancake poppers are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Cool and Serve

Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the poppers cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or your favorite toppings and dipping sauces.