In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly incorporated.
In a small bowl or 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, egg, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth. Add to bowl with dry ingredients and whisk just until smooth (it will still be a bit lumpy, just as long as there aren't any huge clumps of flour).
Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. Be patient and let the pan come up to temperature fully.
Rub a little butter or olive oil on the skillet with a paper towel if necessary (a good nonstick pan will barely need any greasing at all).
Ladle approximately 3 tablespoons of batter for each pancake (I use a Large cookie scoop for this, filling it just barely level), leaving enough space between pancakes so they don’t touch as they spread out. Use the back of the scoop to gently spread into 4-inch rounds if necessary as the batter is on the thick side.
Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until bottoms are deep golden brown; then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until browned. If you find your pancakes are browning more quickly, turn down the heat (the centers need time to cook through).
Transfer to serving plates and serve, or place on a baking sheet in a 200 degree F oven to keep warm while you finish cooking the rest of the pancakes. Enjoy warm, drizzled with maple syrup.