Preheat the skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Set the timer for five minutes.
In your bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients, including zest, if using. Do not mix in any "chunky" mixins here--only spices or zest
Stir oil into milk, and add vanilla, if you're using it.
Pour over dry ingredients and whisk slowly until just incorporated.
Let the batter sit until the timer goes off.
Rub a little butter onto your skillet.
Pour 1/3 of your pancake batter into the skillet.
While your pancake cooks, heat up the maple syrup so it's ready to go.
Let pancake cook until the bubbles around the edges pop but don't fill back in with batter, about 3-4 minutes. If using blueberries, cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, etc, sprinkle on a few evenly over the top of the pancake before flipping.
Flip pancake and cook about 2 minutes.
While the second side of the pancake cooks, put a wee pat of butter on your plate.
Place this pancake onto plate on top of butter.
Make 2 more pancakes the same way you made the first.
Put a wee pat of butter on top of your first pancake.
Pile on the other 2 pancakes as they finish cooking, adding a small pat of butter in between each pancake.
Turn off stove.
Pour syrup on top of pancakes.
Eat.