Simple buttermilk pancakes made of flour, milk, and eggs are sure to hit the spot, but there’s an ingredient that can make pancakes both tastier and healthier: oatmeal. Oatmeal pancakes use oats in place of flour, giving this classic breakfast food a boost of fiber and protein, but there's one step to keep in mind for best results.

Cooking up a batch of oatmeal pancakes seems simpler, there’s one essential step you shouldn't leave out: toasting your oats before adding them to the batter. By toasting your oats in a pan on the stovetop at medium heat, you’ll deepen their flavors and add more depth and richness to your stack of flapjacks.

Serious Eats recommends toasting the oats in a pan on the stovetop at medium heat until they achieve a golden color. If you’re looking to add even more flavor to your breakfast, try mixing spices like cinnamon and nutmeg into the oats as you toast them, since most spices also benefit from being toasted.