Preheat the electric griddle to 320 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small microwave safe bowl and set aside the last tablespoon.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, pecans, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until well mixed.
Add to the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
With an electric mixture, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the pancake batter.
Grease the hot griddle with the last tablespoon of butter. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, pour batter onto the greased griddle.
With a spatula, turn pancakes when bubbles start to form on top, about 3 to 4 minutes. Cook until both sides are golden brown.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
If you don't have regular buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Let it sit for about 8 minutes. When it starts to curdle, it's ready to use.
You can also make these pancakes on the stove in a heat safe skillet.