In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Let the butter cool for a minute before adding it to the bowl.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the large bowl, mixing the batter from the outside of the bowl in, until no visible flour remains. No need to keep mixing, just until you don't see any more white. Overmixing leads to chewy pancakes.
Let the batter sit on the counter for 5 minutes. This helps the flour absorb the moisture and ensures the first pancake is as good as the last. Then, add the chocolate chips into the bowl and fold them into the batter with a spatula.
Cook:
Heat a non-stick griddle or large pan over medium heat. Once hot, grease, spray, or melt butter on the hot surface. When using an electric griddle, heat it somewhere between 300 and 350F. Immediately, pour ¼ cup of the chocolate pancake batter into the greased pan, making sure each pancake has a similar amount of chocolate chips. They tend to sink to the bottom of the mixing bowl, so I fill my batter scoop from the bottom up.
Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes on the first side, until the edges begin to look defined and bubbles form. Flip the pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Remove the pancakes from the pan onto a plate and keep them warm while you cook the rest of the batter.
Serve & store:
Plate a few pancakes on a plate, top with your favorite toppings and syrups.
Store leftover cooked pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Notes
Both baking powder and baking soda are needed for this recipe.