Pit and halve the fresh cherries first, as this is the most time-consuming prep task. Set them aside in a small bowl. While working on the cherries, measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into one bowl, and have your wet ingredients (yogurt, sugar, vanilla, avocado oil, egg, and lemon zest) measured and ready nearby. This ensures smooth cooking once you start making the batter.

In one bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract, avocado oil, egg, and lemon zest until smooth and well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Keep these two mixtures separate for now—this prevents the baking powder and soda from activating too early, which keeps your pancakes light and fluffy.

Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold them together gently with a spatula until just combined—a few small lumps are fine, and overmixing will make the pancakes tough. While you're folding the batter, place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add the olive oil or butter. Let it heat for about 1 minute until it shimmers or foams slightly.

Once the pan is hot, scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan per pancake, spacing them so they don't touch. I like to let the batter sit for about 30 seconds before adding cherries—this gives it a chance to set slightly and hold the fruit in place better. Gently press 3 halved cherries from Step 1 into the top of each pancake. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the edges look set and the bottom is golden, then carefully flip and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a serving plate. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar and drizzle with honey for a beautiful finish that complements the tart cherries. Serve warm while the pancakes are still soft and fluffy.