In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, crack the egg, add the buttermilk and melted butter, and whisk until smooth.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is just combined. A little bit of lumps are okay.

Heat a skillet over medium heat or preheat a griddle to 350°F. Lightly grease with butter or cooking spray.

Scoop about ⅓ to ½ cup of batter onto the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and the bottoms are golden brown, about 1–2 minutes. Flip and cook for another minute, or until the second side is golden.

Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan as needed.

Serve the pancakes warm with butter and maple syrup.