Pancakes done differently

October 25, 2007 10:02 AM

Got any interesting recipes for pancake batter?

I have to do a pancake dinner (don't ask) and want to do something different, so I'm looking for suggestions what I can do with pancake batter to make something more than regular ho hum pancakes. The syrup used will be the usual off the shelf variety, so keep that in mind and I'd not looking for anything time-consuming or requiring an expensive trip to exotic spice store. There will be no cutting pancakes into shapes.

posted by Brandon Blatcher to food & drink (33 comments total)

Add cornmeal. Cornmeal brings a lot of texture and flavor to the table.

Recipes abound.

Since it's dinner, maybe you also can make some potato pancakes with loads of grated onions.
posted by kosem at 10:12 AM on October 25, 2007

I recently made Pumpkin Pancakes which ended up very nicely.
posted by Meagan at 10:13 AM on October 25, 2007

None of these are that different, but they are some simple things I have done that yielded yummy results. These were all on separate occasions by the way, not simultaneously.

1. Using hefeweisen (german wheat beer) in place of water with pancake mix. It was a very banana-y hefeweisen and to my surprise the banana flavor came through in the pancakes themselves. I use homebrew, but something like Weihenstephan or Paulaner Weiss should do very nicely.
2. Mushing up bananas and adding them to the batter.
3. Making a sourdough starter and using it for pancakes. I pretty much follow this.

On preview: Pumpkin pancakes sound great. I'm on it!
posted by jclovebrew at 10:14 AM on October 25, 2007

Spinach pancakes:

10 ounces fresh spinach, well washed, large stems removed, or 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted and cooled butter, plus unmelted butter for cooking


1. Wilt spinach in a pot of salted boiling water or in a covered saucepan over medium heat, with just the water that clings to its leaves after washing. Drain, cool, squeeze dry and chop.

2. In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs into 1 1/2 cups buttermilk in another bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Stir liquids into dry ingredients, adding a little more buttermilk if batter seems thick. Add spinach.

3. Place a teaspoon or two of butter in pan. When butter foam subsides, ladle batter onto skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Brown bottoms in 2 to 4 minutes. Flip only when pancakes are fully cooked on bottom; they won’t hold together well until they are ready.

4. Cook until second side is lightly browned; as pancakes are done, put them on an ovenproof plate in oven for up to 15 minutes.

Garnish with 1 cup sour cream mixed with 1 tablespoon minced lemon peel. Serve with smoked salmon and capers or with bacon-wrapped dates.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:18 AM on October 25, 2007

Nigella Lawson has a new series on the BBC and a couple of weeks ago she did a lovely pancake recipe with blueberry syrup. Not so unusual but what I liked was the "instant" bit of it - she keeps an airtight container of the dry ingredients ready to make them at the drop of a hat. Genius!
posted by ceri richard at 10:18 AM on October 25, 2007

From Mark Bittman's Minimalist column.
posted by J-Train at 10:19 AM on October 25, 2007

I've tried:

Adding mashed bananas. (Tasty!)

Using coconut milk instead of milk. (Also tasty!)

Using pina colada instead of milk. (Good, but not very pina-colada-y.)
posted by Comrade_robot at 10:26 AM on October 25, 2007

My favorites:

Bananas, apple sauce (mix in with batter), walnuts, cinnamon, and/or nutmeg in any combination. A little lemon juice results in a fluffier pancake IIRC.
posted by sarelicar at 10:36 AM on October 25, 2007

are your diners open to savory pancakes? because then that opens up the options to stuff in the Minimalist column that J-Train linked to. Basically, you can start blurring the line between pancake and frittata (an open faced omelette with milk and flour, essentially) and start looking at pa jun and okonomiyaki.

otherwise, other fun stuff to mix into pancake batter

1) berries spiked w/amaretto
2) diced overripe and/or mushy apples, spiked w/ brandy
3) pureed sweet potatoes (peel and chunk sweet potatoes then boil until mushy, then puree and mix in with batter)
4) browned ground up sausage.

you could also make relatively thin pancakes, then plate them by spooning some cooked hash browns in the center. Top with a couple of sausage links, then roll up and tie with a strip of bacon. Seal with a tooth pick, drizzle a bit of syrup and you have an indulgent breakfast wrap.
posted by bl1nk at 10:38 AM on October 25, 2007

I like adding thinly-sliced apple to the top of the pancake after I've poured it into the frying pan. Lightly push the apple slices into the pancake and cover with a thin layer of batter.

Another favourite is topping the pancake with frozen blueberries after I've poured the pancake. Once you flip it, the berries will thaw and create a pock-marked surface.
posted by KathyK at 10:38 AM on October 25, 2007

are your diners open to savory pancakes?

No. I need breakfast style pancakes, something a little different, but not all exotic at this point.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:58 AM on October 25, 2007

I like adding a little brandy and some ground ginger to the batter.
posted by hermitosis at 10:59 AM on October 25, 2007

Piggies in the blanket. Make some sausage (breakfast or dinner). Roll one pancake around each sausage. Place on plate so the pancake doesn't unravel, or use toothpick. Bake/warm a little bit. Serve with syrup. For the vegetarians, you can use small bananas or veggie sausage or even a cheese stick.

If you want people to think your pancakes are just a little more awesome than average add some orange zest and squeezed juice from orange to the recipe (remove equivalent amount of other liquid), along with a teaspoon of vanilla. This tastes good with the piggies, too. Also, subbing some white rice flour for some (half?) of the wheat flour in any pancake recipe makes them tase a lot lighter. You can also sub almond flour for a great flavor, but watch for allergies if this is a big dinner.
posted by Eringatang at 11:04 AM on October 25, 2007

Pankeggs!

Seriously. They're delicious.
posted by MsMolly at 11:04 AM on October 25, 2007

1. Cut bananas in half the long way, then cut into 1 inch chunks.
2. Put banana chunks on the pan, cut side down.
3. Pour pancake batter over banana chunks, cook pancakes as usual.

The great thing about doing it this way is that as the pancake cooks, the bananas caramelize and get a delicious crunchy crust. Only do this with a nonstick pan though, otherwise the pancakes will get mangled when you try to flip them. Goes great with cinnamon mixed into the batter.
posted by TungstenChef at 11:05 AM on October 25, 2007

Check out the breakfast menu from the yummiest pancake place ever for some great ideas. Honey, cinnamon, and rolled oats was my favorite.
posted by logic vs love at 11:05 AM on October 25, 2007

For sweet pancakes, whipped cream as a topping: heavy whipping cream and a little sugar, whipped fresh the same day you need it. Takes less than five minutes, tastes sooooo good. Add some fresh fruit on the side to round it out.
posted by anaelith at 11:13 AM on October 25, 2007

Add cinnamon and a little extra sugar to the batter - taste the batter to make sure you've got enough for the cinnamon flavor to come through. Saute thinly sliced granny smith apples in your skillet, then pour the batter over them. Cook and flip as usual.

I'm also a big fan of cornmeal pancakes with some grated cheddar stirred in. Top with salsa and/or scrambled eggs. Not sure if that's too savory for your event, but it's definitely still breakfast-y.
posted by vytae at 11:13 AM on October 25, 2007

The excellent Greenup Cafe serves pancakes topped with a mixture of sweet corn and goat cheese (PDF).
posted by mmascolino at 11:13 AM on October 25, 2007

I take the standard recipe, reduce the milk a little (due to the apples' moisture), and put cinnamon and grated apples in it. My family loves it.
posted by tippiedog at 11:14 AM on October 25, 2007

Oh, also try adding almond extract to the batter, and topping with cooked cherries or cherry syrup. Yummy.
posted by vytae at 11:14 AM on October 25, 2007

There's a really nice recipe for lemon pancakes in the Joy of Cooking. Very light with a delicate but distinct lemon flavour. Be prepared to zest a whole lemon or two.
posted by GuyZero at 11:18 AM on October 25, 2007

Grab a box of McCann's quick cooking oatmeal at Publix and try the recipe on the side. It calls for yogurt . . you can add fruit and/or nuts. Oatmeal pancakes are awesome.
posted by Medieval Maven at 11:47 AM on October 25, 2007

For something exotic:
MESQUITE PANCAKES
from Martha Darancou Aguirre of Rancho la Inmaculada


3/4C Mesquite flour
1C Flour (enriched, bleached, buckwheat)
1tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tb Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 to 2 C Milk


Mix dry ingredients first. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix. Add milk until desired thickness is acquired. (The thinner the mix, the thinner the pancakes, the thicker the mix, the thicker the pancakes.) Spoon onto a hot griddle and flip when just beginning to bubble. Serve with butter and honey or better yet, prickly pear syrup. Makes 12 - 18 pancakes.

Although pricey, mesquite flour smells and tastes of carob. Drizzle some saguaro syrup on them, at $151.00 a jar.
posted by JABof72 at 11:58 AM on October 25, 2007

Add chocolate chips or minichips to the batter.
posted by needs more cowbell at 12:24 PM on October 25, 2007

There's a list of several yummy-looking variations at the end of this pancake recipe. (I made the basic pancakes the other day and loved 'em!)
posted by wallaby at 12:43 PM on October 25, 2007

On another note, my mom used to make my pancakes in the shape of kitties or mice. Pour ears, then whiskers and a nose, let them cook a minute, then pour the rest of the face.

She also used to make me monogrammed pancakes by pouring my initial first (backwards), letting it brown a little, then pouring the rest of the cake.

A small spoon or turkey baster makes precise application of batter easier.

I loved it. Maybe your guests would too.

My Mom is the greatest. I love you Mom!
posted by ottereroticist at 2:34 PM on October 25, 2007

Toss in some cottage cheese, chopped apples, & cinnamon. mmm
posted by belladonna at 3:30 PM on October 25, 2007

Here's a vote for buckwheat pancakes. Buckwheat flour and buttermilk are readily available at most common grocery stores, if you don't have them on hand. After tasting these simple delights, those ingredients will be staples on your grocery list.
posted by paulsc at 6:06 PM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

A diner near me makes these fluffy, moist, and hearty pancakes:

Sour Cream Pancakes

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups lo-fat milk

In large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs, add sour cream and mix well, then add melted butter and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing lightly to form a smooth, thin batter.

Bake on a hot griddle that has been lightly greased with butter, turn once. Serve warmed maple syrup.

Makes about 20 medium-sized pancakes.
posted by dagnyduquette at 4:21 PM on October 26, 2007

I love bacon pancakes. I always get them at my favorite breakfast place.
posted by metacort at 6:50 PM on October 26, 2007

Heheh, I jumped over here right after reading boo_radley's comment in the Cat Found thread.
posted by Demogorgon at 8:10 PM on October 26, 2007

I will second the beer suggestion. Doesn't matter what type of beer. Makes fluffy cakes. Yum!
posted by achmorrison at 4:59 PM on October 27, 2007