If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s how much we love pancakes. This classic comfort food reminds us of weekend mornings with our families and late-night gatherings at the local diner. And, they’re so easy to make. Mix together a few basic ingredients from your pantry, and you’ll have a delicious stack of pancakes on the table in no time.
To enjoy hearty homemade pancakes any time, we’ve put together ideas from simple to indulgent. Whether you like your pancakes as big as your plate, small as silver dollars, or maybe in fun shapes, it all starts with a basic pancake batter recipe.
To get more pancakes on the table faster, use a double burner griddle. Then, it’s time to customize, turning a basic pancake recipe into a new family favorite.
Here Are Seven Pancake Ideas to Get You Started
- Play with powdered sugar. When you cook with fun pancake molds and emoji stencils, use the stencils to add powdered sugar characters to your pancakes!
- Make special syrup. Heat ½ cup (125 ml) maple syrup and ¼ cup (60 mL) leftover cranberry sauce in a small saucepan until warm. Pour Cranberry Syrup over pancakes for postholiday breakfasts.
- Skip the maple syrup. If maple syrup isn’t your jam, top with jelly or jam, peanut butter, Nutella®, chocolate, cream cheese, lemon curd, or drizzle with honey. Or, you could top with your favorite yogurt—that sounds healthy. Skip the butter knife and use a flexible multi-purpose spreader so you can get every last bit out of the jar and scoop nice large amounts.
- Try healthy fruit toppings. Blueberries are a popular pancake topping, especially when they’re in season. But any fresh fruit on pancakes adds nutrition and great taste. Try berries, peaches, bananas, chopped apples, or grilled pineapple. If fresh fruit isn’t available, try frozen or canned fruit, or applesauce.
- Mix and match toppings. We like peanut butter and bananas (like Elvis). The kids might go for PB&J. Or, try it with yogurt and berries. If you roll it up taco style—no fork needed.
- Add a crunchy flavor boost. Common ingredients found in most pantries include nuts, quick homemade granola, chocolate chips, or candy sprinkles. Some great combos: berries and granola; Nutella, bananas, and chocolate chips; honey, pineapple, and toasted coconut. A fall pancake favorite is caramel, apples, and walnuts.
- Let’s just call this dessert. If you have a sweet tooth, add homemade whipped cream with just three ingredients. When you make it at home, you can customize it with your own flavored whipped cream. How about bourbon whipped cream and chopped nuts? Or chocolate whipped cream with a dash of cinnamon and cayenne pepper? For the holidays, why not try peppermint whipped cream topped with crushed candy canes and drizzled with chocolate? Yum! Or, swap out the whipped cream for ice cream. The combos are endless. Add some warm caramel or chocolate ganache and enjoy! If you’re lucky enough to have some leftover hot cocoa on hand, make Ho-Ho Hotcakes using 1 cup (250 mL) of cooled hot cocoa instead of milk in your pancake batter. If the batter is too thick, add a little milk. Top with whipped cream and crushed peppermint candy.
This post has been updated since it was originally published in September 2017.
Pancakes yum! Having a large family we ate them for breakfast, brunch and sometimes even dinner. Pancakes are delicious served with the left-over gravy from a Sunday pot roast or our favorite sausage gravy sans biscuits. Cold left-over pancakes fresh from the fridge spread with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and rolled up made a great snack on hot summer days.
A large griddle was required to keep up with the demand, and it seemed the more we made the more desirable they became. Hurray for pancakes.
Love fresh fruits with pancakes or even cooked in pancakes Yum! BLUEBERRIES!
Fresh fruit and whipped cream is the best on pancakes
I like applesauce on blueberry pancakes, and a few banana slices. Heart healthy!
Will the Pancake Blender Bottle in the 1/2 price hostess Homemade Breakfast Set count in the Feeding Ameirca project?
Yes, it will!
Pumpkin pancakes with choped pecans warm syrup
I love bananas and choc chip mixed in pancakes!
Great tips on the whipped cream/ butter maker. Cannot wait to give it a try!
Whipped cream maker is awesome and so easy!! NO. MORE. COOL WHIP
Has anyone made gluten-free & wheat-free & flour free pancake batter with this product?
I have used the mix from Bisquick in the blender and it works great. I haven’t made the recipe on it with the gluten free flour yet.
Will this basic recipe work with gluten free flour or does something else need to be added?
I’ve made pancakes several times according to directions:. Blender ball, milk etc as shown on bottle. Always big lumps and lots of batter stuck on the blender ball.
Any tips?
Thanks
Same!!! And mine leaks!
Can the pancake shaker be used for any pancake mix?
I was wondering if anyone has modified the recipe on the jar for waffles. I was thinking that melted butter needs to be added but I am unsure of how much. Any ideas?
Strawberries, whipped cream, and syrup on pancakes. Yum !
When I was a kid at a slumber party, a friend had a special birthday breakfast of pancakes topped with sour cream and fruit pie filling. So good!
I wish they had these years ago. So hard to make pancakes freeform.
bacon pancakes
Definitely would try #7 I have a super sweet tooth
Pumpkin pancakes with choped pecans warm syrup
Fry pancakes in olive oil….thin the batter fry and add butter and jelly….delicious
number 6 , add berries or chocolate chips
Instead of using milk or water in the pancake mix, add 7-Up. The pancakes rise Iike crazy.
Don’t forget potato latkes for Hanukkah! (A different type of pancake with grated potatoes, chopped or grated onions, 2 eggs, a little salt, and just a bit of matzo meal or all-purpose flour to hold it together.) I add some fresh chopped chives from our garden. Some people add grated zucchini, grated carrot, or other chopped veggies. (Others substitute these veggies for the potatoes.) Serve with sour cream and/or applesauce. Yum!