When we cook at home, we crave food that is delicious and makes us feel good. And when I am cooking with the kids, I want to make dishes that are engaging and somewhat foolproof. These pancakes hit the mark. We call them party pancakes, because we make them for all sorts of fun occasions (breakfast for dinner, birthday brunch, holidays, snow days) and sometimes they get a few sprinkles on top. But trust me when I tell you that they aren’t loaded with junk or overly sweet—and that they aren’t a fussy recipe, so you don’t need a special occasion to make them. While we think these are the best proportions, if you aren’t precise (hello three-year-old cooking!), they’ll still turn out great. You can top them with fresh fruit, stir in some chocolate chips or blueberries, or serve them with bacon or veggie sausage. Our favorite fall toppings are below.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Greek yogurt (we like full-fat kind, but any Greek yogurt works)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or good-quality vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
- Butter for cooking
Instructions
Put the Greek yogurt, eggs and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, place all dry ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet and stir everything together until just combined. Allow to sit for a few minutes while you prepare your toppings.
Once ready, heat a griddle or large nonstick pan over medium heat. Melt a small slab of butter on the hot griddle. Drop batter on the hot surface (we do about a 1/4 cup per pancake) and cook until bubbles start to form on the surface. Flip, add a little more butter and continue to cook. (Note: This batter is heavy, so gently turn the pancakes over and let the other side set up. And if you need to flip them once more, go ahead and do so. No one’s judging.) Once you are cooking round two, adjust your stove to medium-low heat, so you don’t burn them. Serve immediately.
Fall Toppings
These are year-round pancakes and so the toppings often change with the seasons and what we have on hand. The only constant is, of course, Vermont maple syrup. In the fall, we serve them with toasted almonds, homemade maple yogurt, cinnamon apples or blueberry sauce and sprinkles,
For toasted almonds, place 1 cup chopped or slivered almonds and approximately 1/2 tablespoons butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir regularly and watch carefully. Once almonds turn golden brown and fragrant, pull them from the heat, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let cool.
For the maple yogurt, combine 1 tablespoon Vermont maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon with a high-quality Greek yogurt and let sit.
For cinnamon apples, peel and slice 2 to 3 firm, tart apples like Ginger Golds, Paula Reds or Granny Smith. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat until slightly browned. Place the apples in the skillet and stir occasionally until apples start to caramelize, about 6 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and toss with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon and brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves.
For the blueberry sauce, throw 1 cup frozen blueberries in a small glass measuring cup with 1/4 cup water. Pop it in the microwave for 1/2 minutes. Then, squeeze a quarter of a lemon inside the cup (about 1/2 tablespoon of juice) and blend using an immersion blender. You can also mash by hand for a chunkier but still delicious sauce.
