When your kids ask for pancakes, and you want to make the classic, fluffy staple a lot more fun, this Pancake Breakfast Bar is our favorite way to enjoy breakfast over the weekend!
While my kids can eat plain pancakes with syrup all the time, I need a little variety to make them more fun. I try to switch things up by serving them with either my Strawberry Pancake Syrup or my Blueberry Pancake Syrup so the Classic Fluffy Pancake Recipe has a little variety.
Setting up a pancake bar is super easy, and I often use things like yogurt to add a little nutrition. Check out how easy they are to make!
Yes, I could switch my favorite pancake recipe (both regular and gluten-free versions below) with my Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, Banana Pancakes or Pumpkin Pancakes, for example, but when topping them with all of our favorite toppings, my kids prefer the classic recipe.
It should come to no surprise that I switch things up all the time since we often have breakfast night on Thursdays and I try to make our weekend family breakfast special each week. So I’ve basically come to the conclusion that pancakes are very similar to pizza, the more toppings you add, the better!
Some of our favorite toppings include:
- Sliced bananas
- Sliced strawberries
- Pan-fried pineapple chunks
- Blueberries and lemon zest
- Vanilla yogurt
- Coconut flakes + banana slices
- Banana slices + peanut butter
- Banana slices + melted chocolate chip drizzle
- Banana slices + diced strawberries + mini chocolate chips
- Whipped cream + shaved chocolate
- Coconut flakes + blueberries
What do you like to top your pancakes with?
Perfect Pancakes
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1¼ cups milk
- 1 egg
- 3 Tablespoons butter, melted (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
- Make a “volcano” well in the middle (as my son calls it) and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix with a fork or whisk until smooth.
- Heat a griddle or large pan over medium high heat (I set my griddle at 300-350 F). Pour or scoop ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Wait until bubbles form to flip. Brown on the other side and serve with butter and blueberry syrup.
Notes
100% whole wheat – add an additional teaspoon of baking powder + 1 Tablespoon milk.
50% whole wheat – add ½ teaspoon baking powder.
¼ cup ground flax – remove ¼ cup flour + ½ teaspoon baking powder.
Add 1 mashed banana – no changes.
Add up to 1 cup blueberries or nuts – no changes.
Gluten-Free and Egg-Free Pancakes
- Yield: 10
Ingredients
- 1 cup of gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (flax meal)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar, honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup of milk (or non dairy)
Instructions
- In a medium size mixing bowl, sift together flour, flax meal, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, vanilla, applesauce, and milk. Slowly mix in half of the liquid into dry bowl, stirring continuously, and the rest ¼ cup at a time to avoid a runny batter (not all gluten free mixes are the same see note below). Mix until you get the lumps out of the batter. You don’t want it to be too thick or too runny. There’s a happy medium and 1 cup + 2-ish tablespoons should be just about right.
- On a greased, heated griddle over medium heat (or pan on your stovetop), begin to cook pancakes about a ¼ cup of the batter for each one.
- Cook 1-2 minutes until they start to bubble around the edges, and flip. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and serve.
Notes
Gluten Free Flour Mixes that work for this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill, Cup4Cup, Better Batter, Pamela’s Baking Mix.
Eliana
We made this for Father’s Day breakfast. Was terrific!
★★★★★
Leslie
Such a fun idea!
★★★★★
Elena
we made this for dinner and it was a fun idea!
★★★★★
Jenna
what a great idea for Father’s day. thanks
★★★★★