The Fluffiest Pecan Pancakes

Between their soft, pillowy texture and the little pecan tidbits inside with a hint of cinnamon, these pecan pancakes are one irresistible breakfast I can’t get enough of.

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• Perfect Pecan Pancakes
• How to Make Pecan Pancakes
• Easy Pecan Pancakes

Perfect Pecan Pancakes

Every time my in-laws buy pecans in bulk and send me home with a big bag of them, I whip up these pecan pancakes for my family the following weekend.

They have the best of a fluffy pancake recipe and hints of a good cinnamon pancake with tiny crunchy pecan bits in every bite that give me all the pecan pie feels.

Take them over the top by toasting the chopped pecan pieces in a pan on medium heat until they are golden brown before adding them to the batter or as a topping; an extra step that’s not required in the recipe.

Ingredients

You’ll find the amounts in the recipe card below; but before you go rogue and make substitutions to the original pecan pancake ingredients, here are some of the substitutes I’ve tried:

• All-purpose flour: the foundation of the batter that can be substituted with 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.
• Baking Powder: helps your pancakes rise when exposed to heat. It’s what makes your pancakes fluffy. It’s possible to make pancakes without baking powder with this recipe and you’d add the cinnamon, sugar, and pecans to the batter.
• Salt: a little to enhance the flavors.
• Brown sugar & cinnamon: this duo pairs perfectly with the pecans.
• Pecans: chopped into small pieces before adding them to the batter. Regular pecans, roasted (not salted), or sugared. 
• Milk: regular or any non-dairy milk. 
• Egg: binds the ingredients although you can use one of these egg substitutes for pancakes.
• Butter: adds a delicious buttery flavor and moisture to the pancakes.

How to Make Pecan Pancakes

Having made these pecan pancakes many times for my family, I’ve found that there are a few helpful tips that ensure a great stack for breakfast. They are:

1. Measure and mix:
   Measure the dry ingredients and add them to a large batter bowl with the chopped pecans. Mix well so the baking powder is distributed evenly. Then, measure the wet ingredients and add them to the bowl. Whisk until all the lumps are gone.
2. Cook on the first side:
   One way to ensure success is to heat your non-stick pan or griddle first over medium-high heat. Once hot, grease it well -with oil or butter. Then pour the pancake batter onto the hot surface and cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes.
3. Flip:
   You’ll know it’s time to flip the pancakes when the edges look defined, and there are bubbles throughout. Flip them and cook for one more minute. This is where you’ll see the pancakes rise and get their fluffy texture. Remove them from the pan and cook the rest.
4. Serve:
   Keep these pecan pancakes warm or serve them as you take them off the pan with toppings and syrup.

First time making these? Here is a quick video showing you how:

Storing Leftovers

Uncooked batter can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, and cooked pancakes for up to 3 days. Double the batch and freeze the pancake batter or cook them all and freeze pancakes for later and simply heat them and enjoy.

Fluffy Pecan Pancake Recipe Secrets

I’m confident that in addition to a great recipe here are a few tips that ensure success when making pancakes with pecans:

Chop the Pecans
Just like in my banana nut pancakes, you want bits of pecans in every bite, not whole pieces, so chop them finely before stirring them into the batter. 

Add the pecans to the dry ingredients:
This is so they get coated with the flour and ‘stick in the batter’ instead of sinking to the bottom of the bowl. 

Heat the pan first:
Pouring batter on a pan or skillet that isn’t hot enough will not give you those golden edges and crisp outer texture; instead, you’ll have to cook the pancakes longer, and they’ll be gummier.

Don’t Overmix the Batter
The best pancake batter is one that is not overmixed, and its consistency isn’t too liquidy. Pancake batter should be thick, without lumps, and even.

Toppings for Pecan Pancakes

Think of a great stack of pancakes as the canvas for incredible pancake toppings. They pair great with sliced bananas, toasted pecans, cinnamon syrup, whipped cream, or some homemade brown sugar syrup.