Preparation
Think of your favorite pancake recipe as the little black dress of breakfast. It’s fabulous all by itself, but it’s also a foundation for endless accessorizing. Every batch of pancakes is an opportunity to mix things up, express yourself, cook with the seasons, and enjoy plenty of variety in flavors, textures, and presentations. Heed one of the below ideas, and breakfast boredom will be a thing of the past.
Once you’re familiar with the basics of perfect pancakes, you’re ready to riff. Doing so is simple: When you want to add mix-ins or fillings to a batch, you don’t even need to look for a new recipe. Use your favorite pancake recipe and the correct technique, and it’s easy to create a short stack spin-off.
Pancakes are different from muffins or cookies; you shouldn’t always mix all your ingredients into the batter. It’s best to place fresh fruit, nuts, or bacon on top of each individual pancake only after you pour the batter into the hot pan. This technique prevents fruit juice from watering down the batter —and ensures that your pancakes stay fluffy and evenly browned and that your additions are evenly distributed in each bite.
Here are some favorite ingredients to add to pancakes while they cook:
Whole fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)Pitted and halved cherriesThinly sliced, fresh or roasted apples, pears, peaches, apricots, plums, or pineappleSliced bananas, strawberries, or figsBacon (crumbled or whole pieces)Toasted or candied pecans, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, or macadamias
These suggestions are just the beginning: It’s fun to cook with the seasons, using whatever fruit is fresh from the harvest. Or, take it to the next level by pairing up unique ingredients. How about roasted apple pecan, pineapple coconut macadamia, apricot pistachio, or fig bacon pancakes?
If you want to get really fancy, skip the toppings and try stuffing your pancakes, instead. We developed a clever technique for making stuffed pancakes with a hidden filling; the secret is to form the filling into small disks and freeze it on parchment paper ahead of time so you can transfer the tidy layers onto the surface of your pancake—and then cover it up with a little more batter. Make our recipe for Peanut Butter-Stuffed Pancakes to test this method.
Yes, you can wait until serving time to mix up your pancake routine. We truly love maple syrup, but there are so many kinds of fruit compotes (think of it like pie filling!), sweet sauces, flavored and infused syrups, and compound butters to try. Here are some mouthwatering options.
