Simply Perfect Pancakes
The smell of pancakes cooking on the griddle brings me right back to my childhood. One of my favorite childhood memories is waking up to the smell of my dad’s homemade pancakes on the weekends. Instead of packing lunches and rushing to get ready for work and school, weekend mornings were ours to spend some quality time together in the kitchen—a favorite place of both of ours.
Pancakes are actually one of the first things I ever learned how to cook. From whipping up the batter to pouring it straight onto the griddle from a spouted measuring cup, and flipping them over as soon as the bubbles and that perfect golden-brown color were achieved, my dad let me help out every step of the way. Always made from scratch (and never one of those store-bought boxed mixes that my dad would never—and still won’t—let you find in his pantry), my dad taught me step-by-step how to make the perfect pancake. When we’d sit down at the breakfast table to eat, every time—without fail, my dad would relish in his first bite and say, “you can’t get pancakes like these in a restaurant.” He always took pride in those pancakes, and rightfully so.
So, of course, with a daughter of my own now, I have to pass on the tradition. Making pancakes together just gives us a moment to slow down, spend some quality time together and really indulge on our weekends.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-12 pancakes | 10 mins. | 10 mins. | 20 mins. |
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Dash of salt
- 3 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 cup almond milk (unflavored, unsweetened)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
- In a small bowl, combine almond milk and vinegar. Set aside for about ten minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Lightly whisk together.
- In another small bowl, heat buttery spread in the microwave until melted (about 20 seconds).
- In a third small bowl, mash the banana using a fork or potato masher.
- Combine the almond milk mixture, buttery spread, banana and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk together until combined.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and whisk together until just incorporated.
- Heat a large pan or griddle over medium heat. Grease lightly with olive oil or vegetable oil. Use a ladle to scoop pancake batter onto the pan or griddle.
- Once the pancakes begin to form bubbles all over, use a spatula to gently lift a pancake and test for color. When pancakes are golden-brown on the under side, they are ready to be flipped. Flip pancakes and cook until the other side has achieved a golden-brown color.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with fresh berries and maple syrup!
And sometimes we like to just throw some pancake batter into the Mickey Mouse waffle maker! 😊
Toddler Tip:
I’ve noticed pancakes can be a tough food for toddlers to spear with a fork. And pancakes drenched in syrup combined with fork struggles can be a sticky mess! Try cutting the pancakes into strips and serve them to your toddler with a dish of syrup on the side for dipping!
* Recipe adapted from: Food Network's Simple Homemade Pancakes http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/simple-homemade-pancakes-recipe.html
