The Secrets to Perfect Whole Wheat Pancakes
~ After extensive testing (you know we’re not kidding!) … here’s our recipe (plus oodles of secrets and tips) for making fluffy, delicious, kid-approved, 100% whole grain pancakes. So yummy … so jam-crammed with nutrition! ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Vegetarian •
I know I’ve been saying for the past couple of weeks that I can’t believe how fast this summer has come and gone.
And now … summer’s really, truly, officially gone …
It’s back-to-school!
The new clothes have been bought. (And well, they fit now … but you and I both know those jeans won’t fit by the end of the year! Crazy how fast these kids grow!)
The school supplies have all been labeled. (Please tell me I’m not the only one who labels each crayon. Please? My label maker is my friend.)
I’ll miss those sweet faces all day … we had a really nice summer, and I’m not ready for it to be over! I would love another month or two … there are so many fun things I still want to do! More pool days, more picnics, more putt-putt! Alas, our carefree days of sleeping in and staying up late are over. So long, Summer 2014!
For back-to-school, I wanted to do something really special for my kids.
First of all, I always want to make sure those little bellies stay totally full.
While donuts with sprinkles look somuchfun, they aren’t going to do a bit of good when the teachers start writing math equations on the board. And those donuts can’t hold their own against a lesson in American History. Nope. Nope. Nope.
We need fuel!
We need whole grains!
And if we aren’t making waffles, then my kids are asking for pancakes!
Friends. I’m looking you straight in the eye when I tell you that I made nearly 20 batches of pancakes trying to perfect exactly the right recipe. They needed to be healthy (loaded with keep-’em-full whole grains!). They needed to be fluffy. Oh, who are we kidding … they really needed to taste good!
Believe me – I tried pretty much every gimmick, trick and healthy ingredient you can dream of.
Greek yogurt? Great idea, right? Ummmm … no. Guuummmmmmy! Blech!
Applesauce instead of that tiny bit of oil? Brilliant … if you like DENSE pancakes. (I sure don’t!) In this recipe, it’s worth a bit of canola to have fluffy-as-a-down-comforter pancakes!
I even tried mixing in some white flour. But I wanted 100% whole grain … and I just knew it could work! (Picture me obstinately stamping my foot.)
I went back to the drawing board again and again … 20 batches … I kid you not.
But I emerged victorious!
I finally (finally!) have the recipe … and the secrets … for 100% perfect, 100% whole grain, 100% kid-approved, 100% fluffy-pillowy-delicious pancakes.
Whew … I have a lot to tell you!
I’ve gotta share some of my newfound knowledge. I figure I’m not the only person in the world who’s had trouble making the perfect pancake, especially when it comes to whole wheat pancakes! So, here goes:
Tips for Perfect (100% Whole Grain!) Pancakes
- Fire up the griddle to medium-high and let it fully preheat. It needs to be good ’n hot. A great way to check, if you’re not sure, is to sprinkle a couple drops of water on your griddle – if the drops dance a bit, the griddle’s hot enough.
- Mix the dry ingredients first. Mix ’em up really well. I recommend using a whisk to thoroughly incorporate everything together. (Although sugar is often considered a “wet ingredient” in some recipes, for this particular recipe, it works well to whisk the brown sugar thoroughly into the dry ingredients before the wet ingredients are added.)
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Seems like a minor thing, but this makes a big difference in how your ingredients come together. It helps to create a more uniform, less lumpy batter with less mixing (since we want to avoid over-mixing). If you’re looking for perfect pancakes, don’t skip this step.
- Beat the egg …
- Then mix it with the milk, canola and vanilla after it’s beaten.
- Carefully pour the wet ingredients into the well of dry ingredients and combine them by pulling the dry ingredients from the outside of the well into the wet center. But don’t over-stir. The batter should be fairly smooth, but it’s ok to have a few lumps.
- Some recipes recommend letting your batter rest for a while. But really, friends … who has time for that? Do you have a moment to nap before breakfast? ’Cause I sure don’t! Besides that, I find that too much of the bubbly action of the baking powder is spent by the time I wait around a while. (Double-acting baking powder leavens in two phases, and for these whole-grains pancakes, we want to make use of all the light-and-fluffy-bubbly power it’s got to offer). I suggest you get right to work.
- After the batter is poured onto the griddle, wait until you’ve got bubbles in the center of the pancake. The outside edges of the pancake will appear just a tad dry. (If you need to check, use a slim spatula to peek and make sure the pancake is golden brown underneath.) It’s time to flip!
- Only flip the pancake once.
- The second side of the pancake takes about half the time to cook as the first side.
- Oooooh! I’ve even got make-ahead tips! (You knew I would!) You can mix the dry ingredients in this recipe together the night before, to make busy mornings easier. And after you’ve made these pancakes, they refrigerate and freeze great – cook up a double batch on the weekend and you’re good to go for days!
Ok. So now you know how to make the perfect pancake! High-five!
But …
Want to make those 100% perfectly perfect pancakes even MORE perfect?
Sure you do!
Want to make those pancakes really special for your beautiful kids as they head back to school? Or have a birthday? Or celebrate Valentine’s Day … or learn their letters and shapes … or well, whatever …
Ta-da …
Once you taste these impressively delicious, fluffy-as-fleece (yet amazingly nutritious!) whole grain pancakes, you’re gonna want take the next step to pancake nirvana. You’re gonna want to wow your kids with your artistry as you craft pancakes in every letter, numeral and shape. You’re gonna want to read all about our Easy Tricks for Making Pancake Shapes and Numbers.
Wow … with yummy, super-fun pancakes like these, you just might find your kiddos are anxiously awaiting back-to-school mornings. Hey – if anything can make that happen, it’s definitely pancakes!
Want More Great (Healthy!) Breakfast Ideas? Gotta Try:
- Mom’s Best Whole Wheat Waffles
- 10-Minute Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
- Farmers’ Market Overnight Breakfast Egg Casserole (Make it ahead for breakfasts all week!)
- 10-Minute Almond Joy Oatmeal
- Easy, Healthy Applesauce Granola (Stores so well – perfect make-ahead!)
Whole Wheat Pancakes
After extensive testing ... we've developed the perfect recipe for making fluffy, delicious, kid-approved, 100% whole grain pancakes!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Vegetarian •
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup nonfat milk
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle over medium-high heat and follow the manufacturer's directions regarding adding oils or cooking sprays to prepare the cooking surface. (Alternatively, you can use a large, nonstick skillet, cooking the pancakes in smaller batches.)
- Begin by combining flour, flaxseed meal, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl, stirring thoroughly with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, combine egg, milk, oil, and vanilla, stirring to thoroughly combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the center of the dry ingredients. Mix by pulling the dry ingredients into the wet center. Stir until just combined, being careful not to over-mix (there may still be a few small lumps in the batter).
- Pour the pancakes onto your griddle in the desired sizes or shapes. The pancakes should be ready to flip when they have bubbles at the center and are beginning to look a little dry at the outer edges. At that point, they should be perfectly golden brown underneath. Exactly how long this takes will vary depending on how hot your particular griddle runs and how large you choose to make your pancakes.
- After you flip the pancakes, the second side should cook in about half the time as the first side.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Make-ahead tips for the night before: You can mix the dry ingredients together the night before you make these pancakes, so they're almost ready to cook right away in the morning. However, the brown sugar will dry out and harden overnight if left in a clump. To prevent this, either wait to add the brown sugar in the morning, or make sure to whisk all the dry ingredients together really well the night before, so the brown sugar is already thoroughly incorporated. Cover the ingredients overnight.
Making pancakes further in advance: You can make these pancakes days or even weeks ahead (you may want to make a double batch). They refrigerate and freeze really well – and are a snap to reheat gently in a low oven, microwave, or toaster oven.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 1/2 cup batterAmount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 48mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 8g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
We love these pancakes! They turned out great!
Fantastic, April! I’m so delighted to hear you enjoyed them! 😀 ~Shelley
What a great way to start my day! Looking forward to enjoying this for breakfast tomorrow, indeed!
Can’t wait for you to make these Whole Wheat Pancakes, Sara – I think you’ll be surprised how you really don’t even notice the nutrition boost. They don’t taste healthy. They’re just gooooood! 😉 Enjoy! ~Shelley
I just made some we pancakes tonight for my son tomorrow morning. I thought I was saving time and being so savvy…I failed,,miserably. I made a whole batch of disgusting, dense, bland (even though I put chic chips and cinnamon in them) awful pancakes. I really wish I found your blog before I made these atrocious cakes. Tomorrow I’m starting from scratch again and making them the right way!
Oh, Kiki! What a coincidence to be reading your message this morning – I actually just made these pancakes today for my own kiddos, too! Amy and Ty are turning 15 today (big day at our house! 😀 ), and even though they’re not so little anymore, I still had to do the mommy ritual of making them pancakes in the shape of “15”s (seriously so much easier now that I use our squeeze bottle technique!). I think they secretly love that I do that – or at least it makes me happy! But anyway, as Ty munched along, he exclaimed all over again, “These are so, SOOOO good!” I really hope your son loved our recipe as much as my two always do, and that it turned out so much better than the first whole wheat pancake recipe you’d tried. Enjoy! ~Shelley