Festive, warmly-spiced Gingerbread Pancakes are a wonderful holiday season breakfast. They are light, fluffy, and full of gingerbread flavor!
These Pancakes Are Perfect for Christmas Morning!
There’s nothing like pancakes for breakfast, is there? We especially love to have stacks of fluffy pancakes when the weather finally turns cool. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s are all perfect occasions for a warm pancake breakfast, especially these spiced, molasses-y gingerbread pancakes. Gingerbread just screams Christmas to me, there is something magical about all those warm spices together. If you love gingerbread, make sure to check out my favorite Gingerbread Muffins, Gingerbread Man Cookies and classic Gingerbread!
Best of all, these are just as easy to make as plain pancakes, and they are guaranteed to turn out light and fluffy. Just a few basic ingredients and a little bit of time are all you need. A scrumptious holiday breakfast is right around the corner!
(Want more pancake ideas? How about these festive Grinch Pancakes! Or try these refreshing Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Easy Pumpkin Pancakes, cinnamon-y Churro Pancakes, and classic Fluffy Pancakes!)
The Ingredients You’ll Need
So just what will you need to make these? Here’s the list of ingredients. Each item is a real-food, from-scratch pantry staple, making this a convenient recipe you can make on the fly.
- Flour: Basic all-purpose flour is my go-to.
- Baking Powder: Make sure to use baking powder, not baking soda, or the pancakes won’t have a fluffy texture.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and cloves give the pancakes that classic gingerbread spiciness.
- Sugar: A little granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness.
- Eggs: Beat the eggs lightly before adding them to the batter.
- Buttermilk: For a slightly tangy taste. You can also use whole milk mixed with 2 teaspoons white vinegar in a pinch. Let the milk and vinegar mixture sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Oil: Use a neutral cooking oil, such as vegetable oil.
- Molasses: I use blackstrap, but you can use lighter molasses if you prefer.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.
What Is Molasses Made Out Of?
Molasses can be made from sugar cane or sugar beets. Sugar cane is generally preferred for cooking purposes. When the sugar is made from sugar cane, it leaves behind a thick, dark syrup – that’s molasses! Molasses comes in a few different forms, with regular molasses being less intense and blackstrap being more intense. I like blackstrap, but lighter molasses is fine for this recipe, too.
How to Make Gingerbread Pancakes
Making gingerbread pancakes is an easy process – you basically just need to mix up the batter, and pour small scoops of it onto your griddle. Here’s how to make them, step by step:
- Make the Batter. Get out a large mixing bowl, and combine the dry ingredients in it: flour, baking powder, spices, and sugar. Stir this together, and then add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, molasses, and vanilla extract. Stir until just combined – don’t overmix the batter or the pancakes will be rubbery and flat.
- Cook the Pancakes on the First Side. Heat a griddle over medium heat, and grease it with a small amount of cooking oil. Test the griddle by dropping a drop of water on it. If the drop sizzles when it hits the griddle, you’re ready to cook. Pour the batter ⅓ of a cup at a time onto the griddle, and cook the pancakes until they’re golden brown on the bottom.
- Cook on the Second Side. Once the pancakes are golden brown on the bottom, with bubbles forming on top, flip them. Cook them on the second side until that side is also golden brown.
- Repeat. Transfer the pancakes to a serving platter to keep warm, and repeat with the rest of the batter until it has all been used.
- Enjoy! Serve with butter and syrup, or any other toppings you like.
Cook’s Notes
As simple and back-to-basics as pancakes are, there are a few helpful pointers that are good to know. These cook’s notes will help guarantee fluffy, light, flavorful pancakes, every time.
- Buttermilk: I do recommend using real buttermilk to make these pancakes for the best texture and flavor. However, if you don’t have any, you can always make this easy substitute. Combine about 1 ½ teaspoons of white vinegar with enough milk to make 1 ½ cups. Let this sit for 5 minutes to thicken before using.
- Molasses Flavor: If you want an even more molasses-y flavor, you can swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar (light or dark will both work!).
- Mixing: I can’t emphasize enough that overmixing is a big problem for pancakes. If you have had trouble with tough pancakes before, the odds are that overmixing was the problem. Make sure you mix to get a fairly smooth batter, but it’s better to have some small lumps than to overmix.
- Turning: The pancakes are ready to flip when there are small bubbles rising through the batter, not just on the edges but in the middle.
Yummy Serving Suggestions
To round out your breakfast menu, you can add all of your breakfast favorites – think scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and orange juice! You could also make one or more of these flavorful breakfast recipes:
- Breakfast Casserole: A savory breakfast casserole is always welcome, especially this rich Biscuits and Gravy Casserole. It’s all the goodness of homemade biscuits and sausage gravy, in one hearty dish.
- Crispy Bacon: Take the hassle out of cooking bacon with this easy tutorial on How to Cook Bacon in the Oven. You’ll never stand over a hot skillet turning bacon again!
- Fruit Salad: Fresh, colorful fruit salad adds so much to your breakfast table! This Ambrosia Salad is extra-retro and fun to serve for the holidays.
Storing and Reheating Extra Pancakes
If you end up with extra pancakes, you can easily save them for later by refrigerating and reheating them. To refrigerate, just place the cooled pancakes in an airtight container or food storage bag, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To reheat gingerbread pancakes, you can use your microwave, toaster oven, or heat them on the stovetop in a skillet. Heat just until warmed through.
Can I Freeze These?
If you want to freeze these, I recommend putting a small piece of parchment paper between each pancake. Then place them in a freezer-friendly zip-top bag, and store them in your freezer for up to 3 months.
Gingerbread Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and sugar.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, molasses, and vanilla. Stir until just combined. Do not over stir, which can lead to flat, rubbery pancakes.
- Heat a greased griddle over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the surface. Pour the pancake batter, ⅓ cup at a time on griddle and cook until golden brown on the bottom, and bubbles forming on top.
- Flip, and cook until second side is golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is cooked.
- Serve with butter and syrup, or as desired!
Notes
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: If you want to freeze these, I recommend putting a small piece of parchment paper between each pancake. Then place them in a freezer-friendly zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: In the microwave, toaster oven, or on the stovetop in a skillet.
- I use blackstrap, but you can use a lighter molasses if you prefer.
- I do recommend using real buttermilk to make these pancakes for the best texture and flavor. However, if you don’t have any, you can always make your own substitute. Combine whole milk with a little white vinegar (about 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar) and let sit for 5 minutes before using.
- If you want an even more molasses-y flavor, you can swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar (light or dark will both work!).
Nutrition
Categories:
More Holiday Breakfast Recipes
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Overnight Bacon and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight Ham Breakfast Casserole
- Cinnamon Roll Waffles
- Apple Pie French Toast Casserole
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These pancakes are delicious. Full of rich flavor. Thank you for the recipe. I made them as directed but did not have buttermilk. I put 2tsp of fresh lemon juice in 2%milk and everything was fine.