Indulgent Red, White, and Blue Pancakes

These sweet and festive pancakes are the perfect 4th of July treat!

Since we started living together, elaborate Saturday morning breakfasts have become a tradition for John and me. One of our favorites is pancakes. I have a great stand-by recipe that I have been adjusting little by little over the years. One of the major changes I made was exchanging the buttermilk (which I never have in the fridge) for a combination of Greek yogurt and almond milk (always in the fridge). They still aren’t perfect, but my most recent tweak has been a revelation.

This change was also made out of necessity. I was in the middle of making Saturday breakfast when I discovered we were out of vegetable oil. I was forced use butter, which wasn’t really a problem because I buy it in bulk from Costco. Holy wow. The pancakes were so rich and decadent! I have never gone back to oil.

For the upcoming holiday, I decided to add some red, white, and blue fruits for a little twist. I cooked blueberries right into the pancakes staining them with bright blue flecks. Instead of maple syrup, I used bright red raspberry syrup made from heated preserves. Finally, I drizzled on some coconut milk for added flavor. These add-ons, of course, are optional and the pancakes are just as delightful with any topping. Just choose your favorite!

Indulgent Pancakes
makes about eight 6-inch pancakes

Ingredients

dry

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup granulated sugar

wet

1 cup milk (I use vanilla almond, low-fat, or whole milk)
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup (half a stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 egg

optional toppings and mix-ins

blueberries
raspberry preserves
coconut milk

Instructions

Start by pre-heating your griddle or pan. You want it to be at medium-high temperature when that first cake hits the pan.

1. Add the dry ingredients to medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Whisk lightly to combine the dry ingredients.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl.
4. Whisk to combine the ingredients into a lumpy batter. The batter should be thick but pourable. If the batter is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons more milk to thin it.
5. Smear the griddle with butter or coconut oil.
6. Spoon, ladle, or pour about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake onto your pan. If using, sprinkle a handful of blueberries onto each pancake.
7. Cook until bubbles break through on the surface and the batter is set, approximately 3-4 minutes. You can use the spatula to lift the pancake and check for doneness.
8. Gently flip the pancake over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
9. Serve with maple syrup or, my favorite, warm preserves.

To heat the preserves, spoon the desired amount into a syrup pitcher and heat in the microwave in 10-second intervals until melted. If necessary, thin the jam with a few drops of water.

Pancake cooking tips:

This one is almost done. Check it by flipping up the edge with your spatula. The batter should still be glossy but will barely move. The underside should be golden brown.

Due to temperature fluctuations and using a freshly oiled griddle, the first batch might come out uneven, but they still taste great! If you find your pancakes are browning before they are cooked through, turn down your heat to medium and cook a bit longer.

A link to this page is posted on the following sites: Full Plate Thursday, Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons, The Better Baker, The Country Cook, Sunflowers Supper Club