When you think of pancakes and chocolate, probably picture chocolate chip pancakes. Chocolate chip pancakes are delicious, but have you ever thought of making chocolate pancakes? Instead of just a bite of chocolate here and there, you get a mouthful of moist, chocolate flavor.

I had never thought of chocolate pancakes before, but as soon as I heard that there was such a thing as a chocolate pancake recipe, I knew I had to have them. When I learned how to make chocolate pancakes, I knew this was going to be one of very few times I would be able to have chocolate cake for breakfast, and I knew it wouldn’t pass my lips guilt-free, but I enjoyed it all the same.

A good chocolate pancakes recipe will have just the right amount of cocoa to allow for rich pancakes that are still light and fluffy, albeit not quite as light and fluffy as the traditional pancake.

Pancakes are normally not very sweet by themselves, which is why we put maple syrup on top. Chocolate pancakes are also less sweet with almost enough sugar to counteract the bitter cocoa. You can top them with syrup, but I recommend sprinkling them with powdered sugar for the perfect sweet companion.

Beware, this is not a light breakfast because it’s rich and you can’t eat just one!

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

First, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir it together lightly. Be sure to sift these ingredients well to keep the batter light and the pancakes fluffy. Chocolate pancakes are rich and won’t be as fluffy as traditional pancakes, but sifting will help keep them as fluffy as possible.

In a small, separate bowl, stir together the vanilla, milk, egg and melted butter until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just enough. Sifting the flour beforehand will help minimize lumps, but some lumps are a good sign. It means you didn’t over-mix the batter which will cause chewy pancakes.

Let the pancake batter rest in the refrigerator while you prepare your pancake griddle. During this resting time, the rest of the lumps will dissolve in the pancakes. Heat up the griddle to about medium to medium high heat. Let it heat up thoroughly before lightly greasing the griddle with butter or vegetable oil.

When the pan is ready, remove the batter from the refrigerator and pour ¼ cup of batter onto the pan at a time to form pancakes. Do not mix the batter before pouring it on the pan. The batter may be a little thinner than regular pancakes. If it is too thin, try adding a tablespoon of flour. If you are concerned about thin pancakes, only add ¾ cups of milk from the start and add more later on, if necessary.

Cook the pancakes on one side for about 1 to 2 minutes until set. You won’t be able to see a golden brown color as you would with regular pancakes because they are chocolate. This is a common problem with chocolate baked goods. Use your judgment and try not to overcook them. After cooking the first batch, you’ll better be able to tell when they are ready to flip. Flip the pancakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side.

Serve the chocolate pancakes dusted lightly with powdered sugar. You can also serve them with butter and syrup just like traditional pancakes, but the powdered sugar tastes great with the chocolate flavor and adds just enough sweetness. Many people find that adding a dollop of whipped cream is also delicious.

Endless Possibilities

Once you know how to make chocolate pancakes, you can begin experimenting with flavors. Chocolate pancakes from scratch can be easily adjusted with different ideas. If you truly adore chocolate, add ½ cup mini chocolate chips. I like to mix in chopped nuts such as peanuts, walnuts or my favorite, pecans.

Lots of different fruit go really well with chocolate pancakes. Think chocolate covered strawberries. Slice up strawberries or bananas and add them to the batter or lay overtop. Even blueberries taste great with chocolate. Syrups flavored with strawberries, raspberries, or other berries also work great. There truly are endless possibilities when it comes to flavoring up your chocolate pancakes.