Here’s how to make tasty American style pancakes for the kids (including the big kids) and you can even choose to make them gluten, sugar and dairy free!
This recipe is extremely easy and fun for the kids to join in with – both in the preparation and adding all of the tasty toppings afterwards. Getting your kids to join in with the cooking is a great way to get them to learn about what’s good for them, tasty and they are more likely to eat it afterwards (great tip for fussy eaters).
Ingredients:
4 oz flour (you can use wheat/gluten free flour)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbls caster sugar (or honey/maple syrup for a sugar free alternative)
4 fl oz milk (soya milk for a dairy free alternative)
2 eggs (large, free range) – use 3 if medium
olive/vegetable oil for frying
I don’t use salt – I’ve never felt it was necessary as the toppings have always been enough flavour and it’s better for your kids if you don’t add any.
Toppings:
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raisins
Cooked bacon bits
Maple syrup or honey
Butter (or dairy free spread)
Chocolate spread
You will also need:
A skillet or small frying pan to fry them in
A spatula to turn them over
In our many trips to the US, the the HonieHouse Kids have experienced breakfasts to dream of: waffles, fruit, cereals, eggs sunny side up and over easy, yoghurts, bagels, muffins, grits, sausage gravy & biscuits (a floury, savoury scone) and the best pancakes & toppings ever!!!!
Ask any short order cook at an All American Diner what the most popular breakfast is and I’ll guarantee that where there are kids – pancakes come top of the list. You can have them topped with fresh strawberries and strawberry syrup, piled high with blueberries or simply stacked high on the plate with a jug of maple syrup handy for you to pour away to your heart’s desire.
I often wonder why we still lean towards the thinner French crepe as opposed to the lovely thick comfort food that American pancakes are – they are much nicer and a lot easier to make, flip and for your kids to eat themselves. Their density and size allow toppings to be added during cooking as well as after.
Enough of the talk – lets get set to prepare the mix and then choose your selection of toppings to add during or after the cooking process.
Method:
Combine the flour, baking powder and sugar (if using) and sift.
Whisk the egg and add to the milk – give it another whisk to combine.
If using honey instead of sugar add to the milk/egg mixture and whisk in at this stage
In a large bowl combine the dry and wet ingredients gradually with an electric whisk until a smooth batter forms.
Leave the batter mix for approx. 10 mins for the science to do it’s magic and you are ready to trun your kitchen into a pancake house 
Put a small amount of oil into a skillet/small frying pan and bring it to a high heat.
Turn the heat down to medium and spoon approx a tablespoon of the batter mix into the pan. Allow it to spread for a few seconds to see if you can fit another measure into the pan.
If you are adding the toppings to the pancake whilst cooking sprinkle them on now
After approx. 1 minute, gently lift the edge of the first pancake to see if it has browned and if so, turn it over – they are much easier to turn than traditional pancakes or crepes.
Repeat this is turn for each pancake.
When all of the mix is used up, pile them on plates and serve warm with toppings for the kids to choose.
Enjoy!
For an savoury option and crtainly one for the bigger kids, try American Pancakes with ginger and Wedneslydale cheese with cranberries.
The photo with the blueberries and syrup – that please!
There are more photos to come after we made some last night and the kids scoffed them. I’ll do a slideshow.
I’m sure one or two might make a Project366 appearance too!
these were great. x