Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: In the cooler months, it’s fun to enjoy holiday flavors at every meal. Fluffy gingerbread pancakes taste just like a gingerbread cookie or a spiced holiday cake.
How long it takes: 10 minutes to make the batter, about 8 minutes per batch to fry
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, griddle, spatula
Servings: makes 14 to 15 pancakes
Holiday Cookies, But Make Them Breakfast
These gingerbread pancakes are everything I love about the holidays — warm, cozy, and loaded with spice. They taste like a stack of gingerbread cookies (without the cookie cutters), and the scent that fills the kitchen? Pure magic.
I love to serve these pancakes with iced pumpkin spice latte or a warm cinnamon dolce latte.
What makes them special:
- Perfectly spiced. Gingerbread pancakes use classic gingerbread ingredients to make a perfectly spiced pancake. Top the pancakes with creamy gingerbread butter or sweet cinnamon apple cranberry sauce, and you basically have holiday brunch on a plate!
- Quick and cozy: Ready in about 15 minutes but tastes like an intense day of holiday baking.
- Breakfast or brunch ready: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with cream cheese icing for an easy holiday showstopper.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: The pancakes are made with regular flour but you can substitute other flours if you prefer. I often make them using a blend of whole wheat flour and white flour for more hearty pancakes. Make gluten-free pancakes by using a gluten-free flour substitute.
- Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves: These warm spices give gingerbread pancakes the signature gingerbread flavor.
- Molasses: This is another key element of gingerbread. I usually use a light-colored molasses for baking because the extra dark molasses can be a little bitter.
- Brown sugar: The pancakes are lightly sweetened with brown sugar which has a richer flavor than white granulated sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Added to many baked goods, pure vanilla extract enhances the flavors in these pancakes. Avoid imitation vanilla which is not really vanilla at all.
- Milk, oil, eggs: These are common pancake ingredients. You can use any type of milk you like. I usually have 2% milk in the refrigerator.
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt: Again, you’ll find these ingredients in most pancake recipes. They leaven the pancakes so they become fluffy and light. Salt keeps them from tasting flat.
How to Make Gingerbread Pancakes
Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, brown sugar, molasses, oil, and vanilla until completely combined.
Add dry ingredients. On top of the wet ingredients, measure out the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Gently toss dry ingredients together before stirring into wet ingredients. Mix all the ingredients together, being careful not to overmix. A few lumps are okay.
Fry pancakes. Let the batter rest while you preheat the griddle. Once it’s preheated, you can grease it with oil or butter if you like although most nonstick griddles don’t require it. Scoop batter onto the griddle by about ¼ -cup portions onto the griddle. Cook the pancakes 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip them over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the cooked pancakes from the griddle and repeat the process until all the batter is used. You should get 14 to 15 pancakes.
Cooking Tip
This is a fairly thick batter, so you may have to turn your heat down to medium-low if the pancakes are getting done too quickly on the outside and not cooking through to the middle. Watch them closely, especially the first couple batches. The batter can be thinned down with additional milk if you like.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Use different flour. This recipe calls for 2 cups of all-purpose flour. You can substitute your favorite flour with a 1:1 ratio, or use a combination of flours. These pancakes taste great with almond flour, buckwheat flour, or whole wheat flour.
- Add mix-ins. For a twist on gingerbread pancakes, try adding ¾ cup chopped toasted pecans or ¾ cup chocolate chips to the batter. You can also sprinkle pecans or chocolate as a garnish on top of the pancakes to add flavor, color, and texture.
Serving Suggestions
Topping ideas: The molasses in these pancakes gives them a beautiful dark color and flavor. Take advantage of the deep golden brown shade by serving them with contrasting colors, like whipped cream or a bright cranberry sauce. Maple syrup complements the flavors in gingerbread pancakes; cinnamon sugar is a great topping, too. Warm apple compote would go well, too.
Make it a meal: Serve gingerbread pancakes with a hearty side. Candied bacon is perfect for a special treat; homemade breakfast sausage patties with apple and onion are wonderful, too. Hash brown breakfast casserole would go well with these pancakes, or a crustless quiche.
Storage: Store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze, cool pancakes completely on a wire rack, in a single layer if possible. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag.
Reheating: Reheat gingerbread pancakes in the microwave, toaster, toaster oven, or on the stovetop.
More Pancake Recipes
Gingerbread Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (any type of milk will work)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (or any cooking oil of your choice)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, brown sugar, molasses, oil, and vanilla until well-combined.1 cup milk, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ cup molasses, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- On top of wet ingredients, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Gently toss dry ingredients together before stirring into wet ingredients. Stir until smooth, but don’t overmix.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Heat a griddle over medium-low heat. If desired, butter or oil the pan. Scoop batter by about ¼ -cup portions onto heated pan. Cook until bubbles appear and pancakes start to look dry around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter (recipe should yield 14 to 15 pancakes).
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooking tip: This is a fairly thick batter, so you may have to turn the heat down to low if they are getting done too quickly on the outside and not cooking through to the middle. Watch them closely, especially the first couple batches. If you prefer, the batter can be thinned with additional milk. The pancakes will not be as thick.
- Variations: Try adding ¾ cup chopped pecans (lightly toast them first for the best flavor) or ¾ cup chocolate chips.
- Storage: Store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze, cool pancakes completely on a wire rack, in a single layer if possible. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. Reheat in the microwave, toaster, toaster oven, or on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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