enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

Pancakes

Pancakes are one of those foods where unless they are perfection they are just not worth the effort and/or the calories. I don't love them from a box (too baking soda tasting). I generally don't like them at a diner (too thick and heavy). But these, homemade and adapted from a recipe in The Commonsense Kitchen, I love.

  • nearly 2 C milk (we use skim because that's what we buy)
  • juice from one lemon
  • 1 C white flour
  • 1/2 C wheat flour
  • 3 T wheat germ (this is added to cut the bitterness but keep the flavor of wheat flour)
  • 1/4 C sugar
  • 1/2 T baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 T butter, melted
  • vegetable oil for cooking the pancakes
  • optional berries (a good handful)

Squeeze the lemon juice into a measuring cup and then add the milk until you have 2 cups of liquid toal. (This is a substitute for buttermilk but works just fantastically.) Let that sit for about 10 minutes (you'll notice the milk takes on a slightly thicker consistency from the lemon juice acid – that's great).

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, wheat germ (can be purchased at health food stores and is super cheap. If you don't have this, no big deal, but it helps make for great flavor, I promise), sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a larger bowl, beat the eggs then add in the melted butter and lemonmilk.

Add some vegetable oil to your pan and begin heating (medium high is great).

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined, but don't over mix. Check the consistency of your pancake mixture. Is it super runny like cupcake mix? Add a bit more white flour. Is is more like cookie dough? Add a bit more milk. We like to throw in washed blueberries or strawberries at this stage.

When your pan is hot and your pancake constancy is right, turn the stove down to medium and pour the pancake batter into the pan (we use a 1/3 C measuring cup and don't fill it all the way).

Flip your pancakes when bubbles start to appear on the surface. They are done when the second side springs back to the touch. (You'll get the hang of "done" after a few.)

This recipe makes about sixteen 5" pancakes or more than enough for Paul and I to have breakfast and then breakfast for dinner later on in the week. We eat them with peanut butter and maple syrup. So great.

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28 responses to “how we do pancakes.”

  1. Erica Avatar
    Erica

    Hey Elise! I have been looking for a good pancake recipe and I am so happy that you put this up. Would you put these in the freezer if you all didn’t finish then? I thought they would make a great freezer meal recipe.

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  2. Elizabeth Avatar

    Love pancakes! They have been one of our family traditions for as long as I can remember, and somehow turn breakfast into a special event. We have our favorite family recipe which is not too different than yours, but one suggestion for you is beating the egg separately. We do the egg yolks in and then beat the whites in a metal bowl until soft peaks form and mix them in at the end. This makes them even more delectable and lovely!

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  3. linda Avatar

    Amazingly, I have never tried pancakes with peanut butter?! I suppose it’s about time I’ve tried this out, thanks for sharing. Here in Italy, we often make crepes… but if you go thick enough, it’s almost like a pancake 🙂

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  4. Casey @ The Maine Mrs. Avatar

    I agree with your opinion on pancakes. They are done wrong so often. I will definitely have to try this recipe.

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  5. Tina Avatar

    I have never ever heard of putting peanut butter on pancakes. I’ll have to try it!

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  6. Carrie Avatar

    I am more of a fan of waffles (that could be my crazy pregnancy craving talking), but I agree about pancakes that are too thick or heavy. They just aren’t fun to eat or have sit in your belly afterwards.

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  7. Harmony Avatar

    I’ve been using vinegar in my milk, will try out the lemon juice to see how it compares in the fluffiness department.

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  8. michelle t Avatar
    michelle t

    Always looking for a new pancake recipe to try. Have a new griddle I’m playing with. Thanks for the recipe and link, too. Michelle t

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  9. Elise Avatar

    We keep out leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. But freezer would probably keep them longer. 🙂

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  10. Elise Avatar

    Totally agree!! Waffles are awesome, but these are light and worth a try. 🙂

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  11. Elise Avatar

    Would love to hear!

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  12. Sarah Mann Avatar

    This looks like a perfect breakfast for a lazy day in!

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  13. Brianna Avatar
    Brianna

    Pancakes are my fave. When I was little, we had a Sunday morning tradition of pancakes or waffles. I miss those days.

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  14. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    For fluffiness, you should try separating the eggs and beating the egg whites, then folding them in at the end. Also don’t use the butter, only the oil on the pan. That’s what my family does no matter the pancake recipe, just like we were taught by my grandmother – no fat and separate the eggs!

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  15. Michelle Avatar

    Do you like bacon?
    I suggest you make the bacon first, pour off the grease, then use a paper towel dipped in the fat to grease your pan.
    Gives a wonderful smoky flavor and crisp edges to a pancake. 🙂

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  16. mk Avatar
    mk

    Ah! At about 3 my daughter went through a growth phase of wanting pancakes in the middle of the night. You might someday be doubling that recipe just for MORE leftovers.

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  17. Icsteveandkatie Avatar

    Wow, these pancakes look and sound fantastic! Thanks for sharing your wisdom! 🙂

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  18. clare Avatar
    clare

    We freeze our waffle and pancake leftovers because then my 11 year old can have them every school day for breakfast.

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  19. Welcome Home Taylor Avatar

    I love new pancake recipes! The use of wheat germ in here is great!
    xoxo
    Taylor
    http://www.welcomehometaylor.com

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  20. Deb @ PaperTurtle Avatar

    Mmmm…this makes me want pancakes for dinner! We love ours with bananas. I pour the batter, place a few slices of bananas on top, and then flip to cook the banana side. OMG yum!

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  21. Shauna Avatar
    Shauna

    Wow thats so much effort.
    My mums faithful recipe which has been passed down is literally
    2 eggs (more for more then 2-3 people)
    A big glug of almost 2 cups milk maybe more
    a dash of sugar maybe a tablespoon max.
    a splash of vanilla
    and floor (any kind you want, I like buckwheat to fill me up longer or regular self raising flour if making it for nieces and nephews.) until you get the right consistency.
    then cook as usual. little butter or oil in pan to stop them sticking
    We top it with the following combos: grated apple and cinnamon, lemon or orange squeezed with a sprinkle of sugar, maple syrup, or fresh berries and cream.
    It is so fast to make you end up waiting around for the pan to heat up.

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  22. Carolyn Williams Avatar

    This looks great! I love pancakes from scratch, and the wheat germ is a terrific idea.

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  23. Alison M Avatar
    Alison M

    I always put a bit of plain yogurt in mine, too. Helps to fluff them up. Will definitely try the lemon juice/buttermilk substitute idea!

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  24. JC Avatar

    I feel the same way about pancakes, my Fiance loves them, but I’d much rather have eggs. Maybe i will give these a shot for him.

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  25. Janae Avatar
    Janae

    Made these this morning and loved them. Thanks for the recipe! Made a few adjustments with what I had on hand (flax and wheat bran instead of wheat germ; added vanilla and a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg, and used actual buttermilk instead of the substitute). They were easy to make and I froze half the batch for later as I am having a baby soon. Thanks again 🙂

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  26. patty Avatar
    patty

    oh man elsie! the last pancake is cooking as i’m typing this… bravo!! good stuff. i ended up using the pre-squeezed lemon liquid because that’s the only thing i had in my fridge and more flour instead of wheat. but they came out good. i have 3 boxes of pancake mixture in my pantry. what to do… what to do… the consistency of these were perfect. the pre-mixes always end up being too think in my opinion. i have a feeling the leftover we have will be no more by the end of the day. again, thanks 🙂

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  27. Leah Noble Avatar

    I made these today and they were awesome. I usually make pancakes on the weekend, and make a big batch so I can nibble on them as a snack throughout the weekend. This recipe will be replacing my last one! They’re lighter but still healthy.
    I put blueberries and chocolate chips in them. I also like to put cranberries and some sort of nut, too, but didn’t today.

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  28. J3SS1C4 Avatar

    These are making my mouth water! I like the idea of raspberries and a few chocolate chips mixed in! Almond flakes could also be a yummy edition! My partner isn’t big on real pancakes though… He only really eats crepes, so I might have to adjust this for a smaller portion

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