These aren’t just your regular pancakes. Dotted with warm and melted chocolate chips, these flapjacks are sensational in every bite. With this easy peasy recipe, you can skip a visit to the diner and enjoy pancakes in your jammies! Just be sure to double the batch. They’re so good, you’ll keep coming back for more.
Homemade Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Chocolate and carbs join forces to make the most indulgent breakfast! I know it’s not easy to wake up at 6:00 am to make breakfast, but these are definitely worth getting up early for. I’m telling you, these chocolate chip pancakes are the best way to start your day. They’re light, fluffy, and super chocolatey. Plus, pancakes aren’t that hard to make, even from scratch. With this simple recipe, your pancakes will be ready in just 30 minutes. It calls for basic and affordable ingredients, too, so you can whip them up any time. This is perfect because you’ll definitely crave them again and again.
Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour – The base of the batter that gives it structure.Granulated Sugar – Just 1 tablespoon, to give the pancakes a little sweetness. You can leave it out if you want savory pancakes.Ground Cinnamon – For a little bit of warmth.Baking Powder – The leavening agent responsible for making the batter rise into light and fluffy pancakes.Salt – To balance out the sweetness.Eggs – They bind the ingredients and help create a thick batter.Milk – It saturates the flour, forming a thick batter. Buttermilk works great, too!Melted Butter – For extra rich and decadent pancakes. It’s both added to the batter and used to fry the pancakes.Vanilla Extract – Flavor enhancer.Mini Chocolate Chips – Use good-quality chips like Guittard or Ghirardelli. I like to use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips to give the pancakes just the right amount of decadence.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Sift the dry ingredients in one bowl, whisk the wet ingredients in another.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix just until well-combined. Do not overmix!
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. This part isn’t a requirement, but it will yield fluffier pancakes.
- Pan-fry the pancakes. Be sure both the skillet and butter are preheated to medium. Flip the pancake over once bubbles start to pop. Cook the other side until golden brown.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Pancakes
A thin, runny batter will make thin, flat pancakes.Use a thick liquid, such as milk, buttermilk, and yogurt to make a thick batter. Chill the chocolate chips in the fridge for about 30 minutes before folding them into the batter. This will keep them from melting as you pan-fry the pancakes.You can use any type of chocolate chips, but note that the darker the chocolate, the higher the melting point. If you don’t want overly-melted chocolate chips, I suggest you stick to dark or semi-sweet chocolate.Be sure your baking powder isn’t expired, otherwise, the pancakes won’t rise. If it’s no longer in the box and you don’t know when its expiration date is, perform a test by dropping 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder into a glass of hot water. You know it’s still active when there’s an immediate fizzing reaction upon contact. If nothing happens, your baking powder is expired. Sift the dry ingredients first to avoid big lumps in your batter.Use separate bowls for the wet and dry ingredients. Whisk them separately, and then combine. This will keep you from over-mixing the batter, which is the primary culprit of flat and rubbery pancakes.Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour in the batter. A few tiny lumps here and there are okay.Allow the batter to rest for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking. This will give the gluten time to rest, which will yield fluffier pancakes. It’ll also allow some of the lumps to dissolve in the batter.While some people prefer to add the chocolate chips when the batter is already on the griddle, I think it’s perfectly fine to fold them into the batter itself. As long as you use cold chocolate chips, you don’t need to worry about them over-melting. Also, don’t add the chocolate chips until right before you cook the pancakes. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.Use a griddle, skillet, or frying pan big enough that you can easily maneuver the pancakes. If you have one that can cook 2 pancakes at a time, much better.Preheat the griddle at medium heat. The pancakes will turn out flabby and soggy if the temperature is too low. If it’s too high, the bottom will get scorched while the inside will remain undercooked.Don’t overcrowd the pan, otherwise, the temperature will drop. You want to keep the temperature at medium heat at all times.Wipe the pan in between batches, especially when the butter has turned dark and there are lots of burned pancake bits left in it. Just wipe it with paper towels and re-grease with butter.When frying the pancakes, you’ll want to leave them undisturbed, but pay close attention. Watch out for bubbles forming on the surface. Once the bubbles have popped and the edges are starting to dry, it’s time to flip them over.Want crisp edges? Be sure to preheat the butter before you pour the batter into the pan.
Recipe Variations
Dairy-free: use cashew or almond milk instead of regular milk. Replace eggs with egg replacer.Double chocolate pancakes: add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder into the dry mixture. Add a little more milk to saturate the batter if it gets too thick.Healthy pancakes: use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. Substitute equal amounts of applesauce for the butter. Use low-fat or non-dairy milk. Skip the sugar.Want extra fluffy, cloud-like pancakes? Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and gently fold them into the batter.
Can I freeze chocolate chip pancakes?
Yes! You can definitely double or triple the recipe and store the leftovers for another day. Allow the pancakes to cool completely. Place them in a freezer-safe container with a sheet of parchment paper in between to keep them from sticking. Freeze them for up to 2 months. Reheat them in the toaster or the microwave for 1-2 minutes. No need to defrost.
Topping Ideas
Don’t get me wrong, these chocolate chip pancakes are perfect on their own, but they’re nowhere near as good without toppings. It’s what makes pancakes so much fun to eat!
Butter and maple syrup. I mean, duh.Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. Drizzle the pancakes with chocolate syrup and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top.Peanut butter and bananas. A heavenly combination of sweet and salty flavors.Fruit. Yep, they go well with chocolate. This can be anywhere from fresh fruits and berries to jams and preserves.Something crunchy. Toasted walnuts, pecans, almonds, pick your favorite.Bacon. Decadent chocolate plus crispy and smoky bacon? Why not?
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