Pancake Perfection

Vegan Pancakes

My obsession with pancakes is well known among my family and friends.

Ask me what I want for breakfast on any given day and PANCAKES! is the first thing that pops into my mind. There are even days when whipping up a batch of pancakes sounds like the perfect gourmet dinner menu.

Of course my pancakes are not your average lightly browned breakfast cake. Instead, they are filled with gobs of goodies both healthy and unhealthy, to round out whatever mood I’m in.

My favorite pancake is reminiscent of an Almond Joy, a candy bar this vegan misses dearly. This addition is simple, sprinkle in some chocolate chips and coconut into your pancake batter. Then, pour onto the griddle and cook to perfection. When you flip the pancake onto your plate, immediately slather on fresh almond butter to create a decadent dessert worthy breakfast. (or lunch, or dinner…)

There was an old waffle recipe I found online 10-12 years ago. I’ve adjusted added to this and made it more my own. Now, I share and encourage you to explore and create your own perfect pancakes.

Vegan Pancakes

1 ¼     Cup Flour

¼        Cup Sugar

¼        Cup Earth Balance (or vegan margarine)

2 tsp   Baking Powder

½ tsp  Vanilla

½ tsp  Cinnamon

1-2     Cups Water

 

Instructions

It helps to get out all of the ingredients and have everything within arms reach as you begin. Turn on your griddle or flat pan to medium heat and allow your cooking surface to get hot while you are preparing the pancake batter.

Fill a large measuring cup with water and set aside for a few minutes. Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir with a fork to distribute everything evenly. Create a nice hole in the middle of your dry ingredients.

Next, melt the earth balance (margarine) in a small cup or prep bowl in a microwave for about 15-30 seconds. Add the vanilla to the earth balance bowl.

Add the margarine/vanilla mixture into the center of your dry ingredients. Begin stirring slowly, and then immediately begin adding water into the mixture. Slowly mix, from the center so you are getting out lumps as you go. Don’t let the batter get really thick and goopy, keep enough water so that it is the consistency of a thick brownie batter. Add more water until the dry ingredients are mixed in well. You may not need all of your water, so do not just dump it all in. You don’t want your batter super thin, it should be just a little thicker than an average cake batter.

If it looks too watery, slowly add a touch more flour, a tablespoon at a time (to make sure you don’t make it too thick again!)

If you are new to making pancakes, read the instructions below for preparing your cooking surface and knowing when to flip.

Instructions for Pancake Perfection

Making pancakes is as easy as child’s play. This past summer I taught my 11 year old nephew how to make pancakes, flipping them at just the right moment. He thoroughly enjoyed himself. The key to making pancakes without creating a gigantic mess is perfecting the heat of your griddle, and then timing the flip just right.

Heat: Turn on your burner to medium heat. Choose a large non-stick skillet with a flat bottom. If you have a griddle that covers more than one burner – even better! Allow the burner to heat up for a few minutes.

Test your cooking surface by pouring a teaspoon of batter into the middle. Within a few moments, you should see little bubbles appear all over the surface of the mini cake and the edges will harden. If it takes more than a few seconds for this process, then your griddle is not hot enough. Following the instructions at the beginning, if you turned your stove on before making your batter and your cooking surface is not hot enough yet, you may need to turn it up just a touch. Not a lot, just one notch. Too much heat and you burn your pancakes! Wait a minute for the extra heat to distribute and try your test cake again.

When you have a surface of bubbles and the edges have stopped moving, swiftly slide your large flat spatula beneath the pancake and flip! A swift movement helps to make sure that the batter does not run off the sides and create a mess.

Allow the other side to cook for a few moments. If your first side was not brown enough, go ahead and flip back over and give it a bit more time.

Serve immediately with your favorite garnishments!